"Even if we lose, I got 23 Grand Slam titles, he got 20" - Frances Tiafoe shares funny anecdote involving Serena Williams and Roger Federer
Frances Tiafoe touched upon Serena Williams' funny side, recalling an incident from a few years ago where the American pair played Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic in a mixed doubles match in Perth.
Williams has been the talk of the town lately. The 40-year-old lost to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the US Open on Friday to bring down the curtain on her glittering career.
In his post-match press conference after a 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Diego Schwartzman at Flushing Meadows on Saturday, Tiafoe recalled a 2019 Hopman Cup match against Federer and Bencic when asked to share an anecdote from his relationship with Williams.
"Yeah, I think she's really funny. Obviously, you guys see how fierce and the passion and stuff she has on the court. She's very funny outside of it. Super easygoing. I can remember when we played mixed in Perth, we were playing against Federer and Belinda," he said.
"She gets aced by Roger twice. She's like, 'I don't know how this guy is acing me.' She goes, 'Don't worry, we're not going to lose. Even if we do lose, I got 23 [Grand Slam titles], he got 20, so it's all good (laughter).' I'm just like, man, this is too much. This is how she is in general. It's just pretty funny. That line always stood out to me. It was pretty funny," he added.
January 1st, 2019:
Roger Federer and Serena Williams are interviewed after playing mixed doubles against each other at the 2019 Hopman Cup https://t.co/11Tz2toRfr
The Swiss pair eventually won the contest in Perth, prevailing 4-2 4-3. After the match, Serena Williams, in her on-court interview, addressed how powerful the Swiss mestero's serve was.
"The guy is great. He's the greatest of all time. There's a reason why he is so great. He has a killer serve. I've watched him all the time but I never realised how good it was. Maybe I could get some tips from him later on," she said.
"A true leader, I'm just happy to call her a friend, a colleague" - Frances Tiafoe on Serena Williams
All eyes were on Serena Williams in New York this year, as the American veteran was playing in her final tournament before sailing into the sunset. It wasn't just fans who were keeping an eye on her contests, with many players also taking the time to keep track of her progress.
Frances Tiafoe was one of them and the 24-year-old believes that Williams was under a lot of pressure against Alija Tomljanovic but had enough opportunities to come through that contest victorious.
"Yeah, I watched the first two rounds, the first sets in the first two rounds, live. I played early today, so I didn't watch. Yeah, I mean, it's tough. It's tough. You almost don't believe it, like it could be her last time playing. But, yeah, I mean, I definitely think she should have won last night. She had a lot of opportunities. The pressure was just a lot," he said.
“Serena means everything to me. Especially in the Black community and around the world, she's an icon. I don’t think I’d be doing what I’m doing without her, to be honest with you.” - Frances Tiafoe
While sad to see her move away from the professional circuit, Tiafoe is happy to call his compatriot a friend and a colleague. He holds Serena Williams in high regard, having previously compared her to Mount Rushmore for her stature.
"I just have so much respect for her, for what she did for the game of tennis. She's one of the best athletes ever, accomplished so much. Coming from where she came from and doing what she did. She exceeded expectations. She's just a true leader. She's a winner, no matter what. So I'm just happy to call her a friend, happy to call her a colleague," he said.