FRANCES TIAFOE'S WIMBLEDON FEAR AFTER 'EVERYTHING I HAD' WASN'T ENOUGH VS CARLOS ALCARAZ
Frances Tiafoe is set to face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the third round at Wimbledon on Friday. The two have a history of putting on a show, with Alcaraz famously emerging victorious even after the American "gave everything" he had at the 2022 U.S. Open.
Tiafoe started slowly at Wimbledon. He needed to come from two sets down to clinch a 6-7 (5), 2-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 win over Matteo Arnaldi in the first round before blitzing past Borna Corcic in straight sets.
As a reward for his efforts, Tiafoe will face Alcaraz in the third round. The world No. 3 is yet to drop a set and is at his imperious best as he eyes back-to-back wins at SW19 and a fourth major title.
Back at Flushing Meadows in 2022, Tiafoe inspired a nation as he reached the final four in pursuit of a first career Grand Slam. But in a five-set thriller, Alcaraz won 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-3 to advance to the final en route to a first major title himself.
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Tiafoe was hoping to become the first American to reach the men's final since Andy Roddick won the 2003 U.S. Open. The 26-year-old was visibly heartbroken following his defeat, and he addressed the crowd following the loss to Alcaraz, thanking the fans in attendance for their support in a moment that broke tradition as the loser usually does not speak to the crowd post-game.
"I gave everything I had," an emotional Tiafoe said in the on-court interview. "I gave everything I had the last two weeks. I wanted to win the U.S. Open. I felt I let everyone down. Kudos to Carlos. You're going to win a lot of Grand Slams. I will come back and win this thing one day."
Tiafoe became the first Black man to make the Open semifinals since Arthur Ashe, who the main court is named after, in 1972. He spoke highly of the atmosphere: "It was so electric. The tennis definitely matched the hype of the match. Unbelievable shot-making, gets, extending points, crazy shots at crazy times. Yeah, I was getting riled up." He added: "I proved I can play with the best and can win Grand Slams."
Tiafoe and Alcaraz have faced off twice in their respective careers. They first met in Barcelona, with Tiafoe clinching a 6-4, 7-6 (2) victory on the Spanish clay.
But Alcaraz picked up the more important win, advancing to the U.S. Open final where he defeated Casper Ruud to become a major champion. Alcaraz paid tribute to Tiafoe after their classic encounter, saying: "We have to fight until the last ball. We're fighting for five hours. Frances gave everything on court. It was amazing."
After clinching his second-round win on Wednesday, Alcaraz warned he is "coming" for Tiafoe. Meanwhile, the American told the BBC he was "ready to go to war" ahead of the anticipated third-round meeting.
2024-07-05T00:52:41Z dg43tfdfdgfd