Frances Tiafoe a définitivement stoppé sa malédiction à Roland-Garros. De 2015 à 2022, l'Américain n'avait pas réussi à remporter le moindre match dans le Grand Chelem parisien, avant de débloquer son compteur. Il n'avait gagné que quatre matchs en neuf participations. Il a fait aussi bien en une seule édition cette année. Hélas, le parcours s'est arrêté aux portes du dernier carré, battu par un excellent et sérieux Lorenzo Musetti, sur un nuage depuis le début de la tournée sur terre battue (6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2). Dans ce match, une polémique a eu lieu quand Musetti a touché une juge de ligne en tirant avec son pied dans une balle. Tiafoe s'est exprimé à ce sujet en conférence de presse.
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00:00BNP Paribas, partenaire des plus belles histoires de Roland Garros, aux côtés des ramasseurs de balles depuis plus de cinquante ans.
00:17Obviously, it was tough conditions today. No question about it. I think ultimately, he was more willing to kind of just hang there, hang tough. A lot of junk shots today. He defended incredible with some high balls that are always landing in, never could go just out. But yeah, I mean, he was just tougher in the winning ugly department because it wasn't going to be clean from either way.
00:47It was really, really windy and tough conditions. And he just he was he was more willing to do that today than I was.
01:03Just curious, in general, this is obviously a great run, reaching the cause without dropping a set. Just how do you reflect on how you perform this this tournament and how you take it forward from here?
01:14Oh, yeah, I mean, I'm super happy with how I performed, obviously not today, but super happy with how I performed, you know, leading up to this. I mean, I was in a great rhythm in Langland and one outside court I played on. I played great.
01:29And the way I was playing is definitely going to translate to going forward and, you know, going on grass and stuff. I was playing fast. I was coming in. I was super sharp. I was having a great time also battling, battling at a really high clip. So I'm really happy with those.
01:44You know, as a competitor, you want more. And, you know, today it was tough, but it's hopefully that catapults me and I can use that as confidence and keep running with that momentum. Just can't get can't get satisfied and get too much on a high horse.
01:58Because I know I know I'm definitely still capable of more. So I just want to ask you about the incident in the second set when Massetti kicked the ball in it and it hit a line judge.
02:10These are obviously always strange incidents in tennis. I just wonder what what what your view was on that and what it's like for you on the other side of the court, you know, maybe it's going through your head that this could be a potential default situation.
02:22It must be it must be strange. Yeah, I mean, obviously, he did that and nothing happened.
02:32I think that's I think that's comical, but it is what it is. Nothing happened. So there's nothing really to talk about.
02:39Obviously, it's not consistent. So it is what it is.
02:43You touched on this a moment ago, but the idea of seeing this kind of run on this surface, and then move into something you like a lot better on the grass, is it and you talked about getting confidence, but does it also make you
03:05have higher hopes, I guess, and expectations for what you can accomplish in this next part of the season?
03:17Yeah, I mean, it just I mean, just winning matches in general, I think service is kind of relevant.
03:22I think winning matches in general just gives you confidence and winning matches in the biggest tournaments.
03:27It seems that a lot of the, you know, last few years I get most of my wins in in majors, so I'm happy.
03:35I'm happy it happened here, but I mean, I guess I just want to win at the biggest stages.
03:41So, you know, where where it came surface, it's not like I'm not looking at this.
03:47I don't plan a house money's on clay. I mean, once you once you get going deep, it's like finally anything can happen.
03:52So I just kind of just want to learn from this. But yeah, I mean, hopefully this just pushes me to to go for, you know, a good run, hopefully a woman.
04:02Hi. In the third set, every time you put the first serve in, you made the point 12 points out of 12.
04:15But in the first serve, but on the 12th game, when you lost your serve, you never put the first serve in.
04:24Do you think that was a tension? Was there was some particular reason you think that you were more maybe nervous?
04:33Because of course, it was an important moment. And the third set, do you consider that as a decisive?
