US OPEN

September 7, 2024

Frances Tiafoe

Press Conference

T. FRITZ/F. Tiafoe

4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Frances, if you would, your thoughts on tonight's match.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Oh, man. It's tough. It's really, really tough. Really, really tough to swallow. This one's gonna hurt really, really bad.

I mean, I thought I was the better player for sure tonight. In the fourth, I don't know, just had some in-and-out cramps. I just felt like my body just kind of shut down on me.

I don't know. Like, probably had a lot to do with nerves. I wasn't tired at all. Just, to get into the final, probably the closest I was obviously when I played Alcaraz I was kind of hanging for dear life to go five. Here I was really in a position to win, to see ahead, was almost able to be in that position.

I have been feeling unbelievable physically. But also, I mean, it could be a testament to how many matches I've played in the short time and I haven't played that many matches all year like that.

Ultimately, yeah, I think nerves got the better of me tonight. Yeah, kind of just went down, just kind of like a similar thing with Alcaraz and Novak that year at the French. Kind of seems like the same thing. Couldn't really move.

Got to tip your hat to Taylor. He stayed with it, he competed, he deserved it tonight. All the best to him in the final.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. In your mind, how much of that was, say, mental and how much of it may have been -- it seemed like after that 31-shot rally that you weren't quite moving the same way you were before that. How much was mental, and how much of it was perhaps the rally took something out of you?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, man, that was definitely an intense rally. Was that 3-All, something like that?

Yeah, I mean, there was a couple holds after that so it wasn't really that rally. It was more later in that set at 5-4, double-double, I'm getting broken there. I kind of felt there out of nowhere, just cramps out of nowhere. I felt fine. It wasn't even really warm or humid tonight.

Again, I just think the moment, I got ahead of myself, and something I'm definitely going to learn for. Promise not gonna happen to me again.

Q. Tough one. What kind of talk did you give yourself in between the fourth and fifth set during the changeover?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Try to give everything you got for the fifth set. I tried a bunch of different things. Had a bunch of pickle juice, I was gargling and spitting it out. I was eating, doing kind of everything I could. Obviously just trying to give it one last shot, right? It was the fifth set of a semis of a slam, try to give it everything you got. Sometimes it's not meant to be.

Q. I know it's hard to look at, but you've had an incredible couple of weeks between Cincinnati and here. I imagine when you do walk away from here you'll feel good about where you put yourself back in the mix.

FRANCES TIAFOE: I mean, yeah, for sure. You know, for a really, really long time. Obviously this is gonna hurt and stuff. I'm gonna turn the page, I'm going to try to end the year strong. I'm going to go to Asia, do the whole thing, do it the right way and not half-ass it.

I'm going to go to Laver Cup and compete. I'm going to let this sting, but I'm gonna learn from this. You know, I'm gonna work really hard. I'm going be in these positions again, for sure. Just hoping for a different outcome.

Q. Nice tournament, Frances. I'm wondering how it felt for you out there to play against another American. It was obviously a really good crowd and it was packed, but those crowds are very different when it's you against a non-American player. Did that cross your mind at all tonight?

FRANCES TIAFOE: No. No. I still really thought they were for me, to be fair. Made me feel even worse when I'm like down 4-0 in the fourth, you see a lot of people leaving. It's crazy.

Ultimately it was a great night, to have two Americans. Once you're out there battling, I'm not really thinking, I'm playing another American guy who is competing.

Yeah, man, that's kind of what it was.

Q. What do you think, Frances, your performance and Taylor's and the other Americans at this tournament might mean going forward for men's tennis?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I think it opened the floodgates for sure. I think guys are gonna start believing they can go deep in slams. Tommy has already made semis of slams, Ben as well, obviously him beating me last year here in the quarters. Fritz, now he's made the finals. None of us younger guys have done that.

See what happens on Sunday, but I think a lot of guys are going to be able to think they can do it, especially in this one where later in the season, stuff like that with American crowds and what have you.

I think it's big. I think it's big, shows that it's definitely possible. As I said, again, the game's open. Even with Alcaraz and Sinner and these other guys, it's not what it used to be.

Q. Good run here at the US Open, Frances. You said that you would learn from this match. What do you think you'll learn?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I mean, obviously I'm gonna be able to be a little bit more poised during that time. Not panic, whatever, preparation will probably even be better, you can always be fitter, you can always be stronger. I mean, try different things, speak to my team.

You know, you just kind of just learn from the situation. Not get ahead of yourself, not be, oh, I'm a set away, stay in those moments, which I have been, all to leading up to it. More try to stay in the moment.

Maybe, yeah, some stuff what you do on changeovers, what your intake is, eating and hydration-wise. You've got to look at the whole thing.

Because you just don't want it to happen again, since it was a nerve situation.

Q. Congratulations on the run. You mentioned you are kind of looking ahead while, like, during the match. At what point do you remember thinking, or did you allow yourself to think, oh, I think I'm gonna be in the final?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Early days in the fourth. I mean, I got good looks, returning well, holding easy early in the fourth. Here we go, two sets to one up, changing. Oh, shit, come out strong, let's get this fourth done, gonna be in the final. That's normal thinking, for sure.

But in the past matches before, I was only thinking about what it takes to win rather than think about what's potentially ahead. That could play a part in it too.

Again, I mean, the year I've had and to be almost in that position, I think I just got ahead of myself. This stinks a bit. Not a bit. This stinks a lot, but I'm gonna learn from it and I will be better going forward, for sure.