Frances Tiafoe Press Conference | 2024 US Open Round 3

congratulations five sets four hours seemed to get stronger as the match went on S your performance for us if you would yeah great performance man um great battle ultimately all in all I think um yeah I I think I returned exceptionally today I thought I made a lot of returns I made him play a lot um and I think that's something I really improved on since I've hard a with um focusing a lot on that and that that paid a lot of dividence I wish I served better throughout the match but I served really well at the end and that's kind of what counts um but yeah I mean that's probably the only thing I would critique but yeah I mean Ben's an incredible player man and he comes up with Goods a lot it was it was it was definitely a tough match but uh I think I not just saying this cuz I won we can spoke in the locker room about it I think the level was a lot higher this year than than we played last year um throughout the five sets but yeah he just ultimately a great performance and you know something I'm really happy about congratulations once again uh name and affiliation one question if you have a follow-up ask it when you're called upon as opposed to a second followup okay Eva Francis uh congratulations you've played your fair share of really really big deal kind of matches with the good atmosphere and everything here did it was this one more meaningful having gone through the losses last year against Ben and then before then against Carlos like being on the other side of it did it mean need more today well I mean the Carlos year was I mean also being a doll during that time and so it it you know it was tough but it wasn't never the S of Slam I felt like you know I was uh like one of the biggest athletes in the world the time it felt like everyone was just loving me so I wasn't really that I mean of course I'm pissed I would love to play final but I I've I mean it was such a great run that I wasn't really that pissed about um just happy to be a part of that but yeah I mean losing last year to him that struggled for a long time um played really really bad for a very very long time um and a lot of things have happened since then you know I struggled I mean with a lot of things motivation wise and things like that haven't taken the game for granted and so many other things um so you know it was it was amazing to have that match up I like I was like look I'm going to get to the round for sure like I really want that match up and um and I was like BR please no one upset him like it would be EP it it would be epic to to do this again like what are the chances um obviously it better sweed as third round um and I know how that feels like you know just losing in five sets in at wiland third round playing probably like the match of the tournament but you at the end of the day you lose and you lost in the third round it's tough but um yeah I mean what an incredible match incredible atmosphere you know for a day match it was it was it was epic Bill congratulations Bill Simonson tennis um once again Francis you got an entire Stadium howling for you and it was a fun fest once again out there uh Ben spoke highly of your impact on on tennis and sports it's a tough question but what do you feel your impact has been on our sport uh over the years well I mean yeah appreciate the word from Ben I think um and I think he's starting he he's definitely done done that now obviously he's a newer face to the tour and um but I mean I think it's showing your personality obviously diversity in sports is massive showing your personality um being you you don't have to be you know this you know standup you know perfect classic guy all the time I mean you can be you get pumped up you know in however way you like to obviously you know a lot of my celebrations how I get pumped up is from other sports you know I love ball so um a lot of my you know sellers are from that and um but I think I've had an an amazing crossover L of people that follow and want to come watch that would never really watch Tennis um because the story I have and and and you know my interest outside of other outside of the game it's really it's really helped uh the sport go forward I really feel like you know from 2022 the US opens look totally different um and I would like to say I definitely had you know place in that but um tennis is in a great place and I'm happy you know with everything I've been able to do Howard and then Matt Howard Francis were you surprised maybe even disappointed that this wasn't scheduled to be at night and then I also wanted to ask you just about that moment at the net with Ben it was kind of an extended thing there it seemed like and maybe if you'd be willing to share any of what the chat was yeah I mean I think uh a little bit of c22 for me like you know not being not playing night I thought it was going to be for sure night uh all my friends and you know close ones you know what I'm saying how is not playing at night um I don't know how I'm going to get there like blah blah blah and I was like the fact of the matter is we're not playing night it doesn't really matter like I just want to win I don't I don't really care um and at the same time it's like you know of course I wanted to be at night but then at the same time I was like well I lost at night last year so maybe just a little bit something different you know so like you know you think about these things a little bit too you know I'm I'm not saying that out loud I can say it now that the max is over but um so but I mean it would have been cool at night look it was it was epic during the day I think everyone loved it I don't I don't really think it matters people in all over across the world could have watched it because it was during the day you know if maybe it's at seven you people in Europe and stuff like that can't watch I think it was epic and I think everybody enjoyed it so it is what it is and then uh after net yeah I mean he was just he was just saying like you know you're you're you're you're so cold at tennis and um you know that uh you better you better keep going and he was he was pissed that I was so casual on that volley at at the end I was like dude it looked casual but I was tight as hell so um but uh and you know he's just saying a bunch of kind words and stuff like that and um you know saying you know keep going and all the best to you going forward and and try to win the open right Francis well done what um what do you think it was that allowed you to respond down two to one this time versus last year and and did your mind flash back at all to last year when you were down two sets to one sort of same situation and then the match got away from you fairly quickly but certainly completely different response today yeah I think and I think it's been something I've been doing much better just like just don't lay down um some having been pride of myself on just just just don't lay down um you know that I mean I've been working on myself you know so much you know um have a have a mental guy processed guy and i' you know been working myself trying to just look at the glass differently and um you know I just want to win or lose matches knowing that I you know the guy beat me I didn't beat myself um you know no free lunches not trying to help my opponent get over the line so obviously last year you know I fell away quickly broke me twice pretty unacceptable the way I lost in the end and you know I was just like you hold serve hold serve and keeping the scoreboard pressure and see what happens and that's that's kind of that's kind of what it was you know I was down two sets to one I was like look you got nothing else to do nowhere else to be like just just keep going um you know it was a tight set it's not it was not much in the match at that point um so don't you know you're fit it's