← Served with Andy Roddick
Served with Andy Roddick
Frances Tiafoe joins the show, Serena Williams Returns? & More | Served with Andy Roddick
00:55:35
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- [00:00]
Marty Fish
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- [00:30]
Sponsor Voice
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- [01:06]
Francis Tiafoe
Hey, everyone.
- [01:06]
Marty Fish
Welcome to served techie Sean behind the desk. Producer Mike right there. Jw, where are you?
- [01:16]
JW
Oh, man. Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? I am at the. Anybody want to guess?
- [01:22]
Francis Tiafoe
This is the.
- [01:22]
JW
You're at Indiana University football facility.
- [01:25]
Mike
Yeah.
- [01:26]
Marty Fish
I can see the logo of your head in the back. My trainer, Doug Spreen is an IU fanatic, a Hoosier. You are at the Hoosiers football field covering, Obviously the number one team in.
- [01:36]
JW
The country, 13 and oh, you're Big Ten champions, having just beaten Ohio State about 36 hours ago.
- [01:43]
Marty Fish
Yeah.
- [01:43]
JW
This is one of these assignments. This is. This is for 60 minutes, but this is one of these. This is assignment. Hits close to home. But good, good Doug Spreen reference. He's a good, good, loyal Hoosier.
- [01:54]
Mike
I.
- [01:55]
Marty Fish
It's one of those stories that I love. I think it's great. Obviously, we're going to talk tennis at some point.
- [02:00]
Mike
Knowledge, college football.
- [02:01]
Marty Fish
And also there's part of me that lifelong Nebraska fan. And if Indiana's better than us at football, what are we.
- [02:10]
JW
You know what, you know what this is? This is the Vachero of college football.
- [02:16]
Mike
That's funny.
- [02:17]
JW
This is like the.
- [02:18]
Marty Fish
Except they might be able to win it all.
- [02:20]
JW
Yeah, yeah, exactly. Except, you know, this. This was coming into the season, the losingest college football program in America, and now they're undefeated in number one seed heading into the playoffs and they did not even have to play their cousin in the final.
- [02:36]
Marty Fish
Unbelievable.
- [02:39]
Unbelievable. All right, so, like, news, jw, it's been pretty fun here.
- [02:44]
Mike
You're gonna.
- [02:44]
Marty Fish
You're Gonna get to the studio one day.
- [02:46]
Francis Tiafoe
But.
- [02:46]
Marty Fish
But we actually had some action here.
- [02:47]
Mike
There was an.
- [02:48]
Marty Fish
It's exhibition season, and they had one in Charlotte, and so I got to hit with Francis. I got drilled by Bjorn Fetangelo in my Dingles game one morning. He just drilled me. I love that guy, by the way. I think he's just a total. He wants to come on more. Yeah, totally. He wants to come on anytime. And he. He had so much value. So thoughtful. Eisenbud was in town at a meeting with him. Eubanks came by, and we knocked out some shows that. He's so tall you are.
- [03:14]
Sean
He's so tall you.
- [03:15]
Marty Fish
I had. We did. We did have a conversation because obviously, like, the Serena news is coming back and, you know, everyone and whoever, and she's openly on these GLP1s. I asked Eubanks, and, I mean, I'm assuming all of you have seen Eubanks, but, like, maybe the skinniest leg I've ever seen. And I asked him what would happen. What would happen to Chris Eubanks if he was on a GLP1?
- [03:35]
Sean
It would revert. He would gain weight.
- [03:37]
Mike
What do you say?
- [03:37]
Marty Fish
I don't know. He would just shrivel in. I don't know.
- [03:40]
Francis Tiafoe
Like.
- [03:40]
Mike
I don't know.
- [03:40]
JW
Shower drain. Yeah.
- [03:42]
Marty Fish
Yeah, it sounds like he could dodge. He's just out there dodging rain.
