MUBADALA CITI DC OPEN

July 24, 2025

Frances Tiafoe

Press Conference

F. TIAFOE/F. Cobolli

6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Frances, how did you feel after such a high performance today? You played at a high level. Just talk about the match today.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, I feel good. It was weird early in the match. Tough first game. A lot of mistakes. Not many first serves from both of us. Saw the stats. After the first set, we were both serving 40%. Not good at all.

I thought I got in a great rhythm at the end, second set on my serve. I returned well, got balls on him quick. He just really didn't feel comfortable. Making a lot of mistakes early. Both of us were struggling with putting balls in play early.

I thought I did a better job in the first couple of shots in each point. Yeah, sometimes you take those.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I wanted to ask you about you playing Ben Shelton next. You have played in front of a lot of big crowds here and it will be that again for that match. Your home tournament, being in a big match like that, what are your initial thoughts about facing Ben, obviously a great friend of yours, in the next round here?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, it's going to be awesome. Yeah, we obviously wanted to play each other in the final here last year. Didn't work out. Happy to play him. We are such good friends. Our girlfriends finally met. Yeah, we have had a lot of battles obviously. Davis Cup, Laver Cup. We hang out. We have fun together always (smiling).

We're in a battle, man. With that friendship, we have a great rivalry, and we don't want to lose to each other. We have a lot of bragging rights when we're talking shit. It's great, man. It's great.

Q. On the same subject of facing Ben, obviously it's going to be a ton of fun and make a lot of headlines, but would you rather play someone -- I mean, home-court advantage is such a big thing for you here. Would you rather play someone else where you have the crowd totally on your side?

FRANCES TIAFOE: (Making a startled face.) (Laughter.)

Yeah, I mean, obviously, I mean, they'll be cheering for him, but let's pump the brakes (laughter). I think a lot of the crowd will still be for me. Obviously he will get a lot of support, no question, but the crowd will definitely be going my way. I'm not too worried about that.

Q. I think it was at the Houston tournament on clay you made a comment about a lot of people don't realize that it's easier sometimes to get to the net on clay. Have you taken some of that mindset in your game to these hard courts? Are you trying to come in a bit more?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, every time I have a lot of net attempts, I usually win. When I'm playing fast and getting on guys and putting pressure on guys, I'm very, very tough to play against, knowing that I'm not a bluff at the net, I can do a lot of things with the racquet.

Guys are hitting balls so well. If you're coming forward and make guys think a bit, guys just kind of hit the ball hard and run side to side, I think there is less thought process in the game now, as it was before. Guys didn't hit the ball as hard, but had a little more skill because it was slower. Now it's so fast that guys just kind of see ball, hit ball. Coming forward and putting pressure on guys is paramount.

Q. Did you see the Taylor Fritz multiplication video?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Iconic.

Q. What were your thoughts on that?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Iconic. I'm not going to trying to say I'm a mathematician, but it was crazy, because he was there. He was saying it. Obviously he had to be lit. He was on track. Like, it was, Yo, just finish it.

10,000 was crazy. It wasn't even the 10,000 thing for me. It was more like how confused he was. He was just so lit. Wasn't the time to ask him the question.

When he said 10,000, he was so confident about his answer. That was pretty funny. We were literally just talking about it about 30 minutes ago.

Q. More generally, you guys do increasing number with the ATP or separately, often with the tournaments, interview videos with influencers. It's a bigger part of the social media strategy and media strategy for tennis generally. What do you think of that genre of questions, nontennis stuff or whatever it may be, trying to get some funny or embarrassing moments out of players?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I think any media is good media. At the end of the day, I think it's very, very important. I feel like tennis players are put in this bubble, hitting balls. A lot of people don't know who they are. They just know what they are.

A lot of guys are so introverted, it's hard to understand who they are. How do you follow somebody if you don't know who they are?

Obviously a person like me, what you see is what you get. I think a lot of people know who I am from social media or how I act, things I say, how I conduct myself. A lot of guys are very kind of focused and kind of in their own bubble.

