'I don’t know who told him I thought it looked good': Frances Tiafoe continues 'pure comedy' jibes at Carlos Alcaraz's hair

Frances Tiafoe was in high spirits after booking his spot in the third round of the 2025 US Open as he continued also to jibe at Carlos Alcaraz's hair and also discussed the Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko situation.

The American was quick to address the playful back-and-forth with Carlos Alcaraz in his press conference, who jokingly called him a liar over comments about his hair. Tiafoe saw off Martin Damm. Jr in four sets 6-4, 7-5, 6-7, 7-5 and now faces Jan-Lennard Struff for a spot in the fourth round at the US Open.

“First off, I don’t know who told him I thought it looked good, but I Facetimed him yesterday and told him,” Tiafoe laughed. “One, it looks better today, his hair grows really fast. At this point, it’s comedy, pure comedy. I hope it continues, the back and forth. That’s my guy. As Jannik [Sinner] said, he can pull off anything—maybe a reach, but his comment was incredible. That’s why I Facetimed when Carlos said, ‘I hope Frances sees this.’ It’s all good fun, jokes and laughs. I love Carlos.”

As for his own form, Tiafoe said he’s exactly where he wants to be. “I feel good about where I’m at. I don’t think I got broken today. I took care of myself, kept the unforced errors low, had a good amount of winners. I’m moving great, feeling healthy, and just trying to feel better and better each day.”

Reaction to Townsend-Ostapenko fracas

Tiafoe was also asked about the fiery handshake between Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko, which saw the Latvian accuse Townsend of having “no class and no education.”

“Who won? Taylor won?” Tiafoe asked with a grin. “Yeah, you just kind of sit there and laugh at that. I never think it needs to go there. No reason for it. If you lost, you lost. Keep pushing. “I’ve got to see the video, because I don’t know exactly what happened. But there’s no reason to ever go there. Keep it about tennis and competing. Once I see it, maybe I’ll have more to say. But shout out to Taylor—good job.”

Tiafoe said confrontations aren’t always a bad thing in the sport. “It all depends what happens. If there’s a situation that needs to be spoken about, why not talk about it? Guys are battling for their livelihood—trying to advance, win money, move forward. You hate it sometimes, but if your opponent does something you don’t like, you might feel like, ‘He’s got to see me.’ Some people handle it differently. I don’t think it’s always good, but sometimes you’ve got to say, ‘I didn’t like what you did.’”

On the question of etiquette, including apologizing for net cords, Tiafoe admitted he sees it both ways. “The net cord thing is funny. Yeah, you should apologize, but in your mind you’re like, ‘Thank God!’ Especially here—the tightest nets in the world, nothing goes over—so I’m happy when it does. I’m not a saint, I’ve had my moments, but little altercations can be good for the fans, as long as it doesn’t go overboard. I’ve been on the overboard side, and it’s not fun.”

Reflecting on his straight-sets victory, Tiafoe was full of praise for his young American opponent, ranked outside the world’s top 400. “He was actually our Davis Cup hitting partner a few years ago,” Tiafoe explained. “He’s young, up-and-coming, but he’s had some injuries. His ranking is much better than that for sure. He just has to get healthy, play a full schedule, and really go for it. “I thought I played well today. He served great, especially at the end. I had some looks but he came up with some stuff—it was tough. When a lefty can hit the wide serve on the deuce side and the tee on the ad, you’re kind of at their mercy. But he played really well. Happy to see a young American play like that—and happy he didn’t get me.”

Althea Gibson and African American legacy

This year marks 75 years since Althea Gibson broke the color barrier at the US Open, and Tiafoe said her impact is still being felt. “Incredible, man. What a legend,” he said. “People like her did things that allow us to be here today. You’ve always got to pay that forward and be educated about that history. Without Althea, there’s no Zina Garrison, no Chanda Rubin, no Sloane Stephens, no Venus or Serena, no Hailey Baptiste. They opened the door for us. She was a true leader, same with Arthur Ashe. I’ve got a ton of love for both. I wish I could say that to them personally, but hopefully they’re watching over us and smiling, because we’re doing great things with the opportunities they created.”

Tiafoe said African American and African players are thriving like never before. “I think we’re in a tremendous place. Coco’s got a couple slams. Look at what Clervie [Ngounoue] just did. For me, it’s a little different—I’m African, my parents are immigrants. So seeing players like Clervie, Felix, myself—it’s about parents trying to give their kids a better life than they had. “But ultimately, seeing so many people of color doing great things in a predominantly white sport is tremendous. It brings diversity, a whole new demographic. I’m happy to be part of that, and to have guys looking up to me. African American tennis is at an all-time high right now.”

Asked if the impact extends beyond tennis, Tiafoe didn’t hesitate. “Oh, so much bigger. I’ve had parents come up to me saying, ‘You saved my kid’s life. Couldn’t get through to him.’ I’ll sign a ball, talk to the kid, make him laugh, and it turns things around. They see themselves in me. That’s way more than just tennis. Nipsey Hussle said, ‘The highest human act is to inspire.’ I feel I’m in a great position to inspire people who might not have had a chance otherwise. That’s why I want to pay it forward. To be a part of this, to see how everyone else is doing, it’s a blessing. We’re all truly blessed and highly favored.”

"I'm not a balls guy" - Tiafoe refuses to weigh in on age old debate

Tiafoe also weighed in—half-jokingly—on the ongoing debate about the quality of tennis balls on tour. “Guys have been talking about that a lot. I’m not a balls guy,” he said with a smile. “I know, crazy. But seriously, it doesn’t really bother me that much. It’s the same for both players. Some weeks the balls play differently depending on conditions—heat, humidity, stuff like that. But honestly, I don’t get what guys are so up in arms about.”

Match Statistics Tiafoe vs. Damm Jr