Frances Tiafoe – ‘I Was Losing To Clowns And Took The Game For Granted’

tennis3

Hall of Fame
It's pretty easy to understand what Tiafoe is saying. He's simply saying that he was / is losing to guys he should beat. That he's better than. It's pretty sad everyone can't get past the word "clowns".

But then again, it's a "presentation", not a "content" world. Which is why he's an idiot for actually answering the question. He should just give variations on the same answer to every question, flashing his trademark smile. Nobody actually listens to or cares what anyone actually says anyway (the actual content or meaning). Just how they say it (words they use and how they look and act).

If I were a professional athlete (or anyone in the public eye at all) I'd take professional acting lessons.
 
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tennis3

Hall of Fame
He said the quiet part out loud. Not good a look Tiafoe and he should know better. Show respect to your fellow competitors.
Exactly. Everyone should take lessons from Nadal. You win 100 Roland Garros in a row and are absolutely unbeatable. You're playing Jimmy Joe Jack@ss in the first round this year who you know you'll triple bagel in under an hour. But when asked about Jimmy Joe, what do you say? "He's an unbelievable player. I'm going to have to play my best to even have a chance against Jimmy Joe". Then when you triple bagel him in an hour you say "It was a very tough match and I'm very fortunate to get through that one". And just repeat it over and over.

Personally, I like to hear people say things like Tiafoe. But given that every comment on this thread is hyper negative, you simply have to give "Nadal Answers" to every question you are ever asked. Or the fans will crucify you. Sure, they will make fun of you for giving these answers (like we all make fun of Nadal), but these answers can't hurt you and don't make Social Media headlines. And that's what you need to be concerned with.
 
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NoleFam

Bionic Poster
Exactly. Everyone should take lessons from Nadal. You win 100 Roland Garros in a row and are absolutely unbeatable. You're playing Jimmy Joe Jack@ss in the first round this year who you know you'll triple bagel in under an hour. But when asked about Jimmy Joe, what do you say? "He's an unbelievable player. I'm going to have to play my best to even have a chance against Jimmy Joe". Then when you triple bagel him in an hour you say "It was a very tough match and I'm very fortunate to get through that one". And just repeat it over and over.
LOL. Well, I didn't mean you have to take it that far. Just don't call them clowns in public.
 

tennis3

Hall of Fame
Just don't call them clowns in public.
Even though you know what he means. As do the players he's referring to.

By the way, he'll get no backlash from other players for these comments. Like I said, they all know what he means and won't be personally offended. It's only idiot fans that get offended because they're suckers for reporter click-bait. Players aren't. They don't pay any attention to the media and their stupid games. When it comes to the media, the players are all on the same team.
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
Even though you know what he means. As do the players he's referring to.

By the way, he'll get no backlash from other players for these comments. Like I said, they all know what he means and won't be personally offended. It's only idiot fans that get offended because they're suckers for reporter click-bait. Players aren't. They don't pay any attention to the media and their stupid games. When it comes to the media, the players are all on the same team.
I guarantee you nobody likes being called a clown, unless you are cool with them like that and joking around. Calling someone a clown at their profession isn't a good look. Maybe you like being addressed like that at your profession though. Most other people don't.
 

tennis3

Hall of Fame
I guarantee you nobody likes being called a clown, unless you are cool with them like that and joking around. Calling someone a clown at their profession isn't a good look. Maybe you like being addressed like that at your profession though. Most other people don't.
This is an unbelievable comment and I'm going to have to try my best to live up to the incredible posting standards of TTW. All of the posters on this site are very knowledgeable about tennis. Well really about everything. I'm just honored and blessed to be able to read and learn from the posts of such unbelievable talent.
 
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Kralingen

Bionic Poster
Exactly. Everyone should take lessons from Nadal. You win 100 Roland Garros in a row and are absolutely unbeatable. You're playing Jimmy Joe Jack@ss in the first round this year who you know you'll triple bagel in under an hour. But when asked about Jimmy Joe, what do you say? "He's an unbelievable player. I'm going to have to play my best to even have a chance against Jimmy Joe". Then when you triple bagel him in an hour you say "It was a very tough match and I'm very fortunate to get through that one". And just repeat it over and over.