- [03:46]
Just like sliding. Jw, you. Obviously, we're gonna get to Serena news. We have Francis Tiafa. We have an interview with him. He was nice enough to stop by, so we'll get his thoughts. Obviously not the season he wanted his thoughts moving forward. Jw, you got to talk to one of the stories of the year as far as growth and improvement as a player, and a very human story as well. You got to speak with Amanda Anisimova week.
- [04:13]
JW
Add her to the list of folks we ought to get on. Yeah, she great.
- [04:17]
Marty Fish
Anytime.
- [04:18]
JW
She's great. Loves the pod. We couldn't quite figure out how to make it work. She swung by my office. I think she was horrified at seeing people working under fluorescent lighting. It's funny when tennis people go into a conventional office setting and suddenly, you know what? Being my own boss and hitting a ball over a net and staying in shape, not so bad. But no, she was. She was delightful. I'll transcribe that and put that up. But she was, you know, this off season, such a. It's such a strange time for these athletes, and they, you know, we see the photos from the Maldives and we see exos, but I Think some of this is just dead time. And she really liked having two weeks of not setting an alarm and not having to do her fitness and just kind of detach. And she had. I mean, what a year. What a year she had. And she. She sort of said, listen, great year. I exceeded all my expectations on the one hand. On the other hand, yeah, there's still some bells I need to ring. So it's great. I mean, she. She's, you know, she wants to win a major, not just be a finalist of two of them, but she's in the top five now, and she's. She's come a long way. Really, really nice conversation. We should get her on.
- [05:27]
Marty Fish
Yeah, I'd love to have her on. Also, I think there's a difference between making a run at a massive tournament, right, or making, you know, having some big results and that being four in the world like that, that's different, right? That's winning a lot more matches than just having a couple of big results, right? That's not, you know, the space between 10 and 4 is very, very different. And when Anna Samova says this, we've had people who have made big runs in majors and had a big year when she's like, I want to win a major. We're going, yeah, you do, totally. That's not. That's not. Everyone wants to win a major. Everyone says, I want to win a major. When she says it, we're going. I mean, rewind to a year ago. She says, I want to win a major. We're going, yeah, a lot of upside, but there's so much work to do, right? There's so much space between where you're at and legitimately being a contender every week that you enter a tournament.
- [06:25]
Present day, she's a contender in every. Every week she plays.
- [06:29]
Sean
How much is the actual realization that you can make these semifinals heading into a year like this now? Just, like the mental ease knowing, like, hey, I can compete.
- [06:36]
Marty Fish
Well, I think. I actually think, weirdly, that Amanda is a great test case for the guy we're about to hear from with Francis. We know the upside of Francis's tail end of Grand Slams. He's done it, you know, three times or, you know, whatever it is. But Amanda is playing semi finals every week now, right? She's World Tour finals. Like, Francis hasn't found that cadence yet, you know, where it's. All of a sudden, I'm producing this level all year. So I'm in Turin afterwards, and he actually speaks about it, you know, in the interview, just General mentality and how to get there. And, you know, Francis is amazing. He's like. He walks into a room and you can't not like him.
- [07:17]
Francis Tiafoe
Right.
- [07:17]
Marty Fish
He's just that that smile is not a fake put on thing. Only when he's saying thank you to Arthur Ashe Stadium.
- [07:24]
Francis Tiafoe
Right.
- [07:24]
Marty Fish
And so. But, like, the consistency, it's. It's. You know, it needs to be less of a heart rate monitor and maybe just like a little more productively boring.
- [07:31]
Sean
Yeah.
- [07:32]
Marty Fish
And he speaks to it. I didn't. You know, that's nothing that.
- [07:34]
Mike
That.
- [07:35]
Marty Fish
That he doesn't know. But I think Anisimova is a great, you know, someone to point to and say, hey, listen, the upside was there. She had been in the semis of a Grand Slam before, but obviously had gone up and down. You know, Frances didn't play the last two months. It was mental wear and tear and needed a reset. She's taken a reset before. You look at her and go, hey, listen, couple Grand Slam finals. And there every week, like, producing after that Wimbledon final. Got back to work immediately and kind of put on her hard hat and went in there. So props. I hope she does come on the pod sometimes. Don't wait for us, Amanda. Not like you listen to this, but we would love to have her on anytime that she would like. And then, you know, obviously the biggest story of the week is Serena Williams.
