It's About Time We Talk About Frances Tiafoe...
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#francestiafoe #tiafoe #tennis
Tiafoe seems like a jack of all trades master of none. He doesn’t have a major weapon. His serve, groundstrokes and movement are all solid but nothing that gives him a huge obvious edge over an opponent?
Said from your sofa, or are you a tennis coach? The best critics are those who don't/can't play but are great at negatively smashing a keyboard - unbeatable
@@leevihemmings707 this is such a naive argument for not being able to criticise pros. I have played and coached for around 15 years, obviously nowhere near the level of tiafoe. But you don’t have to be a pro to observe problems in someone’s game. Look at sinner and Alcaraz, both have clear strong points with massive groundstrokes for sinner being his win condition and Alcaraz insane power and athleticism which distinguish them. Can you point to a quality of tiafoes that has the ability to blow players out the water consistently?
@@leevihemmings707it's called having eyes
@@paramtageja6891 🤡
@@leevihemmings707 how dumb is your comment?
It's all mentality with Tiafoe. He has no knockout shots, but aside from his second serve, no massive liabilities either. He has an incredibly well rounded game. At this point he needs to rebuild, mentally. Brad Gilbert, maybe?
he is well rounded overall lol
Honestly need a video on Meddy. Been world number 1, 6 Masters titles, tour finals winner. 70% win at tour level but still only 1 Slam
Always a finalist he is
he is doing just fine despite that loss in monte Carlos he made the Indian wells final losing to Alcaraz and the AO final where he led 2-0 in sets to sinner, but he played so many 5 set matches which caught up with him in the end, so he is doing great.
@@malcolmnorman5694 i didn't say he wasn't doing great. It would just be interesting to know what might be the reason that he's lost so many Slam finals not just A0 24
@@paramtageja6891 I mean he played Djokovic and Rafa in 4 of those slams which isn't a easy task. AO 22 he definitely should have won but he choked, AO 24 he choked but was gassed, AO 21 was he's but he choked after being on a 22 match streak. He just been unlucky.
@@paramtageja6891 this guy is talking about players that's in a slump and overall performance not just base on slams.
It feels like with Novak extending his career that male tennis has skipped a generation. With Alcaraz and Sinner winning slams and Rune coming back, the generation in their mid 20s who should be dominating are now struggling to keep up with the rapid improvement of these gifted youngsters. If you don't improve significantly year on year you go backwards quickly and I think that's where Francis is right now.
The 'lost generation' of fine players who never won a slam (playing against the big four) and are now in their late twenties can also be partly explained by losing three years of their prime playing years due to covid and lockdowns.
One remarkable stat to highlight this I came across when Zverev won Rome in 2017. He was the first player born 90 or later to win a 1000 event. In other words, up to this point there was no player age 27 or under to win a 1000 title. That’s a generation basically winning nothing right there.
In general Zverev, Steff are past their prime. were at some point were playing at the same level as Carlos and Sinner. look at WTA - players in laste 20s arent winning slams.really tough to win slams now when at your prime you couldnt and others are in their prime
@@deusexmachina9776hard to say they’re “past they’re prime.” Zverev is 26 years old, and sure he had more success early but that doesn’t mean the narrative can’t flip back around. Compound this with Zverev’s legal troubles and it’s a recipe for a slump. I think he’s still in his prime he’s just in a slump, the question is whether or not he can make it out of the slump before his physical prime is over
@@gahngangsta That would be believable if AO2024 didnt happen, Zvevev has had his chances, he was well rested from injury so hungry, he was highly motivated from United Cup yet threw away the semi.
One thing that was really nice was hearing Shelton talk about how watching Tiafoe was an inspiration during the Houston awards ceremony. I hope we see big things from BigFoe, he's fun to watch and once again is the type of player to draw people to the sport through his personality.
There are a number of hardliner, 'class' addicted polite types who don't want anyone drawn into the sport who doesn't toe the line. It's a real pity. do we want to preserve their idea of 'gentlemen' or do we want real guys playing who sometimes show their emotions?