not very hot like just just keep going so I'm just changing I wasn't really if you saw when I walked off wasn't really that concerned I wasn't really that stressed out about it I was just let's just keep keep going and the only thing you can focus on is is my opening game in the fourth and then just keep it rocking from there David Francis David tennis.com when you talk about the time in which you feel like you took tennis for granted how did that manifest for you and do you look back on that time as just a part of the process of adjusting to what it means to compete with the best in the game yeah you know I mean it's tough it's tough It's um look I mean the the margins are so tight I mean the depth in the game is is is incredible right now so many guys who playing really well and if you're not sharp you can lose obviously you seen what happened in Carlos last night you're just not sharp you're going to lose you're going to get clipped man guys are good um and you know no one's light yours better than anybody else you know even caros Center these guys that are winning meev win so much like if you're not sharp and bringing like your ability that we all know you can you're probably going to lose and it's just a fact of the matter um guys are really good man and you know during that time when I'm you know doing that I'm losing a lot and uh you know it was it was definitely tough you know you got you got the ego that that gets that gets hurt and things like that and you don't want to play and this that you don't your practice is bad and you just go down rabit hole but it's all part of the process man like you know you need those moments cuz then these ones feel really good um you know I mean you know outside of you know every tough moment you know successes at the at the end of the tunnel but um a lot of people quit right before that and I I wasn't trying to do that in the back play today Francis um Ben said that basically you were probably the best well returner he'd ever played like so far this season want to know was the return like something you were really focused on going into the match as in you know returning Ben's big Ser yeah I mean I think it was I mean returning has been a thing I've been since I started with deal with something that he's really been focusing on for sure um you know before we started he was like look like you play your you play your return games way too relaxed like we need to we we need to we need to address that and turning much better man I'm making a lot more returns I'm making guys play and and it's it's funny like you know you you feel suffocated after a while knowing you're going to play each and every point and you know you saw a little bit at the end like he was getting a little frustrated and going for broke and you know not wanting stay points but so yeah I mean that's something I really focus on today for sure um you know make him make him play as much obviously he's going to hit some rock Rockets he not going to be able to touch but um if it was on my racket just make it and and let's put on the running shoes and let's let's play really you spoke about taking things for granted in the past but now how do you think you're defined by how hard you work I mean it's not like you know it's not like I'm out here like you know like running up M killing aaro and all of a sudden like I'm not doing I'm not like I'm not changing anything crazy it's just I just got the joy again bro I just love you know I just you know you you start looking outwards and and being like man I I'm I'm blessed to do what I do like you know like playing playing wiland just on Center Court wiling like really I really think if I you know Lost first round of wiland when I was down to such a level I probably wouldn't even be in this position playing wiling and standing old I've never been on Center Court I've never sat at Center Court never nothing so when I walk out there um played epic with him and I was just like man like people love to see what I do and like the games in the better place when I'm playing really well and um yeah people like kids and people like really love to see what I do and obviously you know when you're losing my cuz I did play on side courts and not really having great Fan Fair and things like that so um so that Joy came again I wanted to practice I wanted to just be me I was ready to play obviously I put myself in the hot seat making that clown comment so um you know then you got to you got to back yourself a little bit when you make comments like that but um it's it's been it's been it's been a fun ride and obviously once I get to the states I love to play I love to be in the states I love competing in the states so yeah I'm a good place mentally one follow up if I may Oh I thought there was time for no tman Francis tman car from the guardian uh congrats uh on on the court you mentioned that and kind of was going going for a lot of shots and can can do a lot on the court and it sounded a bit like the way people would speak about you in the past um what is it like being kind of the the steadier player like the vet in a way let not get twist that man I still definitely heit a lot of crazy shots let's not get let's not let's not let's not get that Twisted for sure less than half of his unforced erors you know for sure I mean yeah I mean I definitely want to play bend a little bit more cuz he's so you know e see you know C ball hit ball um but obviously he can get away with that because his service is so good so um you know my serve is good is good at times could be packed at times so can't I can't I can't do that as much as he does but um yeah it's it's funny playing it man because you think you hit some good returns deep and he's back foot you're like sure he's going to like you know spin this cross and we're going to play it out and he just ropes one up the line I'm like all right bro like but um he's just a hell of a player man and he's he's 21 man like only going to get better got a great great coach and his dad and works hard and loves the game and you know he's not he's so Fearless yeah he's he's a hell of a player man we only have time for one more question Craig Francis Craig Gabriel a nine Australia um it's interesting what you were just saying about Wimbledon because Alexi uh poin from just before before now had never ever seen the inside or stepped on on ash before but if you were to play him um in the next round what are your thoughts going into that and also separately if you were to play Novak what would be your thoughts going in there I mean ppp's play the best s of his life right now um he's always been really talented he's starting to put it together he's got malise with him and stuff like that so and Neville gowin he's been he's been working really hard man he's a great guy great player obviously he's going to be tough I mean you don't expect any you know anything easy at this point um he just he just won a match series a little bit ago he's going to play Novak tough I don't even know what the score is they just went out there so it's going to be tough um he's going to serve big big forand come to the net you know do all those things so you got to be ready and then I mean Nole I mean I mean I don't think I really need to you know stroke stroke him as his egos I mean he's he is I mean he's no back like you know he's he's done everything in the game I mean it's incredible he's even out here to be honest with you like if I did what he did after the Gold Medal I'm just staying in ser and I'm chilling drinking like crazy I'm was like but I mean that's why he is who he is right I mean he's an unbelievable he's unbelievable guy too me and him crack jokes all the time I I really I really like that dude but uh yeah man I mean 37 to want to come back out of here I mean that's that's insanity but hey man t on thank you everyone than you