- [08:21]
Re entering doping protocol. So what that means. I'm going to give you a personal story of this as I learned about it. This is over a decade ago now, but just a level set. So people reading this might not know what that means.
- [08:34]
Mike
Right.
- [08:35]
Marty Fish
Like you re enter. What does that mean? So I retired, and I filled the paperwork for retirement. I'm assuming Serena did, too, because you don't have to re enter doping protocols if you've never left them. Like, John McEnroe never actually retired, and so he could go back and play a professional tournament this week. But because I actually put in paperwork, I would have to reenter doping protocols for at least six months or whatever. That number is a significant amount of time if I wanted to play. Even though we're, like, the same amount retired.
- [09:05]
Mike
Right?
- [09:05]
Marty Fish
Like, it's not like John McIner is on tour anymore, but he had those couple of tournaments where he just said, okay, I'll do it. So it is significant.
- [09:13]
Mike
Right?
- [09:13]
Marty Fish
I'm sitting here as a retired player living my life with obviously no intention of, like, it's not a reality for me. Like, it is Serena. Serena could go out and win matches. Serena could go out and make a run, do the second week of a slam. I don't think that would shock anyone now. A lot of work between here and there, but that's just how I feel. I don't. And I don't think that's a crazy thing to say. I'm sitting here as a retired person.
- [09:38]
And I'm not going. You know what? For no reason at all, I would like to reenter doping protocols, like, for no reason. I'd like to pee in a cup every once in a while, and I'd like to report my whereabouts all the time. I would like to tell someone through email if I'm going to Wilmington for a night and give him my room number and address, I would like to invite that back into my life because I obviously wouldn't do that because I have no ambitions of playing anymore.
- [10:11]
Mike
So.
- [10:11]
Marty Fish
I love Serena. She's. She's my. I've known her for a long time, since we're kids.
- [10:18]
I'm not saying she's doing it because she knows she's coming back. The reason you go back into doping protocols is because you like the option of coming back. And I don't know how else to read this. And I'm sure I'm gonna get an angry email from someone saying, you're stoking the fire. Yep, I am. Jw. Why am I wrong?
- [10:39]
JW
Yeah, we know how Serena feels about needles. We know how normal human beings, they complain about this weekly feel about having a knock on the door at 6 or 7am saying, Now, I need you to urinate in this cup. You don't avail yourself to that if there isn't some upside. I mean, at a bare minimum, she has now given herself the option. And you see what? We're all sort of reading tea leaves here. And this is very on brand for Serena. This is sort of cryptic and everyone's kind of playing this Taylor Swift lyrics game. But she seems to be in great shape. And I think. I mean, we hear chatter that she still watches tennis and is not necessarily impressed by what she's seeing. And I think there was chatter about her coming back and playing mixed doubles. There's even chatter, hey, the Olympics are only two and a half years away. I also wonder about Wimbledon. Remember Harmony Tan? That is not how she wanted to go out at Wimbledon. You and I talked about this before. I mean, you're really good at one thing. It's hard to sort of give it up and say, I'm never going to be as good at anything else ever again. And I think if nothing else, she's given herself the option. I also think something we don't talk about enough, just side point having kids who can appreciate what mom and dad is doing. Bronny James is kind of one obvious exponent, but I've talked to Novak about that, and having his kids not just sitting there, but appreciating the magnitude, hearing the applause, having the. That's a real motivation. And I mean, look, if Serena wanted to play tomorrow, that would be great. I don't think anyone would be in opposition to this. But, yeah, she took the first step, and who knows if she's going to keep going. But I don't think it's unreasonable to infer that she is, at a bare minimum, thinking about coming back.
- [12:22]
Marty Fish
Yeah, I love. Again, I love Sarita. We have. I just. I feel like. I know. I wish, like, all of the funny moments I've ever had with Serena, everyone would know because she is so much fun to be around. Like, so much fun to be around. Right when the. When the walls are dead. She's amazing. And, like, you just don't do that. You don't wake up and be like, I'm kind of bored. You know what I'd like to do today?