@@sportslover2356false narrative. We want people with personality that can also play well. Not bad boys for the sake of it.
Rublev next please
The Tragic Fate of Andrey Rublev
@@Stu49583 He is not the first to be paralysed by a bad line call and subsequent disqualification. Kyrgios never recoverd from Rome and the incredibly poor sportsmanship of Ruud's mockery.
@@sportslover2356 Oh Please, Nick did a lot worst thing than Ruud that day
@@sportslover2356 Even if it was a bad line call, he can't react in such violent fashion to the line judge. I mean what is the limit here? If he just smacks the line judge into the head, would that be justified just because it was a bad line call? He needs to accept that no matter how much he thinks he is right he can not abuse his star power against the line judges. He had to be disqualified because the line judge could have easily felt threatened by Rublev and could not make line calls without fear of retribution anymore.
I think he did him already.
Love this type of content. ❤ Do Rublev next..
Agree 100% It's time to talk about Rubwehhv
Could you do a vid on Norrie next pls.
I watched him in Houston this year. He has the quickness and pace on his shots to win a slam, if it draws lucky enough for him. I just think tiafoe lets the pressure gets to his head.
for me, after watching the Break Point episode about him, it seemed that he got used to the stardom and attention he deservedly received after his great year. He just doesn't seem that he has the same drive as before
called Tsitsipas’ backhand a “liability” lol facts tbh
A liability and a top 10 ranking is nasty work
Ben Shelton looks to be inching closer to Tiafoe's success in 2022. Difference is that Shelton just starting his career
well...Shelton had a lot of things that Tiafoe didnt have. 1) the lefty advantage 2) a dad who was a pro, guiding him step by step, similar to Melanie Molitor guiding Hingis to the top. 3) apparently even when he was a junior, his dad made him play practice against top ranked college players. So in a way, Shelton was primed for this in ways that Tiafoe wasn't
@@AC-ss5oy Fair
I commented this on a different video but his comments on UTS podcast with Ben Shelton and Chris Eubanks were interesting. He mentioned something about how a Wimbledon Final would be enough for him while Ben Shelton said he wants it all for other players to fear his (Shelton’s) name on tournament draws. Tiafoe’s very passionate about winning no doubt but I think comments like that may separate him from the rest. He’s my favorite player on tour so I’m always optimistic about what he can accomplish!
Further perspective on this story can be found in the Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios episode seven which is a great interview with Big Foe and specialises in how he feels about himself as an ambassador for players of colour. Maybe this is more important to him (and Kyrgios) than winning slams. Depends what you want out of your career. What is 'losing'? If Tennis Plus is only interested in stats then these guys are 'losers' and failures. If he is slightly interested in whole world influence then these guys are top drawer winners.
Do Grigor pleaseeee 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Cool video as always! Keep this format going 😍
Please do Davidovich Fokina next!
Please make a video about hurkacz!!🙏🙏
great video, can you do one on tommy paul, chris eubanks or sebastian korda?
Need A Video About Andrey Rublev. He Has Not Been The Same Since Dubai.
His main problem in his game is that he doesn't finish points well at the net. His game is really good, he has the power and speed to set himself up for net put aways. But when he gets there, he needs to hit more aggressive volleys. He gives guys too many extra chances to pass him. Lately he plays more at the baseline not putting the pressure on his opponents like he used to. He needs to get a serious net game, this is where his coaches have failed him I think.
i got a couple ideas for vids: meddy would be a great one, 6 slam finals but only 1 slam, and overall i’m sure what u know i’m talking about with it being hard to be a meddy fan also grigor would be really cool, his level has been insane the past few weeks and he snapped his title drought earlier this year
Rublev next 100%
Random but I was just thinking, Tiafoe is technically the best American clay court player out of the current batch right? Ben obviously could be added with recent success. Also, I feel Tiafoe will be back at the top because he’s an all-court player.
Please do a deep dive for Alex De Minaur (the demon) next, hes my favourite player.
