US OPEN

August 27, 2025

Frances Tiafoe

Press Conference

F. TIAFOE/M. Damm

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

THE MODERATOR: Frances, congratulations. Questions, please.

Q. Damm is I think 400 in the world or in the 400s. Didn't play like that. What was the thinking before going into the match, him being a lefty, not knowing too much about him that you handled the match pretty well? If you can just talk on that.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, I mean, he was my Davis Cup hitting partner a few years ago. He's young, he's up and coming. He's had some injuries. Obviously his ranking needs seems much better than that, for sure. He's just got to get healthy and be able play full schedule and really go for it.

I mean, I thought he played well today. He served great. Especially at the end, he served great. I had some looks. He came up with some stuff. It was pretty tough.

It's tough when a lefty can hit the off serves, when he hit the wide on the deuce and T on the ad, it makes it tough. You're kind of at their mercy. You don't know where they're going to go.

He played really well today, and the moment didn't get to him. I'm happy to see a young American play that well. Happy also he didn't get me, so it was nice.

Q. We talked the other day about drama and sort of confrontations in tennis. I was curious if you saw what happened or heard about what happened with Taylor and Jelena.

FRANCES TIAFOE: No, what happened?

Q. At the end of their match. Jelena told Taylor she had no class and no education, and there was a confrontation that ensued. I'm just sort of curious when you hear somebody say that to a Black woman, what your reaction might be to it, what you think?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Who won?

Q. Taylor won.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Oh, Taylor won? I mean, kind of got your reaction. She's the last one. You need to sit there and laugh at that. I never think it needs to go there. No reason for it.

I mean, I can't speak too much to it, but I don't like -- no need to go there. If you lost, you lost. Keep pushing.

I got to see the video. I don't know what really happened. But I mean, no reason to ever go there. Keep it about tennis. When I see the video, maybe next time around I'll have something more to say, but shout-out to Taylor, good job.

Q. Have you ever had anything sort of at the net, handshake, end-of-match sort of confrontation? Do you think that's a good thing that tennis has that, or is it a bit weird sometimes when there might have been tensions and then you have to go and shake hands at the end of the match?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I mean, it all kind of depends what happens. If there's a situation that needs to be had and spoken about, why not talk about it? You know, if you're that pissed, then sit here and talk about it.

My altercations are more refs, as we all know. I haven't had too much with players, to be honest. Man, I get it. It's heat of the battle, man. You're playing for livelihood. You're trying to advance. You're trying to move forward. Money on the -- all these other things.

You are heated sometimes, and your opponent might be on whatever, and you just somehow you've got to figure it out. This guy has got to see me.

Some people handle it different ways, but I think all that's good sometimes. Why not? Don't need to be every day wilding out, but sometimes, like, yeah, I didn't like what you did, and let's talk about it. See how people go about it. Not get overboard, but why not?

Q. Just curious how you are feeling about your level in general, just after two good matches? Just how you're feeling about that and how you're feeling about being called a liar by Carlos.

FRANCES TIAFOE: He said what?

Q. How are you feeling about being called a liar by Carlos?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I FaceTimed him, man, yesterday and I told him. Well, first off, I don't know who told him I thought it looked good, one. It looks better today. His hair does really grow fast. But at this point it's just comedy. It's just pure comedy, and I hope it continues, the back and forth.

Again, as I said, that's my guy. You know, as Jannik said, he can pull off anything. That was a little bit of a reach, but his comment was incredible, and that's why I FaceTimed him when Carlos said, I hope Frances sees this.

Ultimately, man, it's all for good fun. It's all jokes and laughs. That's why I made the comment here about it, and he takes it unbelievable. What a guy he is. I love Carlos.

Q. And your game in general?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I feel good about where I'm at. I feel good about where I'm at. Today I didn't get broken at all. I thought I took care of myself. Low unforced errors. I thought I had a good amount of winners. I'm moving great, I'm feeling good. Ultimately, the biggest thing is I'm feeling good. Every day I just feel a bit better and better, healthier and healthier.

But I'm ultimately feeling really good and excited to go forward.

Q. This year the US Open is celebrating Althea Gibson breaking the color barrier. What does Althea Gibson's legacy mean to you?

FRANCES TIAFOE: It's incredible. It's incredible. Is that 75 years? What a legend, man. It's incredible the people that were able to do certain things for us to be doing certain things now, right? You always got to pay that forward. You always got to be educated on that side and understand that without X, Y, and Z, there is no Hailey Baptiste, there's no Sloane Stephens, the Williams, and all these other things, and they opened that for us.

