Tennis - US Open 2024 - Frances Tiafoe : "Jannik Sinner's cleared to play, that's all that matters"
Frances Tiafoe, récent finaliste du Masters 1000 de Cincinnati, compte bien surfer sur sa dynamique actuelle pour briller à l'US Open, à la maison. Demi-finaliste en 2022 et quart de finaliste en 2023, le joueur de 26 ans compte bien faire aussi bien cette année et rêve bien sûr de mieux : être le premier Américain titré à Flushing Meadows depuis un certain Andy Roddick en 2003. Toutefois, en conférence de presse, celui qui commencera Aleksandar Kovacevic a logiquement été interrogé sur le cas Jannik Sinner, contrôlé positif en mars à deux reprises à cause du crème de massage mais blanchi par l'ITIA.
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Vidéo : @USOpen
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00:00Yeah, I'm not here at the open. I'm super excited to be here. Obviously, coming in really
00:09good momentum and yeah, hoping for another really big run. I love playing here in New
00:16York, obviously. So let's see what happens.
00:19Thank you. Questions.
00:20Richard Osborne, US Open.org. Hey, Francis. Some people don't put a lot of significance
00:28on the rankings, but I know you were saying earlier to be back up there with the other
00:34guys in your group, to have this group, a chunk of guys in the top 20 has got to feel
00:38good for you.
00:39Yeah, yeah. I mean, American guys have been playing well for a really long time. It's
00:45nice. It's nice to definitely be back up there with those guys. But I mean, obviously I want
00:53to be back closer to where I want to be in the top 10 and so on and so forth. But last
00:59week was definitely a good stepping stone towards that for sure.
01:01And are you feeling, given what happened in Cincinnati, there's got to be a pretty good
01:05feeling coming in here this year?
01:08Oh, absolutely. But every week, every event, you got to take it for what it is. Obviously,
01:14I had great momentum there, but in general, I'm feeling much, much better. Since Wimbledon,
01:17I've been playing much, much better. So we finally came together that week and trying
01:22to use that for this.
01:23David Cain, Tennis.com. You were the last person to play Yannick before all this news
01:30came out about him, and you were very complimentary of him and his play after the final. I'm curious
01:34what you make of all the news that's come out in the last couple of days.
01:36Yeah, I mean, I just think he's, well, A, obviously he's an incredible player. And,
01:41you know, government bodies made a decision. They went and did that. And he's cleared to
01:47play. And, you know, that's pretty much what I have to say about it. All the best to him
01:52in the U.S. Open, and I'm just excited about me doing my thing in the Open.
01:56David.
01:57Hi, Francis. I realize when you get a draw, you can only concentrate on the first player
02:02that you're playing against. I just wondered, do you look ahead in the draw at all? Are
02:08you aware who might be in your path in two rounds' time, for instance?
02:13Yeah, you've got to see what's going on, for sure. You have to. But, yeah, I mean, obviously
02:19those things don't happen unless you take care of what's in front of you. But, for sure.
02:24No question. No question, that's it.
02:27Tamar.
02:28You said you're focused on yourself, of course, but have you been following a lot of the discourse
02:35around – there's obviously a lot of your fellow players saying that they believe there's
02:41one rule for the top player and another rule for other people. Have you followed any of that?
02:46Honestly, I haven't followed much. I mean, I'm just – I've been super busy this week
02:52myself, just taking care of all the stuff I've got to do. But, yeah, I mean, a lot
02:56of people have spoken out and said things about it. I'm – you know, again, as I said
03:01to him, government bodies did what they did. Obviously, he's cleared to play, and that's
03:06I'm just trying to try to focus on the U.S. Open. And, yeah, I finally had a great week
03:14in Cincinnati, and that's all I'm really focused on.
03:16Howard.
03:17Hey, Francis. Howard Fenderich with DAP. There have been a few instances recently of questions
03:26about whether there ought to be more video review available to chair umpires. I'm curious
03:34what you think about that, and do you know that they do have that here, and are you happy
03:42that there is extra?
03:43Yeah, very happy to have that. Very happy to have that. I think it's very, very big.
03:48There's a lot on the line that you're playing for. And, you know, I mean, some things
03:53that happened last week, I feel like just can't happen at an elite level. And we're
04:00talking about, you know, the top of the game, you know, our biggest events outside of SLAM.
04:03So I think it's a really, really good thing. You know, technology is so good now, I think
04:08it should be covered in that way for sure.
04:11Cindy, and then Willie.
04:13Hi, Francis. Cindy Schmuel from the New York Times. You opted not to play the Olympics,
04:19but you've just been signed to the World Team for the Labor Cup. In your mind, is tennis
04:24a team sport? Is it an individual sport? Where does that team concept fit in for you?
