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American Frances Tiafoe prevailed in a a nearly five-hour match against Poland's Hubert Hurkacz at Roland-Garros on May 28. (Photo by Marleen Fouchier/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
BSR Agency via Getty Images
American Frances Tiafoe was hype after finishing off Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in five sets on Thursday in the second round of the French Open. Following the 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 victory — which the 19th-seeded Tiafoe punctuated with a forehand winner on a break, set and match point — he greeted a jubilant swarm of fans at Roland-Garros.
Tiafoe hugged them while bouncing up and down with the crowd. He emerged from the embrace without his racket.
Then, shortly after dapping up Hurkacz and shaking hands with the chair umpire, Tiafoe ripped his shirt off and let out a roar. Continuing to take in the moment, the 28-year-old two-time US Open semifinalist flexed to a symphony of cheers and whistles.
Tiafoe had outlasted Hurkacz in a grueling match that lasted four hours and 43 minutes amid the heat wave that’s enveloped Paris this week.
Afterward, though, he took to social media in search of the racket he lost in the euphoric chaos.
“Unreal atmopshere on Court 14 today,” Tiafoe wrote in a post-match Instagram story on Thursday. “But I must say to the fan who took my racket at the end when I was celebrating with y’all. Can I please have it back … I’ll bless you with two tickets for my next match.”
After providing instructions for how to complete the exchange, Tiafoe ended that message by writing, “thanks for the love y’all.”
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Later, in an interview with TNT Sports, Tiafoe said he had secured the misplaced racket. He walked the TNT crew through his sudden realization that he was missing something as he was walking off the court.
“I was like, ‘Wait, I think I’m down a racket.’”
Tiafoe, laughing, continued: “I was like, ‘I think a fan got my racket.’”
He explained that someone on his team asked if he wanted to post about it on Instagram in attempt to retrieve it. Tiafoe agreed, thinking it’d be funny.
“Here, I’ll get it. In the States, I’m not getting it,” he said, reflecting on his mindset before firing off the IG story.
The culprit was a lady who seized the racket, as TNT showed in slow-mo. Relishing in the victory and leaning into his sense of humor, Tiafoe took the whole situation in stride.
He shared that he travels with eight rackets. So why is this one so important?
“I mean, I won the match with it,” he said, drawing laughter from the desk full of media members.
Tiafoe will now face Portugal’s Jaime Faria in the third round on Saturday. With world No. 1 Jannik Sinner already out, and his rival, Carlos Alcaraz, not competing because of a wrist injury, the bracket is becoming increasingly open in Roland-Garros.
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