Australian Open - Frances Tiafoe comes of age with biggest career win on 21st birthday

ByAlex Chick

Updated 20/01/2019 at 06:47 GMT

Frances Tiafoe celebrated his 21st birthday with the biggest win of his career, beating Grigor Dimitrov 7-5 7-6 6-7 7-5 to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time.

The American produced a dynamic performance to set up a last-eight Australian Open meeting with Rafa Nadal.

Tiafoe's audacious and imaginative shotmaking could make him a force over the next decade - at times he made the 27-year-old Dimitrov, supposedly one of tennis's new breed, look like an anachronism.

Tiafoe: 'It means the world... I worked my a** off, man'

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Dimitrov's big hitting and court coverage kept his opponent honest, and he produced a crucial break back in the third set before winning a tie break.

But Tiafoe would not be denied a coming-of-age victory, fully deserving his exuberant flex celebration.

Highlights: Tiafoe marks birthday with win over Dimitrov

"It means the world," an emotional Tiafoe said on Eurosport. "I worked my a** off, man.

"I told my parents ten years ago that I was gonna be a pro, I was gonna do this, I was gonna change their lives and my life. Now I'm in the quarters of a slam at 21...I can't believe it, man."

Tiafoe delights fans with trademark celebration

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