Current:Home > FinanceFrances Tiafoe pushes Carlos Alcaraz to brink before falling in five sets-DB Wealth Institute B2 Reviews & Ratings
Frances Tiafoe pushes Carlos Alcaraz to brink before falling in five sets
lotradecoin cryptocurrency news updates View Date:2024-12-25 22:15:46
American Frances Tiafoe, who has been in the midst of an awful slump this season, pushed defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz to the brink on Friday before ultimately falling in five sets.
Taking advantage of an out-of-sorts Alcaraz for much of the afternoon, Tiafoe nearly pulled off the year’s biggest upset and had a chance to close the door in the fourth-set tiebreaker.
But Alcaraz, as he so often has during his young career, found a way to elevate his game under pressure and breezed through the tiebreak before taking total command in the fifth set to finish off a 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 win.
The 21-year old Alcaraz improved to 12-1 in his career in fifth sets. Tiafoe has now had to absorb two of those heartbreaking losses, having lost their previous meeting in the 2022 US Open semifinals that also went the distance.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Tiafoe was hoping to use the opportunity against Alcaraz to turn around what has been an abysmal season and playfully said after his second-round victory that he was “going to come after him.”
For a couple hours, Tiafoe followed through on that promise, especially on return where he was able to consistently make Alcaraz uncomfortable with his depth and power. Despite being down an early break, Tiafoe managed to win the first set and then took command in the third with a combination of power and touch that left Alcaraz frustrated and questioning his shot selection.
But Alcaraz had all the answers in the clutch, keeping his potential title defense on track. Alcaraz is already looking for a fourth Grand Slam title in his young career, having won the French Open last month.
Tiafoe's competitiveness was a bit of a surprise given his recent struggles. He came into Wimbledon with a 13-14 record this season and had pulled out of a warm-up event at Queen’s Club in London after slipping on the grass and injuring his right knee, which has had a sleeve over it throughout the tournament.
Even at Wimbledon, it looked like Tiafoe was headed for an early exit when he fell behind two sets to love in the first round against Matteo Arnaldi. After that match, Tiafoe made waves when he told the media he had been losing to “clowns.”
“I hate to say it, but I’m just gonna be honest with you guys,” Tiafoe said. “I took the game for granted and got a little too comfortable.”
Tiafoe has been struggling with his form since last year’s Wimbledon when he got blown off the court in the third round by Grigor Dimitrov. After the season, he parted ways with coach Wayne Ferreira, who had helped Tiafoe play the best tennis of his career including his surprising run to the 2022 US Open semifinals.
A native of College Park, Maryland, Tiafoe will now return to North America for the hardcourt season. Tiafoe qualified for the Paris Olympics, which will be played on the clay at Roland Garros, but chose instead to enter tournaments in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., to start preparations for the US Open.
veryGood! (26387)
Related
- A slain teacher loved attending summer camp. His mom is working to give kids the same opportunity
- Demi Moore Shakes Off a Nip Slip Like a Pro During Paris Fashion Week
- Donald Trump and his company repeatedly violated fraud law, New York judge rules
- In Hollywood writers’ battle against AI, humans win (for now)
- Bristol Palin Shares 15-Year-Old Son Tripp Has Moved Back to Alaska
- John Legend, 'The Voice' 4-chair 'king,' beats Niall Horan in winning over Mara Justine with duet
- Israel strikes militant sites in Gaza as unrest continues, no casualties
- Zillennials, notorious for work-life balance demands, search for something widely desired
- These six House races are ones to watch in this year’s election
- Japan’s court recognizes more victims of Minamata mercury poisoning and awards them compensation
Ranking
- Australian Olympic Committee hits out at criticism of controversial breaker Rachael Gunn
- Burkina Faso’s junta says its intelligence and security services have foiled a coup attempt
- Japan’s court recognizes more victims of Minamata mercury poisoning and awards them compensation
- Giant panda Fan Xing leaves a Dutch zoo for her home country China
- What Conservation Coalitions Have Learned from an Aspen Tree
- 'Margarita tester' is now a job description. How one company is trading $4000 for drink reviews
- Uber Eats will accept SNAP, EBT for grocery deliveries in 2024
- In a first, scientists recover RNA from an extinct species — the Tasmanian tiger
Recommendation
-
Wisconsin’s Evers urges federal judge not to make changes at youth prison in wake of counselor death
-
Travis Kelce shouts out Taylor Swift on his podcast for 'seeing me rock the stage'
-
What would a government shutdown mean for me? SNAP, student loans and travel impacts, explained
-
Parole has been denied again for a woman serving 15 years in prison for fatally stabbing her abuser
-
Beyoncé leads nominations for 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards
-
Stock market today: Asian shares mostly lower after Wall Street retreat deepens
-
USDA expands access to free school breakfast and lunch for more students
-
Why You Won't Expect Little Big Town's People's Choice Country Awards Performance