Tiafoe is huge in DC
I know I commented like 10 names on the last video 😂 but it would be interesting if you could also do similar vids on zverev, Hurcacz, berretini, coric, mussetti and humbert if/when you have time
This is great. Instead of a specific player, I’d love a series of “lesser known players to watch” where you cover young guys that have the game to crack the top 20 but aren’t in the spotlight as much or even older guys that are finally seeing it all click together that could have a career best season well into their career (like karatsev a few years back)
I’ve also noticed this the young American hotshot players, maybe that could be a thing? Btw love your vids
He reminds me of Monfils (not just because they're both black) but due to their athleticism and being crowd favorites but also never being able to break the barrier. Players picked up by the media really seem to struggle with consistency. Tiafoe and Fritz got picked up after a good season and then hit a slump. When was the last time you saw Swiatek getting a Nike shoe designed for her or being invited to the Met Gala? I understand that players are enticed by these (either for the celebrity status or as a new platform) but being on the rise makes you vulnerable for... being on the fall.
hmmmm i dont think he reminds me of Monfils. I think Monfils won those 3 junior majors in one calendar year and exhausted himself before he even got on the pro tour. Tiafoe started real strong on tour.
14:34 it always makes me cringe when people judge other people at their job. As if Francis comes to your job and then judges you are not being motivated enough lol. Its just crazy that people expect you to play at the top of their ability all the time. I appreciate these comprehensive vids for sure tho
Your job doesn’t make you a public figure that’s why we are not talking about you.
@@rue2003 i know thats supposed to be a troll but it doesnt make sense in the context of my comment.
I feel like Humbert is having a moment right now so please do him next
pls do a vid about ZVEREV
Great video, thank you. How about a video on Peter Korda? It seems like he's a product of family and hype. There doesn't seem to be much hunger for success there.
I wouldnt say he's unmotivated - but maybe distracted at the current moment by the monetary success. It's incredibly difficult to juggle public appearances and brand deals whilst being focused 110% on tennis simultaneously, an underrated aspect of the Big 3 as they all handled their increasing wealth and growing brands whilst never taking their eyes off the tennis. That being said, his player build is which is super strange. Above average baseline weapons (when hitting) that lack consistency, decent to good serve with great court mobility, but doesn't have a good enough net game to capitalise on either, like he's half a running rabbit and half heavy baseline hitter whilst receiving very little of the benefits. He needs to figure out who he is as a player.
Tiafoe has peaked. He will not get any better than 2022/early 2023, and may never be that good again.
Exactly, foe played his best from 2022 us open till the title in stuttgart, and since then his level has dropped back to a 20-30 player, which is really good. I think it’s just us Americans haven’t one shit in men’s tennis in a good bit now, so when we see a semifinalist it excites us. Overall foe is a good player who had a great stretch,
I think Francis has a better chance than Fritz and Korda. I think the issue with Francis is he needs a mental break. Maybe take a month off to recharge and rediscover why he loves tennis. He seems mentally go other places with wild forehands, double faulting and puzzling shot selection.
They said the same of Kyrgios. But Lleyton Hewitt says that he is so good that he just gets bored. It's hard to always be what everyone else wants you to be.
@@sportslover2356 lol yeah the clowngys overhype continues...a guy with trash movement and medicore groundstrokes is so good that he gets bored... give it a rest
Shot selection is his biggest flaw and shows a mental shortcoming for such an elite athlete.
Intensity, being too nice in the court and get to another gear mentally when needed…he can do better…
Could you do one of Shapovalov and Tommy Paul
He needs to win a major so we can start making that biopic starring Vince Staples.
There should be a video on Rublev. He's fallen off and you can tell. He lost in either the first or second round in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo and now Barcelona. He just has no weapons, with little variation in his game. He's just falling out of form, so we'd like to hear some takes on him in general.
TALK ABOUT DE MINAUR!!!
Ever since he dropped Wayne Ferreira!