04:39Since Musetti in the fourth played much, much better because he was probably relaxed while you were probably more nervous.
04:50Yeah, I mean, you down 5'6", probably rushing a little bit.
04:54You know, maybe you're a little ahead of yourself already thinking you're in the breaker.
04:58And yeah, I kind of rushed every serve there. I wasn't fluid in my serve.
05:01So, and he did a good job making me pay. And in the fourth, I helped him out a little bit there.
05:08My first opening service game is loose errors. And then he ran, he kind of ran with it.
05:13So, I mean, probably gets a rhythm thing and getting a little ahead of myself thinking about the breaker.
05:21That's probably why lack of first serve the 5'6". And then the fourth, I mean, I helped him out there a little bit.
05:28And then, yeah, he opened up his shoulders and started playing better, going for more shots.
05:33He's up a break and serving well, hitting some lines. So, yeah.
05:38I think something you've talked about before is just sort of struggles you've had with after a great run at a tournament,
05:44a big tournament, sort of following it up and sustaining momentum.
05:47How do you – have you learned, do you think, after the various deep slam runs you've had at this point,
05:51how to pick up where you left off at wherever the next week may be and not let the momentum cool off too fast?
05:58Yeah, I think it will be easy this time around, right, because the last few years my deep slam runs are open.
06:07And then, I mean, after that, I mean, it is what it is. After that, obviously, you know, I have big events that I want to do well.
06:18I have, you know, Queens, Queens, Wimbledon.
06:23When I get back to the States, I play at home. I really want to, you know, do well there.
06:27I got the U.S. Open, Toronto, Cincy. Cincy wrote me the final.
06:30So, I don't think I'm – I'm nowhere near, you know, comfortable nor satisfied.
06:35I mean, there's a lot of opportunity to go ahead. I mean, this is great.
06:39It's not what we all wanted in the end, my team and I.
06:42But now it's like, you know, go get some rest, turn the page,
06:45and now we'll try to get one of those.
06:47A lot of – a huge opportunity and places where I can play great and very, very dangerous.
06:52So, that's kind of – I think it will be easy this time around.
06:56I'll figure it out.
06:58I'll figure it out. Possibly, though.
07:02Probably well on.
07:04I don't know if you've had a look at any replays,
07:06but imagine you're looking forward to getting back to electronic line calling.
07:12Oh, God, yeah. That would be nice.
07:17Have you looked at the replay? Have you seen it?
07:20I was told the ball was out, which I also saw it in real time.
07:25But, yeah. So, I mean, it's okay. I mean, look what happened.
07:29I ended up winning the point anyway.
07:31But, yeah.
07:33But, yeah.
07:39Francis, well played in the tournament.
07:41Does this experience, though it's tough to lose today, give you a bit of a lift?
07:45Especially coming back here in the future, now knowing you can do what you did in those last four rounds, play well here.
07:51And also, does it kick start maybe the season, the fact that you problem solved,
07:55that you had that moment cracking the racket in the practice
07:57and were able to kind of like turn things around a dime like that?
08:00Yeah, I think it was crucial, especially in the time it was.
08:05Last bunch of clay court seasons, it's kind of just been an eye roll situation.
08:10Like, it's like, oh, man, this is – like, it's kind of washing paint dry.
08:15Can't wait for the season pass.
08:16You know, now to be able to make quarterfinal slams,
08:19it's going to probably change the way I approach it next year, this season in general.
08:23And then, obviously, you know, I'll be coming here ready to play for sure next year.
08:28So, I'm really happy about that.
08:31But, yeah, I mean, going forward I'm super excited now.
08:34I'm going to go back and train and be amped up.
08:38I got momentum and use that, man.
08:42Don't get comfortable.
08:44I still haven't scratched the surface, generally.
08:47I've had some good rounds and that's cool,
08:49but I really feel like I can really be at the end of these type tournaments
08:53and haven't done it yet, and that's what's going to keep me going
08:56and keep me excited to do more, so, yeah.