French Open: Frances Tiafo and Tommy Paul left 2 men in the quarterfinals for the first time since 1996

Paris (AP) – before Frances Tiafo It has played a point French openHe was not particularly enthusiastic about its surface – or his potential in the tournament.

“Clay is the latest tournament in Clay, which I really get excited,” said Tiafo Roleland-Garros the Grand Slam event. “And then we get up on the real thing, grass and summer hard courts – where tennis is actually important” “

Now there may be a different view.

Tiafo, a 5th-born Tiafo, joined the French Open’s quarter-finals for the first time with the winning-3, -4-6, -6 (1) win against Daniel Ultmire, Germany on Sunday night. Tommy Paul of 12th descent To keep a pair of American men in eight rounds.

It’s the first time The country left multiple people in the quarter -finals ঐ In Paris since 1996, Jim Courier and Pete Sumpras did it together. Zero men in the United States of America made it so far in any year since Andre Agassi in 2003.

What is for Tiafoy?

“Playing hard court tennis in a clay court,” he said.

And Tiafo – who celebrated his victory twice here that could not be fully quoted here but included the words “Lets” and “Go” – did it without setting any sets.

To make a lot of change for a boy whose large-strik tennis has long been suffering from slow red clay. He started his French Open career with a 0-6 record before he won the first win in 2022 and one more last year.

“In the clay, I got a little more passive than the other surface, because the court doesn’t help me play as fast as it does,” Tiafo said, “Twice semifinalists in the US Open’s strict court, where the shots are rewarded and the highlights are the best of the crowd and the bright light.” “Patience is a thing that I fight.”

Look at him now though.

And when he met journalists more than a week ago, he listen to something else, with a dash of his usual humor: “Overall, I am a big believer it may have changed within a week.

Tiafo 2 27-year-old Tiafo in Maryland: “If I’m ready to go I just go to the third round — I can go to run. I really feel that I can defeat someone on any particular day.”

He naturally wants more.

Tiafo said, “The quarter -finals are not all over,”.

Then on Tuesday, the matchup against Lorenzo Must of Italy, who defeated Denmark’s 10th Holler Rune-5, 6-6, -3-3, -2-2. Last year, Musty won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in Musty-Garros and reached his first Grand Slam semifinal in Wimbledon.

Four American women played on Monday in the fourth round: Coco Ghaf, No. 3, All No Madison keys against Jessica Pugla and Hailey Baptist in All-US Encounter.

A semifinalist at the Australian Open in 2021, Paul, against the 21st-Biiz–3-5, -3-3,-3-3, never really got into trouble on Sunday. Alexei Popirin Australia in less than two hours. Paul is a 28 -year -old who grew up in northern Carolina and now has risen against the second number Carlos alkaraj Spain, Defending Champion who got Ben Shelton 7 (8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the United States.

“Obviously,” Paul said of Alkaraj, “The man can play amazing tennis here.”