Speaking just of his game, I don't think he has enough of a serve plus one to win a major. I may be wrong though.
dude who tf said anything about wining a major ? tiafoe will NEVER EVER do that
7:42 tiafoes bh reminds me of tsongas backhand.
pls do marozsan
please do a video on NICK KYRGIOS
Tennis Plus has done lots of videos which feature Kyrgios, all of them extremely negative, showing every bad moment in his career and writing him off as a villain, waste of talent, loser... Tennis Plus values 'class' and nice manners, not flair or passion. Kyrgios has featured in dozens of podcasts over the past year which go a long way to explaining (not excusing) the way he has acted on the court. You can watch his 'Good Trouble' podcasts and others by Jay Shetty, On Purpose, Mike Tyson, Theo Von...to get some real perspective.
We can do a video on Nick lol
@@Courtside_Tennis Please don't. So far he's top of your list for overrated, wasted talent, underachiever, rude...and he comes from the wrong side of the tracks for you. Wrong haircut. Appeals to the wrong demographic. Unless you're prepared to do a bit of research from his many podcasts this last 12 months we don't need yet another let's all hate on Kyrgios video. The morning before he led Australia to a massive Davis Cup victory over USA in 2017 the Australian media told him to 'crawl back into the gutter he came from'. Fight back from that one.
@@sportslover2356 we don't hate Kyrgios
@@Courtside_Tennis Really? Look. He's different. He comes from a mixed migrant background like half of Australia does. He swears and reacts and gets his head kicked in for not living up to expectations and for being from the wrong background all the time. The media there get hold of athletes like Kyrgios and attack them for fun and clicks. Kyrgios is just a minor part of their macho sporting picture. You love college pathway guys with nice manners who fit the Wimbledon picture. He happens to be quite good at tennis. But gets analysed to within an inch of his life year after year. Watch the Ed Mytton podcast. Get another view.
If Big Foe continues to keep working as hard as he's been doing these past five six years , he can reach the top five and also perhaps win a major. On his route to the top 10 he lost matches to so many people he wasn't supposed to lose to however the result was still top 10. If he keeps showing up to work , Great things will happen, a door will open look at ( David Ferrer ) look at (Sarah Errani) we're talking about major finalists I still believe Big Foe can win a major.
If I was his coach I’d be changing his serve and going bigger. With men’s ground strokes getting bigger and bigger, his serve is so much more of a liability. Every time he serves it’s a struggle it seems like. His speed is only getting slower. His backhand and volley is average at best. Others are just hitting harder and harder and he isn’t changing.
Do a video about Draper. He has lost so many matches from the brink of winning.
Do Seb Korda next. His golf playing sister Nelly has won 5 consecutive LPGA titles and an Olympic Gold Medal. He hasn't done anything since the Australian Open in 2023.
1:48 wait, what are you referring to as proper equipment. He had no proper equipment until he got a sponsorship deal at 12? Was he playing with a Walmart Wilson racket or did he have some super old racket somebody gave him. I feel like hanging around tennis facilities will get you equipment eventually.
Have you seen the disparity between his 1st & 2nd serve 0_o 1st is around 135mph - 125mph 2nd is around 85 mph -75mph Against top players, he's pretty much screwed if he can't get those bombs down the T just like Nick.
Pls do rublev
Tiafoe also struggles reading serves. I’ve noticed this a while back. He loses a lot of points this way
Cover Hurkacz!
Never been this early to anything Love your vids! Big foe needs to do some inner searching The fame from USO 2022 got to his head
Don't we all. Let him be.
What the US men tennis declined after Agassi?
he let go of his coach that got him to the highest rank he’s ever been to by letting the fame and media get to his head. just another monfils or bublik all show cares more about entertaining the crowd than winning
Dimitrov please
he's the next Grigor Dmitrov
Tennis, like any other sport has it's ups and downs.. Leave the big Foe alone and he will have a comeback.
Did you see him in Nicks “Good Trouble”. First thing Nick did was to compliment him for being like Nick-so good he does not have to listen to others about how to play. I thought “Run away Foe! Cover your ears!” What Nick doesn’t see is that that very attitude is IMHO the reason Nick will never come back for a GS final. Foe may have the same problem with humility and letting coaching in.