Personally, I like to hear people say things like Tiafoe. But given that every comment on this thread is hyper negative, you simply have to give "Nadal Answers" to every question you are ever asked. Or the fans will crucify you. Sure, they will make fun of you for giving these answers (like we all make fun of Nadal), but these answers can't hurt you and don't make Social Media headlines. And that's what you need to be concerned with.
Finally, at long last, someone in the thread who gets it.
 

Shaolin

Talk Tennis Guru
Exactly. Everyone should take lessons from Nadal. You win 100 Roland Garros in a row and are absolutely unbeatable. You're playing Jimmy Joe Jack@ss in the first round this year who you know you'll triple bagel in under an hour. But when asked about Jimmy Joe, what do you say? "He's an unbelievable player. I'm going to have to play my best to even have a chance against Jimmy Joe". Then when you triple bagel him in an hour you say "It was a very tough match and I'm very fortunate to get through that one". And just repeat it over and over.

Personally, I like to hear people say things like Tiafoe. But given that every comment on this thread is hyper negative, you simply have to give "Nadal Answers" to every question you are ever asked. Or the fans will crucify you. Sure, they will make fun of you for giving these answers (like we all make fun of Nadal), but these answers can't hurt you and don't make Social Media headlines. And that's what you need to be concerned with.

It's not just about the fans. I guarantee the locker room knows about what he said and the players he has lost to recently will give their life to win the next time they play. Just a stupid and unnecessary remark by Frances but nothing new from him really.
 

Roforot

Hall of Fame
It's the right attitude and perhaps saying it out loud is like Joe Nameth guaranteeing a win... now he has to put up the game...
 

mental midget

Hall of Fame
It may look like that, but I believe it’s deeper than that. It was clear to me that Tiafoe had lost the hunger that brought him to the top of the game in the first place. His fight and joy for the game was gone. I think myself and other regular Tiafoe watchers have noted this in recent months… I believe @bluetrain4 and I have had a few conversations about it… he’s split with Ferreira and shown up with a severe lack of focus and fighting spirit, and it permeates everything he does.

Someone like Eubanks (currently 128th in the world) is a better example of a true fluke result being followed by a regression to the mean.

Look, the ATP Tour can be brutal and really put you in a tailspin, you get two bad draws and it multiplies and tanks your ranking, so you get tougher draws, it’s a feedback loop. I understand all that. But that’s not what’s happened to Frances here, it’s something within him that was there and no longer is.

If he replaced it with “I was losing to guys I shouldn’t lose to because I took the game for granted” I doubt anyone would have an issue.

Agreed that calling fellow competitors clowns is a dumb comment.
interesting. i do think his fame surpassed his game by a bit somewhere along the line. anyway...we'll see where he goes from here i suppose!
 

mental midget

Hall of Fame
It's the right attitude and perhaps saying it out loud is like Joe Nameth guaranteeing a win... now he has to put up the game...
i can see this side too. stir the pot a bit, these are adults...how the tour reacts is up to them. nobody died and the game could use the controversy honestly, it's fun. here we are 3 pages deep and going...
 

Fairhit

Hall of Fame
Is fun to see comments like this from Tiafoe bacuse they stirr the pot but it was disrespectful towards other players, that's all.
 

beltsman

G.O.A.T.
It's pretty easy to understand what Tiafoe is saying. He's simply saying that he was / is losing to guys he should beat. That he's better than. It's pretty sad everyone can't get past the word "clowns".

But then again, it's a "presentation", not a "content" world. Which is why he's an idiot for actually answering the question. He should just give variations on the same answer to every question, flashing his trademark smile. Nobody actually listens to or cares what anyone actually says anyway (the actual content or meaning). Just how they say it (words they use and how they look and act).

If I were a professional athlete (or anyone in the public eye at all) I'd take professional acting lessons.

