"If I’m Frances Tiafoe, I’m also f**king angry": Serena Williams' ex-coach lambasts umpire over Shanghai row, but denounces American's 'f**k you' rant
Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs has shared her thoughts on Frances Tiafoe's expletive-laden outburst at the 2024 Shanghai Masters. While Stubbs acknowledged that Tiafoe had crossed the line, she lambasted the umpire for his apparent mismanagement of the situation.
Tiafoe crashed out of the Masters 1000 event in the third round with a narrow 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(5) loss to Roman Safiullin. The closely contested encounter took a controversial turn at 5-5 in the third-set tiebreak when the American was handed a time violation by chair umpire Jimmy Pinoargote, which cost him a crucial first serve.
Although the World No. 17 argued that he had tossed the ball before the shot clock ran out, Pinoargote maintained that he hadn't been ready to serve.
Following his loss, Frances Tiafoe directed his frustration at the chair umpire in a heated, expletive-ridden tirade.
"F**k you, man. F**k you. Seriously, man. F**k you. You f**ked me," Frances Tiafoe shouted. "You f**ked the match up. Great f**king job. F**k you."
During a recent episode of the 'Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast,' Stubbs acknowledged that Tiafoe's behavior was "wrong." However, she contended that Jimmy Pinoargote should have exercised some leniency, especially during such a crucial moment of the match.
"First of all, Frances Tiafoe was wrong. We all know he wasn’t throwing the ball toss up to serve. He was never in intention of throwing the ball toss up. But give me a f**king break umpire. It is 5-5 in the third-set tiebreak and the guy is clearly at the line about to serve, maybe with a second over," Stubbs said.
"I know everyone’s going to be like, 'Rules are rules.' Are they? Because let me tell you why a rule is not a rule. You as an umpire get to decide when you push the button to start the clock. I see it all the time," she added.
The Australian also pointed out that the decision to start the shot clock lay at the umpire's discretion, questioning the rationale behind penalizing Frances Tiafoe when it was evident that he was ready to serve.
Stubbs emphasized the importance of having a first serve at that stage of the match, admitting that she would've been just as angry if she was in the 26-year-old's shoes. Nevertheless, she admitted that Tiafoe's decision to swear at the umpire after the match was "not appropriate."
"It is when the umpire chooses to push the button. So, you cannot tell me that you also don’t have the discretion to be like, ‘You know what I’m going to start this one a little later.’ He’s at the line, he’s clearly about to serve. Is it really going to matter?" she said.
"It’s 5-5 in the third-set tiebreak, a first serve is unbelievably important at that point and you took that away from him. Let me tell you something, if I’m Frances, I’m also really f**king angry. Now, what he did after the match by swearing at the umpire and going after him, not appropriate," she added.
"Frances Tiafoe's mom would’ve been the first one to say, 'Listen, that was not a good thing'" - Rennae Stubbs praises American's 'sincere' apology
Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs praised Frances Tiafoe for taking accountability for his "unacceptable behavior" with a sincere apology, suggesting that his mother Alphina would've been the first to chastise him for his actions.
"He apologized. He wrote a really sincere, because I know Frances Tiafoe very well, he would’ve meant that because he would’ve felt really badly. Because his mom would’ve been the first one to say, 'Listen Frances, that was not a good thing,'" Stubbs said during the same podcast.
Stubbs also empathized with the American over his angry reaction, arguing that the umpire's call had likely cost him the match. While the Australian maintained that Tiafoe was "wrong" in his response, she continued to call out Jimmy Pinoargote for his handling of the situation.
"But I can understand why he was angry, and that could have cost him the match. Because if he hits a first serve and wins the point, he has match point. Instead, he has to serve second serve, it was an incredible point and he lost it. So I would’ve been ropable as well," she said.
"So what he said was wrong, but how the umpire handled it, I don’t give a sh*t, you can tweet at me all you want that rules are rules but you have a discretion there as an umpire to not be a complete to not open your mouth and let that match go on," she added.
Following his exit from the Shanghai Masters, Frances Tiafoe will be back in action at the Almaty Open as the top seed. The ATP 250 event is scheduled to take place in Kazakhstan from October 14-20.