Frances Tiafoe has always been one of those players who brings a special kind of energy to the court. He’s charismatic, fierce, and undeniably talented, but recent months haven’t exactly been filled with triumphs for the American star. Yet, despite the ups and downs, Tiafoe has never been one to let a few bumps in the road knock him off course. As the tennis world shifts its focus to the hard courts of the American swing, the opportunity for redemption is ripe, and Tiafoe is seizing it with both hands at the Cincinnati Open. 

The 26-year-old continued his impeccable run at the tournament and advanced to the semifinal after Hubert Hurkacz decided to withdraw during their quarterfinal match. Hurkacz’s calf injury in the match came as a major boost to the American star, who bagged the 200th win of his career. He was visibly elated after the match as he let his true feelings flow.

Speaking during the on-court interview, Tiafoe reflected upon the difficulties he faced this year. “It’s been a tough year man. It’s been a tough year. Yeah, pretty much since the end of my US Open run, what I haven’t won 4 matches in a row since then so uh, yeah, it’s been tough.” Before the ongoing Cincinnati Masters, Tiafoe failed to bag continuous victories. He secured three victories in a row in the ATP Houston, before losing in the final, and the Citi Open, before a semifinal loss, which have been his deepest runs apart from the 2023 US Open.

The streak is even more concerning in Grand Slams. Tiafoe has won just one match each at the Australian and French Open this year, besides winning two at Wimbledon. But Cincinnati comes as an exception, and Tiafoe cannot be happier.

Continuing further, he said, “But, yeah, I’m in a different place right now in my life. Happy to have everything that comes my way. Good, bad, different, kinda gets rolled with the punches.” He further admitted to enjoying the journey and the process in general, irrespective of the struggles he has found himself in.

The victory must have also given Tiafoe the much-needed boost ahead of the US Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals last year. He had then admitted his desire to ‘play to win,’ and outshine every other player, but both could not happen the previous season. As he gears up for another edition of the tournament, his great form could help him win bigger. But even after the sensational run, Tiafoe is skeptical about achieving remarkable records.

‘Not getting there’ – Tiafoe does not hope to reach an equal level like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic

Tiafoe has won 200 matches in his career. While this is a significant achievement in any player’s career, which can give them the motivation to win more, Tiafoe has demonstrated skepticism and is not very hopeful of equating records of players like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. 

When quizzed about how many matches he can win in his career, Tiafoe said, “Guys who get to 500 wins have had a really good career. I’m not trying to be like those guys with 700. I’m definitely not getting there. But if I could get to 500 that would be pretty cool.” There are only a few players in the ATP circuit who have won more than 700 matches, and Roger Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic are on the list. 

As the season continues, it would be interesting to see if Tiafoe can continue his winning streak and overshadow his opponents to clinch the title at the Cincinnati Open.