She was a true leader and an incredible person. Her and Arthur, man. So I got hella love for both, and I wish I could be saying that to them personally, but obviously the circumstances. But man, if they're there over watching us, I hope they're smiling over us, because we're doing some great stuff with that small opportunity.

Q. I heard you said you hadn't seen the Townsend moment, but I'm curious more generally about etiquette in tennis. How important do you think it is for players to apologize for net cords, which I think is what sort of started this feud it seemed like today? How much is that sort of a respect thing or not an important thing? And how much, also, do you enjoy when things do get heated in matches between players in moments like this?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, I mean, the net cord thing is funny, right, because, yeah, you should do it. I mean, in your mind you're like, Thank God. It's not -- especially here. Tightest nets in the world. Nothing goes over. So I'm happy to get a net cord.

There's ways to go about it. Look, I'm not going to sit here and say I'm a saint, because I'm not. I've had my moments, but I think sometimes it's good. It's fun for fans. Everyone likes a little altercation, but I mean, as long as it doesn't go overboard, but a little altercation is good.

But again, I don't know so much that happened. I didn't watch the video or anything like that, but I do think back-and-forths are good, and sometimes it drives for good entertainment, but as long as it can't go overboard. I've been on the overboard side, and it's not fun.

Q. There's been a lot of talk over the past couple of years about the quality of balls in general. Some players say that they maybe fluff up too much and all of that stuff. I mean, these ones some say that they actually lose fluff maybe, I don't know. I'm curious what's your perspective on that? Do you have any issues with the quality of balls on tour or no?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, guys have been talking about that a lot. I'm not a balls guy. That's crazy, dude. Bro, Matt, that was -- I mean, like, dog, I mean, that was -- (laughing) Bro, that was nuts.

Seriously, in that department I don't really get why guys are so up in arms about it. I feel like that's all a lot of guys are talking about, and it doesn't really make sense, because it's the same for both guys.

Obviously in certain situations, balls you're going to like more than other weeks, and conditions permitted as well, hot, and things like that. Yeah, ultimately I'm just not a balls guy. That doesn't really bother me that much, honestly.

Q. I think it can be said that tennis has had a history of African American players since Gibson through Venus, Serena, and yourself that is unlike any other sport. Sorry to ask this question yet again, but today there was an incident. Just what are your thoughts of the place of African Americans in the sport of tennis and what has been accomplished over the years?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I think we're in a tremendous place, tremendous place. Obviously Coco has a couple of slams. You got Mboko, what she just did.

For me, I sit in a different spot with it. Obviously, at the end of the day, yes, I'm African American, but I'm African, right, and African-raised. So seeing someone like Mboko and Felix and myself, Clervie, that's a whole different beast. You know, you've got parents that are coming to try to make these kids' lives, give them a chance better than they had. So I understand that being the son of immigrants.

Ultimately, to be able to see so many people of color do great things in a predominantly white sport, it's tremendous. I think that brings unbelievable diversity to the game. I think that brings a totally different demographic for the game. I'm happy to be a small ounce of that and young guys are looking up to me and wanting to be like that.

Obviously I had a ton of great examples before me and will have a bunch of people come after me. So I'm happy to be a part of it in my prime and see it grow and can't wait to continue to see where it goes.

I mean, African Americans in tennis, we're at an all-time high right now. I mean, totally killing it.

Q. Do you think in some way this goes beyond the sport of tennis, beyond our sport in terms of its impact?

FRANCES TIAFOE: So much bigger, man. So much bigger. I mean, I said this a little bit ago. I had a little kid, parents come up to me, like, Yo, you saved my kid's life. Couldn't get through to him, and I signed a ball, and I talked to the kid. I was, like, are you listening to your parents, this, that, and the other? Just laughing with the kid. He turned a whole new leaf. It's a totally different thing.

You seeing the guys like, you know, they see themselves in me. That's a totally different thing. We're not just playing tennis. We're inspiring people. Nipsey Hussle says it best, "The highest human act is to inspire," and I think we're definitely in an unbelievable position to be doing that, and I feel that when I'm out here playing and competing at the highest level.

I feel I'm in a great space to inspire people and people that didn't necessarily have a chance to do anything. Yeah, so that's why I want to pay it forward, and that's why I'm so happy to see how everyone else is doing and to be a part of it. It's truly a blessing, and we're all truly blessed and highly favored.