Frances Tiafoe is still coming to terms with Serena Williams being retired after she left him starstruck during a private chat at the US Open.
Tiafoe delighted the home crowd with a hard-fought win over Alexei Popyrin on Sunday night to reach the quarter-finals.
The 26-year-old won the first two sets but was pegged back in the third, with Popyrin sensing a comeback against the odds.
Tiafoe, however, remained strong under pressure to wrap up the match in the following set and book a last-eight showdown with Grigor Dimitrov.
Before taking to the court, Tiafoe was spotted catching up with Williams and was effusive in his praise of the 42-year-old.
She has been spotted in the stands at several US Open matches, having retired from playing in 2022 to spend more time with her young daughter.