04:30Yeah, I mean, it's a team event. And I'm feeling getting ready to play. I'm going to play.
04:34You know, I love playing team events. Obviously, it's an individual sport, but I think team
04:39events bring a good vibe. I think it shows a lot of players' personalities and stuff
04:43and getting people out of their shells a little bit. I think it's really good for the sport.
04:47I think Labor Cup is an incredible event. It's done well for however many years it's
04:51going on, five, six years. And, you know, I love being a part of it. I love playing
04:56it. And yeah, so I'll be out there for sure.
05:00Yeah, I mean, I know how bad he wanted that one for sure. It's incredible effort. Incredible
05:04effort. I mean, you got to tip your hat off to him. I mean, you know, stats-wise, I think
05:09he's been the greatest player of all time for a while now. And obviously, now he just
05:12cemented it. I mean, crazy. He's like, you know, he's like 45 and he's still winning
05:18every tournament. So it's really good to see what he's doing. But yeah, I mean, I mean,
05:26tremendous, tremendous effort. And I know that meant a lot to him and the country. So
05:30congratulations.
05:31Mary.
05:32Hey, Francis.
05:33Hey, how are you?
05:34Hi, how are you? What's the difference in your game when you're confident and when
05:39you're not confident?
05:40I think there's a big difference. I think there's a massive difference. I think the
05:46one thing you see is a lot more joy and excitement when I'm playing, when I'm really confident.
05:52The level of fear I instill in my opponent, for sure. And yeah, I mean, I just find it
05:58much more aggressive, much more sure of myself. I get the crowd into it. You know, I play
06:03with much more passion, energy than when I'm not. So I think it's two different Francis's
06:09for sure when I'm in that mode. So I think it's, you know, really good for the game as
06:15well.
06:16Yeah, for sure. I mean, definitely you can have shots that definitely lights you up.
06:18I mean, obviously not every day you're going to be feeling your absolute best and be so
06:21amped up and whatever, whatever. But yeah, I mean, it's the biggest thing is to try to
06:28be as present as possible each week and try to get the most out of yourself, even those
06:32days where you're not playing your best. And that's what's been better for me as of late.
06:39Hi Francis, just going back to the Olympics quickly, obviously you had your personal reasons
06:43for not playing. I just wondered if you had any FOMO, like when it was actually on?
06:48Absolutely. Absolutely. The boat day killed me. Minus the rain. I wouldn't have had so
06:54much fun in the rain, but, you know, seeing everybody, you know, all team USA and everybody,
07:00everybody there, you know, friends with a lot of guys there from different sports and
07:03stuff like that. I mean, I think that's time to, you know, connect with a bunch of whole
07:06other athletes. But, you know, at that time I didn't know I was going to, you know, make
07:11finals Cincinnati. So, you know, I take that every day and getting my career back to where
07:16I need to be and winning a bunch of matches and stuff like that. So I think I made the
07:19right decision in the end. But that day for sure, it'd be weird if you didn't, you know.
07:23Bill.
07:25Hi Francis, Bill Simons, Inside Tennis. So let's say you're sitting down with the tennis
07:30gods and they say, OK, Francis, you American guys are all great players. Yourself, Taylor,
07:37Tommy, Ben, Shelton, Seb, all these guys. But who, aside from yourself, who's the next
07:46American who's going to win a slam and hold up a slam trophy? Who would that be?
07:51Well, I mean, if you think I'm going to say anybody else but me, you're crazy.
07:54Not counting me.
07:56Yeah. I mean, I don't even know, man. It's hard to say anyone but myself. But I mean,
08:08Bill, I mean, ability wise, all those guys have capability to do it. Let's go. I mean,
08:14let's let's go, Sebby. I like his game. He's really super, super complete. Yeah, I mean,
08:19he's he's he's very similar to me in personality for sure. But I mean, he's still a lot of
08:24confidence in me, man. Constantly telling me to believe in myself and just and just
08:30tell me, you know how to. I mean, obviously with the obvious, but just locking more on
08:36each each point, play less loose points, but just ride the highs and lows better.
08:41You know, sometimes obviously you guys not get really high and sometimes pretty low.
08:45And he's just kind of managed to keep me pretty even keel and stay much more poised
08:50while I'm out there. You know, not allowing moments to be bigger than what they are or
08:55moments to be, you know, as skinny as sometimes I can make him as so.
