ROLAND GARROS

May 25, 2025

Frances Tiafoe

Press Conference

F. TIAFOE/R. Safiullin

6-4, 7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congrats. What was the key today?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I just thought I dictated play great today. I was moving the ball around a lot. A lot of down-the-line shots from both sides. Particularly my backhand down the line I thought that was a really big key for me today.

I returned well, even though I got aced a ton. When I got the racquet on it, got in rally exchanges, I was just being the aggressor. Got me through the win. Served well when I needed to.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Three sets to love, but seemed like a pretty grindy win.

FRANCES TIAFOE: It was tough.

Q. Do you still get tight in those situations? How do you experience that?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Oh, for sure. I mean, it's pretty one-way traffic there for a while. Get broken 4-3. It's kind of like we're back in it. Break at 5-All. Now Fif-40, volley, open space, he misses it. Get lucky and get out of there. Sometimes you need to get a little lucky.

Yeah, of course, man, you want to win. Everyone is putting the work in. If I wasn't getting nervous, that's a bad sign. Seems like you're not in love with the game or it doesn't mean anything to you. I think nervousness just means that you care. Everyone out here cares. Everyone out here wants to win. Of course, man.

But it was a good level match. The score doesn't really show how tough it was. It was tough. Everyone's good, man.

Q. You mention getting aced a lot. That's been sort of a trend for you. When that's happening, how do you let that wash off you or not get too down about it?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I mean, some guys I have a tough time reading. Sometimes I get in a bad guessing habit. Today I just had a tough time reading his serve.

I mean, you have a chance, as well, right? You hold serve and put pressure. I mean, guys are going to give you second serves at one point. You only need to be right once a couple times, get in the rally.

I don't think it's a huge deal. Obviously against the best players in the world, you can't get away with that many free points.

It's something that needs to be addressed. At the same time I'm doing all right (smiling).

Q. How do you address it? Is it something you can practice, not getting aced?

FRANCES TIAFOE: It's just guessing. It's not picking sides. Again, bad habit, I think he's going to go here. I just cut rather than split and be balanced. I have a bad habit of that. It's more of a habit thing. It's all good.

Q. Are there things you do to your game, adjustments you make on clay specifically, that you're playing different or do you bring the same?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I try to. I try to play a little more spin. Try to play further back. I'm just not very good when I give up space from the line. I'm really good when I'm fighting for the baseline, to be the aggressor. Obviously defend when had you have to. Don't give up ground for any random reason. Unless they earned it and actually push you back with quality, hold the line.

So I think that's what I try to do. Obviously clearly I don't do that enough. It's easier to do that on hard than grass.

Yeah, I mean, those are the kind of things I want to try to do, but it's really tough on clay. I end up playing really far back.

Yeah, I would like to.

Q. When you were out there during your match, did you have any sense that the Rafa stuff was going on? Could you hear any of it?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Huh-uh.

Q. No?

FRANCES TIAFOE: No. I mean, I knew it was happening today. I mean, no.

Q. What do you make of all four of the guys together? What does it mean to you to see three of the four now gone? Feels likes an end of an era.

FRANCES TIAFOE: It's 100% the end of an era. Novak is holding on. He's very dangerous out here. He can very much win this tournament.

As far as the era, it's gone. All four, obviously, I mean, just got to tip your cap to all those guys, man. Incredible what they did for 20 years. Obviously I would have still loved to see Andy have a few more years of just playing great. Obviously with his hip...

Man, I mean, growing up as a kid watching these battles, I still go back and watch Murray-Novak 2012 Australian, Rafa-Novak 2012 Australia, Wimbledon final 2019, Novak-Federer. Rafa-Federer '08 Wimbledon final. Those guys, man, they played so many big matches year after year every tournament.

Dude, it's crazy. The love they have, the respect they have. For them all to show up here. Obviously Novak is playing the tournament. But everyone else to show up and support Rafa. I mean, what he did is never going to be done, I mean that's a fact, unless Alcaraz wants to do that or someone.

Bro, 14 times... You have a crazy career if you played the French Open 14 times. I don't think people really understand how crazy it is what he's done, but...

It is what it is, man. All respect to Rafa. All love, bro.

Q. When you watch the classic matches, do you see something that other players don't have?

FRANCES TIAFOE: For me it's just the will to win, the love of the game. I just feel like they love the game. Obviously they have an insane amount of drive and determination to just be great.

I think it's all tennis fanatics, man. These guys love tennis. To go to the gym and do it and give effort and do it, do it, do it, year after year, week after week, month after month. I think that's what separates them from everyone else. The amount of love they have for the sport is impeccable. It's just admirable for sure.

Q. Your initial signature win is you beating Rafa at the US Open in '22. Have you ever since that match talked about it with him?

FRANCES TIAFOE: With him? No, he hasn't talked to me much since then, to be honest with you (smiling). The tide turned in that sense, for sure, which is kind of cool. All of a sudden, like, it was a respect thing of I got to fear this guy a little bit. Before, it was (indiscernible) may play, may not. Other times he played me he absolutely snipped me. I don't think he was that too stressed out. It was pretty cool to see the competitive side of him.

I'm just happy I got to play all of 'em. I think that's something I'll tell grandkids and stuff. I played Rafa and Federer on Arthur Ashe. Like, I mean, the results are irrelevant. That's pretty iconic, played Federer in '19, played obviously Rafa recently.

The results, it is what it is. You play so many matches. To be able to say I played them on the biggest stage in tennis, Arthur Ashe, that means a lot to me, means a lot to me and my family. I don't take that for granted.

Q. I think that's his last match at the US Open. I don't think he played after that. You ended his US Open career.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Hey, that's good. He ended a lot of other people's careers on many courts.