"I'm not one of those guys envious of anybody, you want those guys to do well"- Frances Tiafoe on fellow Americans doing well at US Open
Frances Tiafoe has conveyed his best regards to the American contingent, hoping for their success in Major tournaments.
The 25-year-old is currently making his ninth appearance at the US Open. Despite early exits in Montreal and Cincinnati, he is through to the fourth round in New York and will be pleased with his performances so far.
The World No. 10 expressed his support for his fellow American players competing at the US Open. He believes that the strong presence of top players from the United States bodes well for tennis in their country.
"I'm not one of those guys envious of anybody. You want those guys to do well. It's only going to help me, right? So, yeah, I mean, everyone's super excited for each other. Everyone's pumped up. It's great for American tennis ultimately at the end. It is what it is," Frances Tiafoe said
Tommy Paul, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, and Frances Tiafoe are among the Americans who have advanced to the fourth round of the US Open. Micheal Mmoh, world No. 112, is also competing and will face Jack Draper in the third round.
The United States also emerged victorious at the inaugural United Cup at the start of the year, with Tiafoe and Fritz playing pivotal roles in their triumph. They dominated Italy in the finals 4-0.
Tiafoe also spoke about his interactions with fellow Americans in the locker room and wished to play against them in big matches in the future.
"Everyone is kind of doing their thing. I want nothing but the best for those guys. I want them to win, and hope we can play against each other in big matches. That's what it's all about. Let the better man win," Frances Tiafoe said
Frances Tiafoe to square off against Rinky Hijikata in R4 of the US Open
Tenth seed Frances Tiafoe will take on World No. 110 Rinky Hijikata in the fourth round of the US Open on Sunday.
The American is coming off a formidable win over Adrian Mannarino 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6(6) in the third round. He is through to the last 16 for the fourth time in a row at the US Open.
On the other hand, Hijikata outclassed Zhizhen Zhang in a tricky four-set contest 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in his previous match. The Australian is through to the fourth round for the first time in his career.
The head-to-head between Tiafoe and Hijikata is poised at 0-0. The duo have never faced each other on the main tour.
Fans can expect an exciting contest in the fourth round, where the New York crowd will firmly be behind their countryman Frances Tiafoe. The winner of this tie will square off against Tommy Paul or Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals.