PARIS — Frances Tiafoe had some fiery exchanges with his opponent during another intense five-set battle at the French Open on Saturday.
During the fifth set, Tiafoe and Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria found themselves in a heated dispute over a controversial call.
“Stop pretending to be tough. You’re not that guy, man. Just focus on your game,” Tiafoe fired back at Faria.
As they approached the net, Faria turned to the chair umpire, exclaiming, “Did you hear what he just said?”
The chair umpire promptly instructed both players to remain silent.
Tiafoe ultimately triumphed in the third-round match with a score of 4-6, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-2 after an intense four hours.
“That was necessary,” Tiafoe reflected on the confrontation. “I was ahead but still felt a bit jittery. He was talking a lot; he clearly thought he was the next Ryan Garcia or something.”
Next up for Tiafoe is Matteo Arnaldi, who secured his spot by defeating Raphael Collignon in a gripping fifth-set tiebreaker that lasted nearly five hours.
Tiafoe previously overcame Hubert Hurkacz in another five-set showdown during the second round.
