MUBADALA CITI DC OPEN

July 30, 2024

Frances Tiafoe

Press Conference

F. TIAFOE/D. Galan

6-7, 6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you ultimately hold off to win that match?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I think obviously not getting broken twice in a set, right? I served much better I think in the last two sets, must more aggressive in the last two sets, moving the ball around a little bit better. Still a little bit passive on my forehand, which I didn't love tonight. Other than that, I thought I served and returned much better in the last two sets. I thought I was dictating play more, moving him around more. I stayed tough. I felt like he was gassing out a little bit at the end. So I'm happy with my fitness level there. Happy I stayed with it. I think I did a good job of staying there mentally and making him beat me.

Even in the first set he earned it. Just kind of keep going and sometimes you get lucky.

Q. Are those final two sets something you can bottle and carry into the rest of the week?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, I think it's good to have a really tough match in the first round where you're like, Wow, I could be out of here. I think that's a really good thing. Definitely gets your feet going and ready for the tournament, rather than getting a sniff on somebody, feeling yourself. You get really tested. I think it helps you going forward.

I'm going to remember this one, for sure.

Q. In the first set it seemed like his returns and forehands were deep, threw you off in terms of charging the net. Is that something you consciously adjusted, the way you attacked?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I was like, What the fuck, man? I felt like I was serving really well. He was just roping returns. Was really taken off guard. I was looking around like, Whoa. Returned really well in that first set, 100%.

Still thought a loose game there at 3-1 to get broken. Paid a price for that. Played a tough set after that. I think I did a good job. Served for first. Broke there. Great game. Had some looks in the breaker, a little unlucky.

He definitely played well tonight. You got to tip your hat to a guy like that.

Q. In the middle of the second set, 3-All, that seemed line a turning point. Was that relief to get the first break?

FRANCES TIAFOE: A little bit of that. Also I hit a horrendous pickup volley and luckily he missed it. Kind of laughs on both.

I just felt like I broke away there and I felt like the match was going to turn there. Played a long time now. You just feel momentum.

Q. Another DC player Robin Montgomery is playing Thursday night against Ons. Ons said that Robin had the ability to be a top-10 player.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Shout-out to Ons, man. I love that she said that. Appreciate that.

Q. Do you agree with that assessment?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Absolutely. Top 10 in the world is tough. I can tell you, man, it's not easy. You got to be really consistent, you got to win a lot of matches week in, week out.

But I think she has an unbelievable game. I'm always a tough critic of her because I want nothing but the best for her. She's got an unbelievable game. She's starting to figure it out, winning more matches at a high clip.

Tomorrow is a big one. She played Ons at Wimbledon. Kind of one-sided there. Those are the kind of matches you start winning or playing tough. We'll see. We'll see. She definitely has that potential, for sure.

Q. As far as the attention, the ticket requests, how do you handle that? Do you handle that better than you would have a number of years ago?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, once I'm playing, I'm playing. You know after a match, usually after the first round of a 500, I'm going to the locker room, shower, change, not a big deal.

Here, everyone is so excited. Talking to friends I haven't seen in a while. Maybe some guys from different sports come. You say hello to a lot of people. I got to do that after the matches, see everybody. That's a lot.

At the same time they don't get to see me play so often, so it's really cool. But yeah, it's more all the outside stuff.

Yeah, once I'm out there, I just want to win. I compete really hard here because I know what's at stake, I know how much I want to win the event, so...

But again, this is my 10th year. I played here a lot. I kind of know how to manage myself.