- [12:48]
Little doping protocol.
- [12:50]
Mike
If I could just.
- [12:51]
Marty Fish
If I could just do that a little bit.
- [12:53]
Sean
The thing is, it flew under the radar, right? This. It was October 6th is when she was listed back in the protocol. And so it didn't really.
- [13:00]
Mike
I don't even know where you would look for that.
- [13:01]
Sean
It didn't even catch fire until the beginning of the month. And then she posted on X. Omg, y', all, I'm not coming back. This wildfire is crazy. On December 2nd.
- [13:11]
Marty Fish
Yeah. But I'm not coming back for at least four months because there's a six month. But also the other thing, like, you mentioned the Olympics. So I have two thoughts about the Olympics. Thing is, like, now we talk about.
- [13:25]
Like, one of the biggest things that's happened in sports or in tennis. And in sports, you have, like, Brady and LeBron is, like, the timelines for when the sunset of a career is here have been blown up. Blown up. Venus comes back at 45 and wins a match this summer and is, like, playing fine. And everyone's like, oh, made a run in doubles at the. At the US Open. You just mentioned the Olympics two and a half years away. As if, you know, Serena's not 43, she's 44. 44. Like, that's. That's. That's insane. Yeah, it's crazy. But also there's another thing where I think the most innocent version of speculation. And I don't know that. I don't know that I believe this is the only option that she's interested in. But Venus played great. Venus played really well in doubles. Like, her and Layla Fernandez were phenomenal at the US Open last year. Maybe she's going, you know, else it would be pretty good. Like, maybe there's a world where Venus is eventually going to stop playing. What better way to celebrate than next to your sister?
- [14:30]
JW
Right?
- [14:30]
Marty Fish
Pure conjecture, right?
- [14:31]
Mike
Like pure.
- [14:32]
Marty Fish
Just. I. I don't know anything. But I heard the same thing you did. I heard the same thing you did, jw, that there's. There's some texts that go back and forth when, you know, when she deems the quality of play not up to her standard. You know, it's. It's interesting. I just simply. You don't reenter doping protocols to stay retired 1000%. You just don't. That's not like a logical sequence of events. And her going, I'm not coming back.
- [15:03]
I'm not coming back There, that was open ended. Like when, like, for Australia.
- [15:08]
Sean
Sure.
- [15:09]
Mike
Like, there's.
- [15:10]
Marty Fish
There's a timeline. So, anyways, the story I was gonna say is I tried to come back and just play doubles with Marty when he wanted to come back and play. He was like, we were flirting with the idea, and so I floated. I was like, obviously. Well, at that point, I was only two years retired. I could still play. I still practiced with everyone. My level wasn't too far off. Doubles is fine. I wouldn't have to run. I wouldn't have to be in shape. And so. But I was like, can we get a wild card into the U.S. open? And they're like, well, no. Are you in doping protocols?
- [15:39]
Mike
I was like, really?
- [15:42]
Marty Fish
I'm going to pass every test I've ever taken, test it 30 times a year, I'm going to blow it on a doubles match. That's what we're concerned about. But that was the rule. And that's why you have to reenter at some point before you want to play. And then a certain amount of time, they basically have to have the option of testing you for four months, six months, whatever it is.
- [16:00]
JW
You can cut this out if I'm going to embarrass you. But I think our audience ought to know that one of the reasons you wanted to come back and play with Marty, memory serves, was as support and assistance when he was going through a tough time. And I think that's notable and really poignant.
- [16:18]
Marty Fish
Yeah. And then it was like, no. But then I asked the question. Yeah, Marty's like, well, you could. Yeah, that'd be fun. That'd be great. I could still play a little bit. You know, why not? I'm not doing anything, like sitting around.
