An emotional Frances Tiafo promised to at some point hoist the US Open trophy when her Cinderella story ended prematurely with a semi-final loss to Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz on Friday.
Tiafo’s compelling again story and sensational run in New York, together with 23-time Grand Slam champion Rafa Nadal’s fourth-round upset, made him the topic of the event.
Greater religion than Big Fo. pic.twitter.com/fbMKQdxDSg
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) 10 September 2022
“I gave what I had over the past two weeks,” he instructed a sold-out crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I came here to win the US Open and I feel like I let you guys down. It really, really hurts. So nice from Carlos.”
“I’m gonna come back and one day I’ll conquer this thing.”
,@FTiafoereact to @MichaelObama watching his match is all the pieces pic.twitter.com/H0myQuI4r4
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) 10 September 2022
Despite the frustration, Tiafoe stated he would stroll away from Flushing Meadows with renewed confidence.
“I proved that I can play with the best and am capable of winning the Grand Slam,” he instructed reporters.
The 24-year-old has carried heavy expectations all through his profession, profitable his solely ATP title at Delray in early 2018 earlier than stunning the Australian Open discipline to achieve the quarter-finals almost a 12 months later.
we love you, @FTiafoe I pic.twitter.com/mH966361tk
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) 10 September 2022
He then struggled for some time however made a comeback to achieve the fourth spherical of the US Open in 2020 and scored his deepest run at a Grand Slam this 12 months.
“Throughout my career I have been quite sporadic. Playing well, wandering around for a while,” he stated.
“I’ve at all times backed myself in opposition to the very best gamers on this planet. I’m doing this on a frequent foundation, beginning to beat folks extra simply.
“Ready to take the next step.”
He grew to become a pupil of the game in his youth when he and his twin brother lived part-time at a tennis heart in Maryland, the place his father labored as on-site caretaker.
“I am definitely falling in love with the process and doing more of the work. I am working smarter,” he stated.
He can be dealing with his new persona after an American male participant got here inside two wins of breaking a 19-year Grand Slam drought. He can be the primary black American since Arthur Ashe in 1972 to achieve the semi-finals of Flushing Meadows.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama was amongst those that supported Tiafo on Friday night time from a packed stand within the stadium named after the late Hall of Famer.
He was so shocked when he noticed her for the primary time that he shrugged off the service return.
“It was crazy seeing her… we all know what that means,” he stated, including that he met her later.
“I’ve seen her before, but it’s a slightly different circumstance. She looks at me and she’s really excited to see me. Incredible night.”
The 12 months’s closing Major served as a captivating preview of the sport’s future, with newcomers like Tiafo, 19-year-old Alcaraz and Italy’s Jannik Sinner able to step out of the shadows of the Big Three.
“Obviously I would have liked to win tonight,” stated Tiafo.
“But I think tennis won tonight.”
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