That good trouble episode was specifically about players of colour. They were both celebrating the fact that it was so much easier to feel comfortable being a tennis player of colour now than ten years ago. Both have experienced serious racism, particularly Nick from hecklers. So 'be like me' wasn't what your really heard. You are just doing what everyone does to Nick - finding negatives in the positives.
@@sportslover2356 certainly that was a theme. But that isn’t the attitude to which I refer. Though related perhaps. Resisting coaching ( for Nick, no coach at all) can be a product of having had to make it with less support and greater headwinds. I just believe it’s both of their barrier. We are always bettered by giving others POV on our game a go. But it takes trust. But hey just my opinion.
Tiafoe isn't serious enough to be a maintstay for top 10
oh God his childhood was so tragic
No it wasn't "tragic" He even said it wasn't that bad because that's all he knew. It only seems tragic when you start comparing it to others but for him it was fine.
It's amazing Tiafoe can play tennis with a booty like that
i think u are saying his name wrong
Bublik, karatsev, and sonego are not players you should be ashamed to lose to. I just think that Francis wants to get to the higher level and that he's maxed out is pure talent and wants to find a way to break through to the higher levels. Pretty soon you'll be making a video about Coco and saying the same thing with the names changed
He does not have that killer instinct. Maybe its because he does not want to seem overly threatening since he is a black man and that basically means life or death in everyday life for them. So he smiles a lot as a defense mechanism and it hurts his ability on the court. Otherwise, his biggest flaw is his shot selection. He hits right to his opponent (usually same side he is on) instead of hitting to the open court where his opponent is not. And in situations where a lob is the obvious answer, he wont, specifically at the net. He has the ability to do so; its like he is trying to be slick, instead of smart.
Your first paragraph is exactly why I think he isn’t winning more.
Furthermore watch if he starts winning he will stop being seen as the “lovable bigFoe”. They will stop liking him.
@@Knizzle28 Can't put it into words the truth behind him not being loved when he starts really winning. Then their masks will come right off.
All Foe is good for is having big name celebrities show up for his tennis matches. He ain’t winning a GS anytime soon. Just my opinion but his string tension at 42 lbs is wayyyy too low to compete at a GS level. If he ever makes it to a GS finals, I feel that pressure will work against him.
Less Showbiz more work on the practice court.
Medvedev needs W
He rolls over for other players. It’s like he doesn’t feel worthy to beat them.
Well, in 2022, Frances got serious and lost some weight to get more agile. This helped but he still lacks agility. He simply doesn't move efficiently around the court. And this matters in tough matches. Could he benefit from more weight? Yes. His forehand is similar to Khachanov's and they both lack the gravity assist you get from pointing your racket to the sky. They compensate by bringing the racket further back. But this means that on fast courts you can be late. Tiafoe's serve is a big weakness. His tossing arm finishes around his head instead of to the sky and limits how much shoulder over shoulder action he gets. Instead, he depends more on forward momentum and not much rotational momentum which can work for his first serve but it's not very good on second serve. His movement can get better with training and weight loss. I doubt if he can be convinced to change his forehand and serve. If not, he will not win a major and will be another in a long list of players who could have won a big tournament.
I think Norrie is betwtr
Frances is abs average player that has nothing remarkable in last 52 weeks having that big strong body, legs, buns and guns it's so ridiculous to see him losing here and there.
And it’s also time to talk about seb korda….this dude is grossly under achieving with the skills at his disposal. He’s doing absolutely nothing
Tiafoe looking for a new coach again,
I think Tiafoe has lost his focus. He has become more focused with the Hollywood of the sport and not the sport itself. His service percentage is deplorable as well as his shot making. The difference between Tiafoe and Shelton is belief. Ben is hungry and will do whatever it takes to be the best. I think Tiafoe is in love and is no longer hungry for the sport. His game has not improved in over two years. Tiafoe is young and can still improve, but he is going to have to make some major changes because time waits for no one.