- [16:29]
But then I asked, okay, so the winner of Junior Nationals at Kalamazoo, right? They win the tournament in a. Like, three weeks later, they're supposed to play in the main draw of the US Open. Like, it happens very quickly. And so I go, wait a minute. This person didn't know they were gonna. Like, this is a 17 year old. Most times I go, they didn't know they were playing. They obviously haven't been in doping protocols, so what's the difference? I didn't get a good. I never got a good answer.
- [16:59]
JW
Well, here's the other thing that's weird to me. I actually wrote to. I wrote to the Serena camp and did not get a response. I always like to say, no response is a response.
- [17:09]
Marty Fish
I got ice.
- [17:09]
JW
But then I wrote to the iti.
- [17:10]
Marty Fish
Just so we're clear.
- [17:11]
JW
What'd you get?
- [17:12]
Marty Fish
I got shut out. Nothing. Not crickets.
- [17:15]
Francis Tiafoe
All right.
- [17:16]
JW
They're prerogative. I also, I wrote to the ITIA and because it was strange to me. I don't know if you saw that list that was going around, but there were wheelchair players on it. There were some doubles players. Venus's name was not on it. So it's not necessarily a comprehensive list of every player that needs to submit to this protocol.
- [17:36]
Marty Fish
But, yeah, my first crack at that would be. It has to be like, you can get waivers for stuff. And I'm guessing this is. And this is like, don't blow this up. This is the laziest of guesses, but I'm assuming it probably has something to do with Venus's autoimmune disease, right. Where you need waivers to take. So I. Maybe if there's, like, a waiver in place, which would be totally normal. That's not a crazy thing. Maybe they don't list you if you're.
- [18:01]
Mike
You're.
- [18:02]
Marty Fish
You're under waiver. And maybe she needs something, you know, medically, like, literally medical.
- [18:06]
JW
I thought it was. Yeah, I don't know. Let's.
- [18:09]
I just took it as. Listen there. Venus's ranking doesn't warrant this. And we can't knock on doors of a thousand players. We can do the top hundred.
- [18:17]
Sean
It's only.
- [18:18]
JW
It was interesting to me.
- [18:19]
Sean
That's the list that it's on. It's only eight pages, so it's not very comprehensive.
- [18:24]
Marty Fish
Eight pages.
- [18:25]
Mike
What?
- [18:25]
Sean
It's international registered testing pool. This is just a list from October.
- [18:29]
Marty Fish
Pee in a cup list.
- [18:30]
Sean
Yeah. International registered, registered, registered testing pool. She's the very last name on the very last page. This is where United States is. I like Novak's on here. Holger's on here. You know, Anna Samova's on here.
- [18:42]
Francis Tiafoe
Yeah.
- [18:43]
Marty Fish
So Holger is. I think he's gonna read. Is that a thing?
- [18:48]
Sean
I think we're gonna talk to him at some point.
- [18:50]
Marty Fish
Yeah, I think he's. I think he's gonna. Come on. We're gonna get an update on his. His injury at least. We've been talking with the people and there seems to be interest. We'd love to have him on, but maybe to preview Aussie Open going into next year. I think, you know, current players perspective on what's going down is something that I certainly can't provide. And I don't know anyone else here can either. So that'll be exciting. One person who I know, I thought it was a really funny story. And then we'll kick it over to the Francis interview after we break, after this. But I don't think this is. I think we can say this, but it's interesting to think about, like, Serena coming back and like the ripple effect. We were talking to Max Eisenbud and Ayla Tomjanovic is starting to do a little bit more. And I think she's a great voice in tennis. I think she's really fun. So seeing if there's any fit when checking in from here and there with served. And also I'm like, oh, well, I wonder how she feels because she now has the mantle of the last person to beat Serena.
- [19:44]
Francis Tiafoe
That's right. That's very good.
- [19:46]
Marty Fish
And he was like, not happy about the rumors. She wanted to be the last person that beats Serena. So I thought that was pretty funny also. It's like kind of what we cling to. Jw, I don't know where you're going to be next week, but hopefully you can join us.
- [20:00]
JW
Pleasure. Maybe we'll do Charlotte one of these days.
