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Frances Tiafoe may have the best shot to be the first American men’s tennis star to win his first Grand Slam tennis event since Andy Roddick in 2003 and the first winner of the French Open since Andre Agassi.
It might have been why his match against Portugal’s Jaime Faria had an extra intensity component to it on Saturday at the French Open. Tiafoe won the match 4-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-2, but the two competitors were seen yelling at each other in the fifth set.
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Frances Tiafoe of the United States returns a shot during his match against Hubert Hurkacz of Poland on day five at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France, on May 28, 2026. (Susan Mullane/Imagn Images)
The two were talking back and forth on the end lines and came to the net. The chair umpire tried to get the match started again.
“Why don’t you quit trying to act like you’re tough? You’re not hard bro, just play,” Tiafoe was heard saying.
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The umpire, who was initially talking to Faria, said “all of this has to stop.”
Frances Tiafoe of the United States celebrates winning his match against Hubert Hurkacz of Poland on day five at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France, on May 28, 2026. (Susan Mullane/Imagn Images)
Tiafoe completed the comeback win to advance to the fourth round against Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi.
“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 a shot to Hubert Hurkacz of Poland during their second-round men’s singles match at the French Open in Paris on May 28, 2026. (Emma Da Silva/AP)
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American men have been trying to get a Grand Slam title back to the United States for quite some time. Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have been eliminated from the tournament, while Carlos Alcaraz is on the mend dealing with a wrist injury.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.