Tiafoe to French Open opponent: 'Don't act like you're tough. You're not hard, bro. Just play'
Frances Tiafoe of the U.S. reacts as he plays against Hubert Hurkacz of Poland during their second round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Thursday, May 28, 2026. Credit: AP/Emma Da Silva
PARIS — Frances Tiafoe had some strong words for his opponent during another grueling five-set victory at the French Open on Saturday.
Tiafoe and Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria started arguing about a call early in the fifth set.
“Don’t act like you’re tough. You’re not hard, bro. Just play,” Tiafoe told Faria.
Faria then complained to the chair umpire as the players approached each other at the net: “You see what he’s saying?”
The chair umpire told both players to be quiet.
Tiafoe won the third-round match 4-6, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-2 in exactly four hours.
“I needed that," Tiafoe said of the exchange. "Because I’m up at the time but I’m still a little nervous. And he was chirping. He definitely gave me a lot of lip. He thought he was (boxer) Ryan Garcia or something."
Frances Tiafoe of the U.S. returns to Hubert Hurkacz of Poland during their second round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Thursday, May 28, 2026. Credit: AP/Emma Da Silva
Tiafoe next meets Matteo Arnaldi, who eliminated Raphael Collignon in a fifth-set tiebreaker after nearly five hours.
Tiafoe also beat Hubert Hurkacz in five sets in the second round.
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