US OPEN

September 1, 2024

Frances Tiafoe

Press Conference

F. TIAFOE/A. Popyrin

6-4, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: If you could, your thoughts on the W.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, really, really happy with it. I think the second set was a huge, huge win for me. You know, 5-3, 40-Love, him serving, how good he serves. That was really, really big. To break there and then to win that set was huge.

He did a great job in the third set. He changed his tactics on me, and it really got me out of sorts. Did a great job in the fourth. You know, going one break and winning that.

Ultimately, really happy with the way I played. He's playing at a really high level as well. It was a really good match I thought.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You mentioned the crowd and the role that it played after the match. I'm curious now having sort of a few deep runs here at the Open, if you feel like your understanding of how to kind of harness that energy from the crowd and use it to your advantage has evolved or changed at all since you've become a more established face around here?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, I think it's picking your moments because you can get so high because New Yorkers, they'll get excited for anything. Just picking and choosing your moments. But yeah, I've been figuring it out much more.

Also, you want to stay between the lines. Three out of five is so long, and every day is different. I played Ben the other day. It was kind of cooler conditions. You know, today we play, it's quite humid, not very hot, but really humid.

You know, I'm sweating a lot, so I don't want to be exerting so much energy on celebrations and celebrating points rather than staying in the moment. It's kind of figuring it out. Obviously you always have to apply yourself with separation from the other guy, breaks and consolidating breaks and things like that.

But, yeah, and then if I'm down, I was down I think in the second set or the third set, 3-1, Love-40 and had a hold. You get excited there. Just things like that.

Q. I wanted to ask a couple of days ago when it was the Shelton match, probably a 50/50 match, then you're going to play Novak, and all of a sudden you're in the quarters, you're one of the favorites. How has it been for you? It feels like quite a whirlwind couple of days. Where is your head at?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I appreciate the compliment that you think I'm one of the favorites.

Yeah, I wasn't really thinking about it like that. I'm more just obviously Novak out. To be honest with you, like, I mean, Alexei has been playing unbelievable. He just won a Masters series. This was the third time playing in a slam this year. Alexei has gotten sets off him. Novak just won Olympics.

For me being a tennis guy it wasn't the most surprising thing in the world. Obviously beating Novak is a huge win at any point, any time, no matter where, when.

I kind of feel like Alexei had the level. He showed it tonight. It was a really, really high level. So I had to come up with great stuff.

Yeah, I'm not really looking, like, oh, you know, favorites and things like that. I'm just day by day literally. Recovery days and focusing on that. You know, when match day comes, you start focusing on the match.

You know, Grand Slams, two weeks, a lot going on. You can't get ahead of yourself and look at what could happen and things shaking out. Everyone is good, so it doesn't really matter who's in or who's not.

Q. You talked quite a bit about the difficult period you had before this summer. I'm curious what you've learned about yourself during that period and how in a positive way it's changed you at all.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, this time around definitely changed me. I guess it teaches you, man. I mean, don't get comfortable. It's the most unforgiving game we have, right? Don't think you got all the answers. Don't get complacent because, you know, I mean, the game will test you, man.

It's so easy when you let go of the rope to go through a whirlwind and stuff. But at the same time I think I'm a very, very tough kid, man. You know, I can turn around things very, very quickly as long as I fully put myself there.

Also, you know, when you make those tough and right decisions, I mean, I think it's huge to have the right people around you. I have great people around me. You know, friends, family, my agents making me do the tough things, making me put the right people in place for me to start doing well, having those tough conversations. Even if I don't want to have them, have them.

Everything is happening when it's meant to happen. I'm glad it's happening now because this is the most important time for me.

Q. It seems like a lot of guys talk about they didn't have a lot of energy this time of year, it's been a long season, it's a tough calendar. Is there almost an advantage for you because it seems like you care so much about this tournament you can't be tired now? That will not affect you?

FRANCES TIAFOE: It's so easy to say that when things go south. You know, I'm tired. Everyone has traveled. Everyone has played. Win or lose, everyone has done the calendar, you know?

I don't think that's an excuse. I just think if you're not at your best, you're going to lose. The depth in the game, as I said numerous times, it's very, very, very, very high. If you're not ready to play, if you're not fully present, you're going to lose.

Kind of tiredness and things like that, it's no excuse calling. Nobody cares. But for me, you know, I'm ready to go. I've been protecting my energy. I've been whatever I've got to do to be at my best and be able to compete. That's all I can say.

Q. How did you feel he changed his game in the third set, and how did you adjust in the fourth set?

FRANCES TIAFOE: You know, he played a lot more higher balls and roped me into coming forward, slicing the backhand much more. Then started passing me really well.

It was really humid conditions, so when he was playing slower, it felt harder to hit through him. I think in the fourth I started taking my time, stopped rushing trying to get the points done and just stay with it. He helped me out there a little bit at 3-2, not making many first serves in that game.

It was tough. I don't know if that was from him or maybe his coaches told him that, but it was definitely a good change for him.

Q. Did you think that match point went in when you hit the ball off the racquet? It was so close.

FRANCES TIAFOE: The forehand?

Q. Yes.

FRANCES TIAFOE: I thought I overcooked it. When I hit it I was, like, damn. But, yeah, and the crowd just went nuts. I was just like, Oh, don't do the automatic call, don't do the automatic call. When no one said anything -- that's why my reaction wasn't really -- I didn't really have one. Yeah, I was just happy it was done anyway.

Q. We saw on television you caught up with Serena before the match. I'm just wondering what's it like having her around now? We saw her saying she's excited to be a fan around the tour. What was that like?

FRANCES TIAFOE: It's crazy seeing her not playing. It's still wild. But I mean, you know, for her wanting to come out and talk to me before the match, telling me she's always following no matter what, telling me it's so good to see now that I'm done, you're the guy of color playing and doing well. I'm, like, going to come from her, that's a loud sentence. I'm, like, damn. That's really, really cool that she sees me as that.

Her telling me she just wants nothing but the best for me, giving me some game right before the match, how are you feeling, where you at? It's so funny her asking me that. I'm like nervous to respond. She's not someone you're going to bullshit and say, like... She's not trying to hear that.

Yeah, I was just like -- you know, it's between us. Whatever, our conversation is between us, but it was really cool to have her want to talk to me before a match and really say she wants me to do this thing and that I'm capable of doing it.

It coming from her, I mean, it's just so loud. I don't think it will hit me like that if anybody else said it to me.

Q. Talking about legends, you play a very important match in 2017 against Roger Federer here. What do you remember from that match, and what it taught you to where you are doing now here in New York that you get so pumped?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I was 19, man. That was a long, long time ago. Well, I think at that time I was, like, wow, I definitely should be here. That was my second or third US Open. Yeah, third US Open.

I remember I was so amped, but so nervous. I'm, like, I'm playing Roger. He's going to be wearing all black Nike fit. It's going to be sick. New York, lights are so bright. I was, like, This is going to be unreal.

Then when we went five, I was just, like, Yo, am I about to really beat this dude? This is crazy. I think that definitely -- it said to me that I'm ready for these moments. I like to be in these moments. I'm comfortable there, and even not winning.

At that time he had an insane year too. Won a couple of slams. So it made me think that I'm capable for sure.