09:00Yeah, that's probably the biggest thing he's added for me. But it's not easy waiting
09:05waiting for his terminology. I'm so amped up. It's it's circle on the calendar every
09:08year. You know, I love these these two weeks and I love playing tennis after you after
09:14Wimbledon. It's in the States. There's no better time for me.
09:20I have a campus from Sportico. So there's a there's a new policy this year about that
09:23matches can be moved to a different court if they start past a certain time at night.
09:27What do you think about that new policy? And what do you think generally should be done
09:31about this sort of issue of matches finishing at 2 a.m. to 30 a.m. at some of these majors?
09:37Well, thanks, Tommy. I had no idea that was a thing.
09:41But I think I mean, I think I think it's pretty epic, though. I mean, it was late finishes.
09:47Obviously, it's tough. You know, you have to recover and come back next day.
09:50It helps that you have that day off. But, you know, I played I played one late match
09:56right here three years ago, and I was I mean, I was pretty epic.
10:02But I mean, it's New York. I mean, I don't think the fans mind too much.
10:05But yeah, I mean, I think it definitely helps from a recovery standpoint for sure.
10:11Question over there. Hey, Francis, Lucas with The Athletic.
10:15I'm curious, what music do you listen to before a match either to pump yourself up or chill yourself out?
10:25Yeah, I mean, if I'm if I'm just relaxing, listening to a lot of Afro beats,
10:28Burning Boy is kind of just vibing out. But before matches, as of late,
10:33I listen to a lot of Nipsey Hussle and just kind of get really pumped up.
10:37You know, I love I love some of his rap and he gets me definitely in a really good mode for sure.
10:42Time for a couple more. Chris Butter with ESPN.
10:46While you were sitting at home with FOMO, who of your friends were you watching?
10:51Who were you cheering up? I mean, I was I was cheering on everyone.
10:56I mean, you know, my agent pretty much does everybody on on the Olympic team,
11:01U.S. Olympic team. So it's pretty it's pretty fun.
11:07But no, I mean, I I mean, yeah, I mean, I was I was following every every sport.
11:12I'm so happy to see what everyone did in track and field.
11:15Obviously Team USA, both men and women, basketball winning, you know,
11:20like watching American tennis guys just following the whole thing.
11:25I mean, it's pretty cool. Olympics is pretty epic. You know,
11:30I mean, Ledecky doing her thing. She's from Maryland, too, which is really cool.
11:35So it was it was it was awesome to watch. Olympics is something really cool and excited for L.A.
11:42Last to Brian and then Mr. Lewis, the final question.
11:46You mentioned obviously you feel like you have good momentum coming here.
11:49It seems like a lot of players maybe don't.
11:51They haven't played much since the Olympics and, you know, changing clay, grass, clay, or whatever.
11:57Novak hasn't played at all. Coco struggled a bit lately.
12:00This part of you think it's harder than, you know, used to be a pencil in four or five names.
12:04You knew we're going to be good in New York.
12:06Is it hard to do that this year because a lot of people don't seem like they're in great form?
12:11I mean, yeah, I mean, it all changes in a couple of matches.
12:14I mean, you can't really anticipate that. Obviously, it looks like that going in.
12:17But nothing is I think it's open for a lot of guys this year for sure.
12:21So I have a chance at it. But I mean, you can't you can never count those guys out there on top of the game for a reason.
12:28It's always different in the slam lights a little brighter. So we'll see.
12:32We'll see what ends up happening. But, you know, I mean, I personally, I just like where I'm at.
12:37And my shot at it. Last question.
12:39Hi, Francis. Michael Lewis. I read about Tommy Paul and Raleigh Opelka a lot.
12:43So just a quick comment on number one, just about Tommy's development this last two years.
12:48And what you've seen is sort of the biggest changes in his game to allow him to get up here.
12:51And just sort of how much were you talking to Riley and try and keep his spirits up during his two years he was gone?
12:56Yeah, I mean, we spoke to Riley like a couple of times a week for a couple of years.
13:00I mean, he's hitting us up after most matches all the time.
13:04You know, Riley, Riley and Tommy are guys I'm really close with.
13:08I mean, we were playing since, I mean, ten and onions together.
13:12Taylor came a little later, but yeah, I mean, those those two are super, super close.
13:17And to see Tommy do what he's doing, man, is incredible.
13:21After a while, he was, you know, there was times where he wanted to give it up.
13:26He did an unbelievable job putting a great team together. He's much more serious.
13:29He's committed. He wants it.
13:31You know, seeing he just loves being a part of us and being a part of the group of guys doing really well.
13:35He's been on top of the game. He's and he just wants it.
13:38He's always been super talented. Everyone knows what his ability.
13:41But it's good to see him putting together and I'm super happy for him.