Frances Tiafoe, the talented American tennis player, recently opened up about his unforgettable semifinal loss to Carlos Alcaraz at the 2022 US Open, a match witnessed by notable personalities such as Michelle Obama and Denzel Washington.
In a candid conversation with Nick Kyrgios on the ‘Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios’ podcast, Tiafoe shared his reflections on the thrilling contest and its impact on him.
Reflecting on the epic encounter, Tiafoe expressed admiration for his opponent, acknowledging the iconic nature of their match. “It doesn’t even really hurt. It was so iconic, like it was such a good match. I was like, ‘This dude, I’m going to have to go through this,'” Tiafoe recounted.
The presence of esteemed figures like Michelle Obama and Denzel Washington added to the intensity of the moment for Tiafoe. “Just battling and every who’s who is there. Imagine looking up and you’re about to start the biggest match of your life and you look up and Michelle Obama is sitting in the front row,” he shared.
Despite the disappointment of the loss, Tiafoe emphasized the significance of the experience and the electric atmosphere of the match. “It was one of the best experiences of my life. I felt like the crowd was literally on my fingertips, something I will remember for the rest of my life,” he remarked.
Tiafoe also revealed the lingering impact of the match on his mindset, particularly his desire to have reached the US Open final. “I think about that fifth set, like I’m one set away from the US Open final. I was thinking of the highs of it. Just walking on the court, I’m thinking about what that would’ve been to just go and hold that trophy, at least have the chance to compete for that trophy,” he admitted.
Despite the competitive drive and occasional thoughts of rivalry with Alcaraz, Tiafoe maintains respect for his opponent and cherishes the memories created during their historic clash.
In conclusion, Frances Tiafoe’s reflections on his iconic US Open loss offer a glimpse into the emotional journey of a professional athlete, highlighting the thrill of competition and the lasting impact of unforgettable moments on and off the court.
Frances Tiafoe in 2024
LLWLWLWLLW Now ranked no.21, Frances played his last match on the 23rd of March when he was overcome by world no.58 Christopher O Connell 7-5 7-6(5) in the 2nd round in Miami (draw).
This season the American owns a 7-7 win-loss record. Frances Tiafoe’s most significant result of the current year was getting to the semifinal in Delray Beach.
Frances Tiafoe will fight against the world no.105 James Duckworth in the 2nd round on Thursday at 6:00 pm on STADIUM COURT. Their current head to head is 2-1 for Duckworth.
The American won 4 titles in his career: 2 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts and 1 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Tiafoe will play next in Madrid Challenger (Madrid Challenger). He will start to play the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 8th of April.
Carlos Alcaraz in 2024
LWLLWLWWWW Currently the world no.3, Alcaraz played his last match on the 28th of March when he lost to world no.9 Grigor Dimitrov 6-2 6-4 in the quarter in Miami (draw).
This season Alcaraz has achieved a 15-4 record. This year, Alcaraz won 1 tournament in Indian Wells.
Alcaraz has scheduled to compete next in Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (Monte–Carlo). He will start to play the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 7th of April.
Frances Tiafoe and Carlos Alcaraz faced off only 2 times. Their head to head is 1-1. Previously, the last time they competed against each other, Carlos Alcaraz won 6-7(6) 6-3 6-1 6-7(5) 6-3 in the semifinal in New York (U.S. Open) in September 2022.
You can watch the highlights in the following video.
Frances Tiafoe and Carlos Alcaraz |
| Embed from Getty Images |
