US OPEN

August 30, 2023

Frances Tiafoe

Press Conference

F. TIAFOE/S. Ofner

6-3, 6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Frances, straight sets, an hour and 32 minutes. Give us your overall view on your assessment of play.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, I'll give you my assessment is packed media room right now (smiling).

No, I mean, really good match. The only part I can complain about is how I served early in the match. But I picked it up, for sure. From the back of the court I was really solid, clinical, not many mistakes at all. I thought I played much better than my first match as an intensity standpoint.

Yeah, I really feel like I was on him the whole time. It was a good performance. It was solid.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You talked after your first win about the kind of little differences you noticed, just being the higher-seeded player on Ashe. What's the best or most impactful perk has been being high seed? You get practice court priorities and better maybe accommodations. Has any of it changed the way your tournament goes?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Definitely, definitely. Hotels, rooms. Yeah, I mean, it's the love you get on site. Everyone is so excited every time you get on the grounds. Practice on 1 through 5 every time, if not a stadium court. I practiced on Ashe a couple times before the tournament. I've never done that before. Yeah, it makes you feel really accommodated, loved, and ready to go.

So, yeah, I mean, I think I generally play some of my best tennis on Ashe. I felt so comfortable on that court. Yeah, so it's one of my favorite tournaments. Definitely my favorite tournament.

Q. Can you tell me specifically about the hotel upgrades.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, a lot of accommodations, yeah. A lot of perks at the hotel. I have a suite room here. I don't like saying, telling people where I'm staying at, but I'm staying at a nice place. A suite room. Family is all taken care of. Also got a bunch of rooms there. Yeah, it's good. I'm good.

Q. The stadium is very different from most of the places you play in terms of a lot of things. How does it, from a tennis standpoint, change things in as big a place as it is?

FRANCES TIAFOE: It suits me perfectly, honestly. For my personality, for my game. Obviously the US Open sits in a perfect place as it pertains to the time of what we're competing against with other sports. Everyone is here. Everyone is here to watch and enjoy entertainment.

I really enjoy that. A lot of people, that became friends over the last years, get to come and watch. I really like to go and compete in front of them.

But as a stadium as a whole, I mean, yeah, it was pretty loud in there today. Nonstop chatter. I don't know if it's because it was so one-sided that people were having conversations, not so much to get into, which I prefer it that way.

But, yeah, it was pretty loud. Something I enjoy. I think the refs did a great job of not really trying to tell them to stop. Just let it ride.

Q. I saw you went over, but I couldn't see who it was, to greet some folks at the end there.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, it was Pusha T, pretty famous artist. Yeah, he's a very good rapper. We were talking yesterday about him coming. He really wants to come watch me play live. It's good. My agent took care of him. I got him courtside. That was pretty cool.

As soon as I saw him there, I was like, yeah, I wanted to dap him up and say thanks for coming out. It was good. Obviously the US Open put that on Instagram right away. Pretty smart.

Q. The friendship that you have with Caroline Wozniacki, how fun the whole post was in terms of what went up with her as well as your long-term friendship with Michael Mmoh and that big match tomorrow against Johnny I.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Where are they playing?

Q. Grandstand.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Grandstand? That's cool. Geez, I thought was going to get some Ashe love, damn. That's crazy.

But, yeah, well, I mean, seeing Pusha was obviously sick. I'm a huge fan of his. Seeing him courtside was unreal.

Caro, obviously she's a legend, one of the nicest people I've ever met. It's cool to hit some balls with her, joke around. She's such a legend of our sport. It's cool to have her back, competing at a high level. Hopefully she can go for a pretty good run here.

Then Mmoh, I'm super excited for him. He's had a great year. Beaten a lot of guys. It's just a matter of him putting matches together now. Everybody knows what he's capable of, beating these guys. Now you got to start getting two, three, four in a row to really start making dents, get himself in the top 50, get himself a really predominant pro tennis player, not going back playing challengers.

He's always had the game. Just he's believing it now. It's good to see. We have a great friendship. We're way closer than just the game of tennis. He's probably a friend I'll have for a long time.

Q. First on Grandstand. Too early, man.

FRANCES TIAFOE: First on Grandstand at 11:00. It's tough. It's tough (smiling).

Q. You change your shirts often during your matches. Is there any rhyme or reason to it? Is it sometimes the humidity level?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Because the shirt is wet, so...

Q. Do you plan that ahead? How many shirts do you pack?

FRANCES TIAFOE: 20, yeah. 20. It's crazy. Like, I mean, you're sweating a lot. Obviously, like, I mean, you want to be as light as can you on the court. Like, if I'm a little wet, just change the tee. You're lucky to be blessed to have a sponsorship. I'm very adamant about that, about changing shirts, obviously outfit changes. Hopefully I don't have to get to that because it means I'm not on court that long.

Yeah, especially with a tank top, you get sweatier easier than an actual T-shirt. Today wasn't even so close of a match but I easily probably went through six. It's crazy.

Q. You talked about the big matchup on Instagram, the way sport has latched on to you as an entertainer, next big thing. What have you learned since this time last year about managing that aspect of your career, saying no sometimes?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, I think it's super interesting. Obviously a lot of people want to come watch me play, a lot of people have taken a lot of love into me.

It's understanding that tennis is the main thing. Everything revolves around tennis. If you're not winning matches, none of that really matters. Obviously all these relationships are great, it's upper echelon guys, people at the top of their realm want to see you. They see you in a certain space. You need to also take care of your business and keep winning matches and keep doing well.

That's all I really care about. So when you have that mindset, every decision you make kind of makes a lot more sense.

But, yeah, I mean, it is tough. There's times where you see a guy that you haven't met before, he's a big fan, and you see him, he wants to hang out with you. Shit, be cool to do this, but you got to prioritize.

It's trial and error. But I'm learning as I go.

Q. Another clothing-type question for you. Do you always bring two extra pairs of shoes the way you did today?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, did it in my first match, too. I do it a lot in the summer.

Q. Is it also sweat-related?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, yeah. I mean, just got to be prepared for everything, right? I mean, I played Rafa and Rublev here last year. Had to change outfits. No, I don't think against Rublev. But against Alcaraz I changed outfits. You bring the shoes, you bring the outfit. I think you have two changes in the back. Fully prepared. If it goes that way, you're prepared. I don't want to feel like I'm playing with really sweaty clothes just because I'm not prepared.

I know how much I can sweat, so... Just ready for all kind of occasions. Plus I have cool pair of shoes, so it's cool to walk out with them.

Q. Mannarino, how is that going to go?

FRANCES TIAFOE: It's going to be tough. He's real tough. Kind of bumps the ball around. Kind of use my pace, redirect. I played him here a lot of years ago. I was super young. He was seeded. I think we played first or second round.

Got him there, so hopefully repeat the same thing and keep it pushing. I'm playing great tennis. Yeah, I'm going to have the crowd with me. Try to keep this thing going.