- [20:02]
Marty Fish
Hey, we're here. We don't go anywhere. You're the man with the plan. Moving around. Jw, thanks for coming on. We'll be back with Francis Tiafo after the break.
- [20:13]
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Marty Fish
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Mike
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Mike
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- [21:01]
Francis Tiafoe
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- [21:12]
Mike
1-800-Contacts. All right, everyone, welcome to Served. You know, we started in a garage where we couldn't hardly sit next to each other and now we're in a place where in a studio we get some of the top tennis stars in.
- [21:25]
Marty Fish
The world that stop by big foe.
- [21:27]
Mike
In the house here for an exo in Charlotte. What's going, we haven't seen you for a couple months, man. What's. What's been going down, man?
- [21:38]
Francis Tiafoe
Not a whole lot, but just, just been, just been working. I mean I honestly, I stopped the season early and, and wanted to just really just get to it. I didn't take a vacation this year. I thought I've had times to kind of rest. I just wanted to really transform my body, take a different approach and yeah. Sacrifice some things and really get excited and ready for the new year. Like.
- [22:00]
Mike
Yeah, we were talking yesterday. We had a hit for a little bit and we were just kind of talking. I always struggled in my career. The only time I felt like I had to kind of force things was post US Open. Right. You're traveling the stadiums, you know, you go to Europe and it gets dark at 4 o'.
- [22:16]
Marty Fish
Clock.
- [22:16]
Mike
It all kind of looks the same. You don't see daylight. Sometimes I struggle with that. You go through the motions because you're a professional, but talk through the decision making process where if I could go back and do one thing in my career, it would be to where if I wasn't physically ready, if I wasn't mentally ready to just stop. And that's a hard thing to do. Not like forever. But I'm just saying what you did Took some time away.
- [22:40]
Marty Fish
How did you get to the decision.
- [22:42]
Mike
You know, post US Open and you've had so much success there and so much of your identity is attached to that stadium and the matches that you've played there and the people that you've beat. How did you get to the point where it's like, you know what, I'm going to be better in 26 if I kind of pump the brakes on 25.
- [22:57]
Francis Tiafoe
Yeah. So obviously, you know, the Open this year wasn't, wasn't what I hoped for by any means. And then, you know, come to Asia, missed labor and stuff, Davis cup wasn't great. And just I was like, all right, let's scratch it, get rid of it. It was what it was, you know, at the end, you know, still finished 20 something, whatever. But why don't we actually choose yourself and have a long time to actually get ready for new Year? Because once you finish then you got Thanksgiving and you got a vacation by the time, you know, you only have really four or five weeks to get ready. I was like, let's have a long time to kind of get ready, get some new habits. You know, it's really hard to get new habits. Change things, actually work on your game with a two week events, hard to kind of get better. You always kind of worried about the next match, the next thing and yeah, it's kind of getting a totally different mindset and different approach and obviously, you know, for me right now the only thing that matters is trying to potentially win majors and be in a position to win majors and be in the top 10 and have a great however many years it may fall of a quote unquote prime. And that's kind of what, what the, what the decision was to stop real.
- [24:04]
Mike
Yeah, we know.
- [24:08]
We know what you look like when you're in full flight.
- [24:11]
Francis Tiafoe
Right.
- [24:11]
Mike
You're not scared of the stage. That's not something that bothers you. I almost feel like it's the opposite. Yeah, Like I fear for you when there's like four people in some city that we have never heard of. Right.
- [24:19]
Marty Fish
But like, but you have to, but.
- [24:21]
Mike
You have to actually put the winds up during those events to then get like, it's a trickle down effect. Right. Like you going in at 30 versus being seated, eight matters. Right. So you're going into the 2026 where it feels like you're clawing some real estate back a little bit. Does that excite you?
