“Sometimes when I see Carlos Alcaraz, I just want to knock him out” – Frances Tiafoe on US Open 2022 SF loss to Spaniard in presence of Michelle Obama

During a recent conversation, Frances Tiafoe openly talked about his defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals of the 2022 US Open. The match was attended by prominent figures such as Michelle Obama and actor Denzel Washington and was an exciting and closely contested affair.

Despite his historic run at the 2022 US Open, Tiafoe was unable to end the 19-year drought for American men at the New York Major. He became the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2006 to reach the semifinals, but his hopes were dashed by eventual champion Alcaraz. In a hard-fought match, the then World No. 2 emerged victorious with a 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3 scoreline.

During a discussion with Nick Kyrgios on an episode of his podcast ‘Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios’, Frances Tiafoe looked back on his heartbreaking defeat against Carlos Alcaraz and shared that the exciting match helped ease the disappointment of the loss.

“It doesn’t even really hurt. It was so iconic, like it was such a good match.

“I was like, ‘This dude, I’m going to have to go through this.’ I was even thinking about it during the match like, ‘Damn, this guy is going to be a problem for a long time,’”Tiafoe said (at 7:25).

“Just battling and every who’s who is there. Imagine looking up and you’re about to start the biggest match of your life and you look up and Michelle Obama is sitting in the front row. Like getting her out of the house,”Tiafoe said.

“Denzel Washington is there, everyone I’m looking up to. I guess for the country, it was just nuts. It was out of control, I’ve never been in an environment like that,”he added.

Despite acknowledging the difficulty of the loss, Tiafoe described the match as one of the greatest experiences of his life because of the enthusiastic crowd.

“And competing against a guy like that who is giving it all, I’m giving it my all, I’m cursing at the crowd like, ‘Give me f**king everything.’

“Taking the L at the end was tough, but it was one of the best experiences of my life. I felt like the crowd was literally on my fingertips, something I will remember for the rest of my life,”he said.

The 26-year-old revealed that the defeat had a significant impact on his thoughts, admitting that he had considered the idea of wanting to defeat Carlos Alcaraz. Nevertheless, he made it clear that he would never act upon this thought, praising the Spaniard as the most kind-hearted person in the world.

“I think about that fifth set, like I’m one set away from the US Open final. I was thinking of the highs of it. Just walking on the court, I’m thinking about what that would’ve been to just go and hold that trophy, at least have the chance to compete for that trophy,”he said.

“I think about it all the time, like even sometimes when I see the guy (Carlos Alcaraz), I just want to knock him out. Obviously, he’s the nicest guy in the world, so, of course not, but it’s one of those that hurt,”he added.

Tennis Prodigy Carlos Alcaraz Prepares for Monte-Carlo Masters; Frances Tiafoe to Defend Title Against James Duckworth in Houston

Beginning his claycourt season, Carlos Alcaraz will make his first appearance at the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters. The Masters 1000 tournament will begin on April 7, with top players such as Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and defending champion Andrey Rublev also vying for the title alongside the young Spanish player.

Meanwhile, Frances Tiafoe is currently participating in the US Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston. The 26-year-old holds the third seed and is the defending champion at this ATP 250 event.

After receiving a first-round bye, Tiafoe will begin his quest to defend his title against James Duckworth in the second round. If he successfully defeats the Australian, he will then face either Jordan Thompson or Aleksandar Kovacevic in the quarterfinals.