He simply lacks consistency, particularly with him serve from what I have seen. Tennis is all about confidence and when you’re playing on a tour with the world’s best, it’s not easy getting back your belief.
I personally think the fame has gotten into his head… rather it gave him a big head… and his effort seems to go in acting as the cool fun guy. He is a good player but he needs to knuckle down and grow up a bit. He is still a bit immature in my book… some guys take a bit longer to stop acting the fool but he’ll get there.
He’s very well rounded atleast a B+ in every area but his mental is very weak! He needs to fix that like Steph Curry say he don’t see that dog in Frances. He wants to be friends with everyone
Frances Tiafoe you played on 27-04-2024 wt is this is not tennis hee was fixing game you rest a one more year
You just cannot be a Consistent player with his Janky Swings.
Extremely overrated player. Got a run to the US Open semis and acts like he's a multiple slam winner. Correction, a slam winner is mostly humble and Tiafoe not really. Getting in the top 10 for a week or two and he acts like he's #1 for the 120th week, then again, real champions are humble enough to not talk about their achievements. I don't know if people noticed it but he is such a sloth, the way he walks between points and his overall behaviour. One time at the office where a tennis match is shown in the canteen, a colleague of mine said: why is this player slothing? Like, the way he walks, is he super tired or something? And is he good? Does he win alot? He doesn't follow tennis but he was curious. I said: it's just how one player differs from another, the right mindset is so important if an athlete or a worker succeeds or not. Tiafoe had one good momentum in 2022 and after that, he sat there full of pride instead of thriving further to reach the next level. He is for sure talented, but it seems like he's only relying on the talent without putting in the tens, hundreds and thousands of miles to become really good at what he's doing. He reminds me a bit of Donald Young, but better.
One word: OVERRATED
it is not only mental toughness.....if you want to be in the top 10 or higher you have to be smart, it needs some intelligence... and here tiafoe is missing a little bit....in sports it is not only the body and training, you need also brains...
He is over rated.
He's not bad at batting a ball over the net. You?
@@sportslover2356 I am table tennis player.
To sum it up. Yeah. Overrated
He’s a Monfils knock off
He's a great player for a Black kid‼It's an extremely difficult sport to excel and maintain especially culturally.
A very likeable player who is also quite overrated. A grandslam semi and top is the best he has in him. He got over hyped because he is american
2:27 Women are used as decoration
“Are used” … it’s called modeling.
@@Sly_404 I wouldn't exactly call that modelling at 2:27. Purely decorative purpose there
@@Stu49583That’s literally one of the key elements of modeling…
@@Sly_404 Okay, you can call it "modelling" if that makes it more official and acceptable for you. And yes, they are used as decoration for your eyes. I am checking out of this thread now, no point arguing about this.
Frances ego I think is his biggest problem he has no humility. He thinks he is better than he actually is. Right now he isn't an elite player. He has no big weapon that stands out. Everything is solid but nothing special.
He will blame racism at some point
Tiafoe is probably too much of a showman. He does have some pretty ominous technical glitches. His backhand lacks spin, his chips with a bent elbow which makes the underspin sit up slightly… he also approaches crosscourt way too much so he can’t cover.. and he has NO accelerated split step on his service returns. His service toss is also way too far in front of him causing him to miss first serves when he really needs them. He is also not ruthless enough on the tennis court. Sometimes he is all too happy to just be a part of the “conversation…” I disagree about Tiafoe not having a weapon. His forehand is very dangerous, and he is FAST. ( You’re forgetting that speed can be a weapon.)?
Tiafoe beat Federer in his last match of his career, in a non-ATP event?? That insensitive attitude led him nowhere, as proved by his performances
Federer would have been absolutely mortified if Tiafoe had allowed him to win. That's not what Federer is about. He could scarcely walk with those knees. Nick always let him win by a whisker at Laver Cup. Great match but the win was organised.
Get over that.
“L. sOnEgO”