- [24:38]
Francis Tiafoe
Very much so. Very much so. I think it's very easy to kind of get complacent I've been from 11 to top 10 for the last four or five years and now I gotta earn it. You're not high seeds in these even 250, 500 slams. And you're gonna play. You know, I'll be 30 right now. I'm gonna play, you know, arguably top four five guy in the third round. So it's like that excites me, but it also excites me to have that hunger again and chase it a little bit. But yeah, it's, it's. It's definitely a different seat, but it's exciting thing and it's also going to help me really focus when I'm playing in front of four by people because I don't have that luxury anymore. Like, that actually matters much more now, which put your foot in fire when I. And I like it actually talk through.
- [25:24]
Mike
Kind of building momentum and.
- [25:28]
Like the mental stress test of going through this year. And you played really well at Roland Garros. Like, I think, you know, some of.
- [25:35]
Francis Tiafoe
The best I've played.
- [25:36]
Mike
I think that was the best you played all year. Given the circumstances. Maybe it's a service that's not your favorite. But then always kind of knowing that a bulk of your season was in the points total in the ranking was coming down to Cincy US Open. Is there part of you where even though New York doesn't go the way you want, it's like, okay, like full reset. Like full reset. And now let's.
- [25:59]
Marty Fish
That's done.
- [26:00]
Mike
We wash it away. Because you've kind of banked on that.
- [26:02]
Francis Tiafoe
Part of the year for a lot of years.
- [26:04]
Mike
Not intentionally, but it's just where you get up for. It's just where you play. We, you know, the court feels better places, but like.
- [26:11]
Sean
Yeah.
- [26:11]
Mike
It's also not something that you can bet on. Right. Like, it's, it's going to fall out sometimes. So how do you become, like, more consistent throughout the year to where we're not, you know, focused on four or five events where we see you and you look like you're like, I always have this conversation. I'm like, I see Francis, he walks into the Arthur Ashe Stadium and he's a top seven or eight guy.
- [26:32]
Marty Fish
Right.
- [26:32]
Mike
How does that happen all year?
- [26:34]
Francis Tiafoe
Right. I think, I think it's kind of to even the practice and work I've kind of been doing. I mean, I've look, you know, I know I'm gifted with this game. I've, you know, had great ability. I know it comes quite naturally, but, you know, there's days where I'm in and out and it shows, you know, and I'm totally okay with saying that. There's days where I'm not feeling it and I don't put in the work, you know, I don't do it in the days where it's hard, you know, find a kind of easy way out and rely on my talent. Oh, you know, I'll figure it out. And so kind of just doing the boring things and, and when I was thinking over and over and over and showing up, I'm trying to show up every day in practice, every day in the gym, do things I don't necessarily like each and every day and do it like I love it, like, and not. And I don't want to be. And a lot of times I always risen off motivation. I want to rise off discipline. I show up every day and that's kind of where I'm at and where my mentality is right now. And I think that's going to create real consistency, longevity, and where I should be because I see myself a tough guy no matter what I'm ranked and now is actually to be there. This is these kind of things.
- [27:38]
Mike
I would say most people don't like.
- [27:39]
Marty Fish
Their job every day.
- [27:40]
Mike
It's okay for a tennis player to say that, right? That's not, that's not.
- [27:43]
Marty Fish
Not normal.
- [27:44]
Mike
I remember it's funny how you pick up, like, little pieces of. Of wisdom along the way. Like, I remember I was on tour with, with, with Andre and I remember I went in and like, the greats have this ability to make something that seems really stressful or hard. And they put it in, like, very simple terms. And so Andre said to me one time, we were in Australia, and it.
- [28:07]
Marty Fish
Was one of those days where it.
- [28:08]
Mike
Like, felt like a hair dryer outside. You know, like, it's 1:40 on court and the wind's blowing and it's just disgusting. And so I, I'm in the training room, like, kind of just bullshitting, having fun. And, you know, guys are walking in and out and Andre is in the corner kind of not saying much. And, you know, I have a conversation with someone. I, you know, I talk. Person leaves. And Andre goes, dude, it's the third person you've talked to about how hot it is. He goes, you're an. I'm like, what are you talk. What do you mean, why? Like, you're right, but why? And he goes, he goes, you're sitting here complaining. He goes, how many people in the world have to be better than one person? A day at their job. And it blew my mind, right. Because it's like, you put it into a thing where it's like, the day you're not motivated, you don't have to be more motivated than everyone. You have to be better physically, mentally, than the person you're playing. Like, you don't have to be perfect every day until you get to the.