Not to say they don't have a life outside of this, but no one really knows. I think those things are good, get guys out of their comfort zone, see what they're interested or knowledgeable about. I think it's good, man.

We need to push the game. Why are you following this guy other than this guy has a really good forehand? There's got to be more to him than that. That's a general thing. Not just a specific person.

Q. I was going to ask about the fit. It feels intentional you're wearing Commanders colors out there. How involved are you in those sorts of decisions?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I'm pretty involved (smiling). I'm pretty involved. I'm wearing a great brand. Their blue sky is anything I want to do. Obviously a lot of things this year were already done of what they wanted to put out, but they have been incredible to me, man. They just want me to be extremely happy and comfortable. They knew what does it mean to be here in D.C. and how much I'm here enjoying it.

I love Lululemon. It's a great brand. I'm happy with the partnership. Can't wait to see what we do down the line.

Q. I just wanted to get your perspective on kind of a big picture, the growth of American men's tennis in the past few years. You have four guys in the top 15 right now, including you. 13 in the top 100. From your perspective, how have you observed the collective development of all of you as a group these past few years?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, I think the guys I grew up with are super solid, man. Then, you know, with the likes of Ben as well, much younger. It's an incredible group.

We have young guys playing well. Learner, Michelsen, really good. Is really good. Tracy Austin's son, we got a lot of good guys. Kova, who I just played. Beating guys out here.

American tennis is in a great spot. And we have been knocking on the door for a while. I don't think this is something new. Semis the last two, three years. Korda, bunch of years in a row. Ben's going deep in slams. Fritz going deep in slams. Tommy's going deep in slams.

Not really surprising. Now you look at the slams, someone is going to be there at least pushing quarters, semifinals, Fritz was the one final. So it's been good.

Shoutout to the women. Goddamn, bro. Serous. Five slams in a row finals. Crazy. So, I mean, that's something we are trying to push and catch up to them. They have been doing a spectacular job.

All those individuals have been able to be in the second Saturday. It's a huge, huge deal. Monumental moment. Whether they held the trophy or not, something to tell the grandkids.

Q. You were alluding to you being more of a jovial personality on the tour. How do you use that to your advantage? How does that bring out the best in you? And are there any other drawbacks you feel like you maybe want to hold back at times, maybe get better tennis out of you, or hear back from people about focus as opposed to being jovial? How do you balance being authentically you on the court and bringing out the best of you in clutch moments?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I think it's interesting. A lot of people say you need to focus more. All right, cool, yeah, probably right, but that's how I got here. I got here by being me.

Obviously you can tighten the screws a little bit, but I'm my best when I'm having fun and enjoying myself and being me. You tighten the screws a little bit, but don't lose track of how you got here and who you are and how you became Frances Tiafoe.

I love the game. It's who my personality is, my game style. Very exciting and unpredictable. Do anything at any time. Whether it works or doesn't, but I'm dangerous. I'm a dangerous player.

Just having a level of confidence. I think my personality also shows a level of confidence. I don't really care people's opinions of me. I know the guy I am. I know I'm solid. I'm just going to be me, man.

A lot of people I'm around, what you see is what you get. Same energy people give me, I give them. Show love all around. Whether you don't to me, I don't really care.

So I take life for what it is, man. It's an amazing thing.

Q. Taylor Townsend is having a great run here. What's your relationship like with her and what do you think she brings to the sport?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Two Ts. She's been killing, man. She's been doing really well. Killing the doubles for a long time, having a great run in singles, and she is so talented, able to do a lot of things.

I'm a little upset with her, because she was clowning my outfit calling me Ronald McDonald earlier today (smiling). I wasn't messing with that at all.

But, no, she's great, man. I have known her for a long time. Good friend of mine, of course. She's got a kid now. Obviously, you know, doing it for more than just her. She's been doing great, man.

Hell of a player. Hell of a player, hell of a person.

Yeah, I didn't think that was funny earlier. I'm going to have to knock her. Be your own people, man. That's the thing. Be your own people. (Laughter.)

Yeah, I hope she keeps going. I don't know who she plays next or whatever. But the Ronald McDonald thing wasn't cool, man.