Frances Tiafoe battles past through four sets against Adrian Mannarino to reach last 16 at US Open

Frances Tiafoe beat Adrian Mannarino 6-4 2-6 3-6 7-6(6) in the third round of the US Open on Friday.

Tiafoe is one of several younger players from the US who have usurped the now-retired John Isner on the tour, and a win against No. 22 Mannarino would have been more evidence that he will be a perennial top-10 challenger.

Tiafoe, 25, fell just short in New York last year when he reached the semi-finals but remains in the hunt for his first-ever Grand Slam.

Mannarino, 10 years his opponent’s senior, was as far into the US Open as he had ever managed before.

The Frenchman was able to break his opponent in the first set and edge 4-2 clear, and Tiafoe then squandered two chances to break back, as Mannarino held his nerve to take the first set 6-4.

Mannarino tried to show his determination as he wrapped up the first set by forcing Tiafoe back towards the baseline, then jogged straight to his chair to get his mid-match recovery under way.

Tiafoe rallied hard in the second set and Mannarino completely fell away in the first half of the third after he was broken, and found himself 3-0 down before giving that up too, with Tiafoe showing his prowess from the baseline with a decisive serve.

In the fourth set it had looked like the match would go the distance but the home favourite pushed on to a tie-break in the fourth that he won 7-6(8-6).

Tiafoe will play his last-16 match on Sunday.

Another US contender, Ben Shelter, reached the next round with a 6-4 3-6 6-2 6-0 win over Aslan Karatsev.

The 20-year-old lost on his debut here in the first round last year, but with 26 aces – one clocked at 147mph – he showed some real promise.

“I am really pleased with my performance today,” said Shelton.

“Happy with the way I served. I think it was one of my best serving days ever. I think I had the most aces I have had in a match and it was the day after John Isner played his last match, it is kind of weird. Maybe he left some of his serving magic out for me, so thanks Johnny.”