Not Seeing It Ever Happen For Francis

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
I'm worried for Tiafoe. He has so many weapons and so much talent, but still he can't break through at a major. This was going to be his year, but no.

I think the real problem is that he isn't a very good strategist. I think if you asked him at the end of the Shelton match what exactly he was trying to do, he would have no answer.

Nadal, Novak -- they figure it out. You can see their minds churning when they fall behind. They have lots of tools, and they deploy them methodically until something works.

Francis doesn't seem to do that. When he is losing, he looks lost, despondent. I never saw any sustained effort to change his approach against Shelton. He just played the same way at the end as the way he started, except with much less swagger.

It's too bad. I'd love to see him do better, but I guess talent will only take you so far.
 
Hm. I've always thought it's the other way around - he's doing well for his talent level. His forehand technique is a bit wonky, his serve and backhand are nothing special compared to other top 10 players.

Nadal and Novak simply have tools in the toolbox that Frances doesn't. He could not play like them if he wanted to, because they are both faster than him and, just as importantly, much better at staying solid when stretched and pushed around. Tiafoe simply doesn't have their counterpunching skills - he doesn't have the plan B and C that they do because he doesn't have the shots.

...but then again, that's my usual bias. I generally think that many fans underestimate the importance of the basics - be fast and have good footwork, handle power and spin (while on the run), hit with power and spin (and precision). Yeah, when two players are close together in the basics the secondary stuff makes a difference, but... I think the difference between someone who's barely top 10 like Tiafoe and all-time greats like Nadal and Djokovic isn't the secondary stuff, it's the basics. They are better at both handling power, spin, and precision and generating power, spin, and precision.
 

bluetrain4

G.O.A.T.
I'm a big fan, but I never really thought "it" - winning a Slam - was going to happen. Maybe briefly when he was younger and made a Slam QF. Everybody that has some hype, has excitement around them, gets some press, isn't going to win a Slam. His career has been pretty good - 3 titles, some big wins, 2 Slam QFs, a Slam SF, a top 10 ranking. Even if he never wins a Slam, there's a lot of achievements to be had - more titles, including one bigger than the 250s he's won, more deep runs in Slams, more wins over good players. He got enough points to make it to No. 10. In my head I think of him as a 15-30 type who can do better or worse.
 

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
I'm worried for Tiafoe. He has so many weapons and so much talent, but still he can't break through at a major. This was going to be his year, but no.

Nobody thought 2023 was going to be Tiafoe's year and nobody thinks he'll ever win a slam. He also doesn't have an abundance of weapons or talent. I assume this is trolling since your overestimation of Tiafoe's ability is extreme.
 

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
Oh, Dear.. and I had been trying so hard to forget that unfortunate, star-crossed guy's "image is everything" period..
No! :eek: Young Andre ruled. Look at that luscious wig.

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And lovely denim.

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atatu

Legend
On the Tennis.com podcast Kamal Murray said that he thinks Tiafoe lost his focus, he was enjoying the atmosphere too much and he wasn't ready to play against Shelton. He said the day before the match Tiafoe was hanging out with Justin Bieber, etc. and wasn't prepared.
 

Rina

Hall of Fame
You need something to be a good strategist, to think on your feet, so to say. He has none of that something. You need the capacity to learn; he has none.
 

Vincent-C

Legend
He made it very far, considering that he can barely put a sentence together.
Are you talking about Agassi? If so, I don't really agree: he strikes me as more thoughtful than most [self-absorbed, almost by definition] men's pro tennis players, even if less than articulate. I was/am not a fan, but have a soft
spot for the guy.. and boy, could he hit a tennis ball. Only ones better at that, to my mind, would be Seles and maybe Segura..
 

Rina

Hall of Fame
Are you talking about Agassi? If so, I don't really agree: he strikes me as more thoughtful than most [self-absorbed, almost by definition] men's pro tennis players, even if less than articulate. I was/am not a fan, but have a soft
spot for the guy.. and boy, could he hit a tennis ball. Only ones better at that, to my mind, would be Seles and maybe Segura..
No, I am talking about Frances.
 

lefty10spro

Semi-Pro
On the Tennis.com podcast Kamal Murray said that he thinks Tiafoe lost his focus, he was enjoying the atmosphere too much and he wasn't ready to play against Shelton. He said the day before the match Tiafoe was hanging out with Justin Bieber, etc. and wasn't prepared.
I was worried when I saw him late at night in Ashe watching Coco. This is fine when you are out, but he was still in the tournament. Looks bad. Davis Cup results last week were disgraceful.
 

Fed881981

Hall of Fame
I don’t see it happening either for him (winning a slam). However, at the USO, anything can happen. The stars may align for him one day.
 
I don’t see it happening either for him (winning a slam). However, at the USO, anything can happen. The stars may align for him one day.
Haha, yeah. He's not going to be the next Andre Agassi or even the next Andy Roddick, but who knows, he might be the next Thomas Johansson!
 

WYK

Hall of Fame
#11 in the world, Talk Tennis thinks he has no strategy or talent....
No wonder half the people in this thread are on my ignore list.
 

roysid

Legend
Yep Frances has exhausted his potential. He rode the hype train to last year semis and laver cup win. But his game isn't big enough to win the big ones.
Id say Shelton has more potential. Only he need to work harder
 
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