MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 27, 2022

Frances Tiafoe

Press Conference

F. TIAFOE/J.M. Cerundolo

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. How are you feeling about your game after that kind of win?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Oh, pretty good. Yeah, I mean, pretty straightforward today. I thought I played pretty well.

It's a good matchup against that guy on the hard court. Still think he needs more reps on a hard court, but on clay he's obviously very good. He's young. He's won a title. Pretty impressive for him to win a couple rounds and get to the third round here.

Q. What do you see in a guy who needs more reps on hard court? What can you tell you can take advantage of?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I mean, his serve was attackable. He plays off his back foot a lot. Didn't do a good job of putting pressure on me really at any point. Obviously in clay he can get away with that, hanging back and stuff.

Again, he's young. He's just starting to play a lot more matches on hard. Over time he'll be fine.

Q. What are you feeling about your year so far? You had that great push end of last year. How do you feel you're still going this time?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, I mean, it's crazy. I was playing end of last year still injured, to be honest. Just poppin' pills, kind of masking my pain in my elbow. I was playing so well, I can't stop.

Then I got a late call to Davis Cup. Had a bothered Achilles, elbow. The offseason I didn't have time at all. Started the season.

I mean, honestly, I don't really count Australia, my team told me not to go. I still wanted to go, me being stubborn. Coming back, much more fit, looking good, arm is healthy.

Beat Brandon pretty convincingly last week. Lost to Andrey who was on a stupid match-winning streak. I thought I actually played all right. Not to where I know I can play, but I thought I still put a decent performance.

Here, able to win a couple rounds, thanks to Matteo Berrettini for opening that up for me a little bit (smiling). Yeah, I mean, any win right now counts. It's still early in the year. I count my year as fine right now, to be honest.

Q. A lot of American guys doing well lately. Obviously Taylor breaking through, getting a Masters title, first of this generation of Americans to get one of those. Brooksby is doing well. Tommy is doing well. You're deep in this tournament already. How do you assess this rise right now? Seems pretty full on at this moment.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, yeah. I think it's been interesting. Like, I mean, Fritz, we're kind of the first guys to break top 100. Fritz made final of a 250 when we were super young. I made quarterfinal of Australia really young. Top 30, 20 years old, 21 years old. Me and Fritz kind of going. Reilly's kind of figured out, Reilly breaks through, Tommy starts to break through. You have Korda, these guys.

I think seeing guys that you grew up with doing well, you're like, Well, fuck, this guy can do it. Shit, I grew up with him. I've beaten him how many times. Why not?

But it's all good blow. We genuinely want to see each other do well. It's good. And then also finally there is a little opening in tennis. The big guys don't play every Masters, for example, this one. Big guys, you know what I mean, the big three.

So there is a little space for guys. I mean, there was a while there where you go deep in an event, and you run into Rafa and them, I was, like, Yeah, I'm probably going home.

But now guys can win it.

Q. You could play a second Cerundolo in a row in the next round. What would that be like?

FRANCES TIAFOE: That would be funny.

Q. Have you ever done that before, played two brothers in a tournament?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Never. I have actually never even seen, like...

Q. There is not that many on the ATP.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Like to have two brothers. Hats off to them. That's incredible. Super, super cool. I mean, both brothers, top 100, playing Miami. Could have played fourth round of the Miami Open, it's crazy.

So that's pretty cool. But yeah, I mean, I'm just happy to get another win.

Q. If it's Monfils, I know you like that one.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, I genuinely hope he wins. We are such good friends. I love seeing him play well and do well.

He beat me last time, round of 16 in Toronto. I've got to owe him one back, for sure. It will be good. Crowd will get into it. It's definitely a popcorn match, for sure.