No, we are listening to exactly what he said.
 

tennisfan17

Professional
As a Tiafoe fan, these comments bum me out. I understand the idea of what he is saying. It sucks losing to people he should ~in theory~ be able to beat. The way he phrased it though lacks thoughtfulness.
 

a10best

Legend
As a Tiafoe fan, these comments bum me out. I understand the idea of what he is saying. It sucks losing to people he should ~in theory~ be able to beat. The way he phrased it though lacks thoughtfulness.
Alcaraz should hire some clowns. If Foe wants to make a statement this will be the match.
 

roysid

Legend
Foe is now coming for Alcaraz he said.

Well foe has arrogant attitude but that's the oy way he can perform best. That's why at USO where he gets hyped and thus beats poor rublev every time.

Being humble won't work for him
 

a10best

Legend
Foe is now coming for Alcaraz he said.

Well foe has arrogant attitude but that's the oy way he can perform best. That's why at USO where he gets hyped and thus beats poor rublev every time.

Being humble won't work for him
Alcaraz personality is not to make a statement or beat you if you boast about possibly beating him.
Tiafoe can't say that if he was to play Djokovic or he will be humbled & given a lesson just like Shelton was.
Tiafoe does raise his level against top 10 players even when he loses. He cannot float volleys back to Alcaraz or he'll run them down.
 

NYTennisfan

Hall of Fame
Not a great look to call any professional opponents clowns. I like big foe but this is terrible sportsmanship
Same here, big fan of The Foe (hate that he's playing my favorite player in around 3) but this was in poor taste. It was almost like reading a TTW post posted in public haha. I mean, he's right but a pro can't say stuff like that out loud.
 

RaulRamirez

Legend
It's the right attitude and perhaps saying it out loud is like Joe Nameth guaranteeing a win... now he has to put up the game...
Well, Joe Namath didn't call the (heavily favored) Colts "clowns". Self-confidence and even cockiness is one thing; disparaging others is another.
 
Now he’s losing to short clowns

1200px-Frankie_Saluto_bunny_with_carrot.jpg
 

Shaolin

Talk Tennis Guru
Everybody knows what he meant when he said that. It was a self-deprecating self-assesment, more than being condescending to any particular other player.

No, it was an arrogant statement meaning that he is actually better than those that beat him. VERY condescending to those players who have spent their lifetime training to play on tour and earned their wins.
 
Exactly. Everyone should take lessons from Nadal. You win 100 Roland Garros in a row and are absolutely unbeatable. You're playing Jimmy Joe Jack@ss in the first round this year who you know you'll triple bagel in under an hour. But when asked about Jimmy Joe, what do you say? "He's an unbelievable player. I'm going to have to play my best to even have a chance against Jimmy Joe". Then when you triple bagel him in an hour you say "It was a very tough match and I'm very fortunate to get through that one". And just repeat it over and over.

Personally, I like to hear people say things like Tiafoe. But given that every comment on this thread is hyper negative, you simply have to give "Nadal Answers" to every question you are ever asked. Or the fans will crucify you. Sure, they will make fun of you for giving these answers (like we all make fun of Nadal), but these answers can't hurt you and don't make Social Media headlines. And that's what you need to be concerned with.

Your previous post was right, but the example you use here - The Humble Bull - is wrong. Bull doesn't say the things you quote him as saying because he is acting. That might be try for some mere human who said such a thing, but Bovines must be judged by different standards altogether. Bull says it because he was very well raised, taught to clean his own lines, and had it drilled into him that in order to stand a small chance against Jimmy Joe, he would have to work hard and stay Humble, Modest, and Humble. He means it very sincerely, humbly, and modestly.
 

DjokoLand

Hall of Fame
TW: he’s so bad, he’s losing to clowns

Tennis player; I’m so bad, I’m losing to clowns

TW: HOW DARE HE BE SO DISRESPECTFUL TO THE FINE PLAYERS OUTSIDE THE TOP 20

TW: also he’s a clown
Kind of sums up fans in general. I practiced with a former top 400 player and while in tennis terms that is a journeyman he was unbelievable when you put it against a good club player.

The reality is tennis is one of the few sports where the level between being 300th in the world struggling to make a living and top 50 isn’t a lot.

We are fans and it is how we react but thinking a top 100 player is a mug yet over 80 million people play tennis says a lot
 
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