PARIS — Earlier than Frances Tiafoe performed a degree at this French Open, he wasn’t significantly smitten by its floor — or his possibilities within the event.
“Final event on clay, which I get actually enthusiastic about,” Tiafoe stated on the eve of the Grand Slam occasion at Roland-Garros. “After which we get on the actual stuff, the grass and the summer time exhausting courts — the place tennis truly issues.”
He may need a unique perspective now. The Fifteenth-seeded Tiafoe made his means into the quarterfinals on the French Open for the primary time with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over Daniel Altmaier of Germany on Sunday night time, becoming a member of Twelfth-seeded Tommy Paul to place a pair of American males within the spherical of eight.
It is the primary time the nation positioned multiple man within the quarterfinals in Paris since 1996, when Jim Courier and Pete Sampras did it collectively. Zero males from the USA had made it this far in any yr since Andre Agassi in 2003.
And Tiafoe — who celebrated his win by twice shouting a phrase that may’t be quoted absolutely right here however included the phrases “let’s” and “go” — has achieved it with out dropping a set.
Fairly a turnaround for a man whose big-strike tennis lengthy suffered on the sluggish crimson clay. He started his French Open profession with an 0-6 report earlier than getting his first win in 2022 and yet another final yr.
“On clay, I get a bit extra passive than on different surfaces, as a result of the courtroom does not assist me play as quick as I would really like,” stated Tiafoe, twice a semifinalist on the exhausting courts of the US Open, the place speedy photographs are rewarded and the loud crowds and brilliant lights are inclined to deliver out his greatest. “Persistence is a factor I battle with.”
Take a look at him now, although.
And hearken to one thing else he stated when he met with reporters a bit greater than per week in the past, with a splash of his standard humorousness: “General, I am an enormous believer it may all change in per week. After I’m backed up in opposition to it, it looks like I begin to produce my greatest tennis, as a result of I’ve to if I wish to proceed residing the life I wish to stay.”
Tiafoe, a 27-year-old from Maryland, added: “If I am able to go, I am not simply going to get to the third spherical — I can go for a run. I genuinely really feel I can beat anyone on any particular day.”
Subsequent for Tiafoe might be a matchup on Tuesday in opposition to No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy or No. 10 Holger Rune of Denmark.
4 American ladies play within the fourth spherical Monday: No. 2 Coco Gauff, No. 3 Jessica Pegula, and No. 7 Madison Keys in opposition to Hailey Baptiste in an all-U.S. encounter.
Paul, a semifinalist on the Australian Open in 2023, was by no means actually troubled Sunday throughout his 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win in opposition to Twenty fifth-seeded Alexei Popyrin of Australia in lower than two hours. Paul is a 28-year-old who grew up in North Carolina and now goes up in opposition to No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, the defending champion who received previous No. 13 Ben Shelton of the U.S. 7-6 (8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
“Clearly,” Paul stated about Alcaraz, “the man can play wonderful tennis right here.”