- [28:57]
Francis Tiafoe
Semis, finals, and then you got to. You got to bring it over.
- [28:59]
Mike
Yeah, exactly.
- [29:00]
Marty Fish
But, like, it's weird.
- [29:03]
Francis Tiafoe
That's a crazy comment. That's a crazy comment.
- [29:04]
Marty Fish
Like, how's that, like.
- [29:05]
Francis Tiafoe
Because, honestly, you only have to be just a little bit better than that guy on that day. Especially. Especially in the early rounds. Like, it's kind of like, you know, I don't have to be exceptional, but I always have to be a little bit better than that guy on that day. Whatever conditions, you know, climates, whatever the case may be. Sometimes I make it really complex, though.
- [29:19]
Mike
Yeah.
- [29:20]
Marty Fish
Because it is hard.
- [29:21]
Mike
Like, you're exposed. It doesn't feel good.
- [29:22]
Francis Tiafoe
Like.
- [29:23]
Mike
And also, like, you're going. When you're playing, you're going against, like, the best of Earth every day, and that's hard to, like, think about. And then I always used to get pissed. Like, we. We would. You know, you'd lose, like, a Wimbledon final or something, and, you know, you lose a bunch of them or, like, whatever. And people like, when's he go away?
- [29:41]
Marty Fish
He sucks.
- [29:42]
Mike
I'm like, man, I did. I beat most of Earth, like, the last two weeks. That's a tough one to take on.
- [29:47]
Marty Fish
But, like, we celebrate.
- [29:48]
Mike
Like, we celebrate a team that's, like, fourth in the SEC conference.
- [29:51]
Francis Tiafoe
No, no.
- [29:51]
Mike
And they're not pros.
- [29:55]
Marty Fish
Right. So how have you dealt with, I.
- [29:57]
Mike
Guess, the expectation set?
- [29:59]
Marty Fish
That is one.
- [30:00]
Mike
You're, like, a star on the court. Right. So that is its own corner. Like, fame is different than, you know.
- [30:06]
Marty Fish
What you have to do daily on the court.
- [30:08]
Mike
But how do you kind of. Do you have a hard time kind of analyzing what reality is and what, you know, is true and then chatter outside of that reality?
- [30:16]
Marty Fish
Yeah.
- [30:16]
Francis Tiafoe
My dad always does a great job of kind of having me not worry about, you know, expectations. It's hard not to kind of. Right. Right in your face. I mean, for me, I think it's. You know, sometimes I like to take myself out of it, and I was like, you wish you would be doing some of the things you're complaining about. Right. Like, you. Like, I wish, like, I'd be like, my morality is someone telling me that when I'm 12 or whatever in the world. Something in the world that, oh, like, yeah, I'm not reaching expectations as a kid, you'd be like, wait, take that every day. Yeah, right. But at the same time, like, you.
- [30:47]
Mike
Do have to reset.
- [30:48]
Francis Tiafoe
But at the same. Yeah, but at the same time, it's like, man, like, it's hard thinking, oh, man, this guy's so talented. He's going to be the guy. Oh, he should have done X, Y, and Z. Or he should be doing X, Y, and Z. Or how is he, you know, not, you know, been into ring yet or none of these things yet. And that messes you up. You're like, what? Like, you're like, am I bullshitting? Like, am I actually bullshitting? Like, what am I? Like when it's quiet and you sitting there by yourself, you're like, wait, hold up. Like, is there some truth to that? But again, and that's when it's like, you know, looking in the mirror like, okay, like, what can I do? What can I do better to. Then you're only gonna really make yourself happy. Like, what can I do to actually do X, Y, and Z and make those things that these guys are saying real? And you can either feel sorry for yourself or use it as motivation. And right now, I'm kind of using it all as motivation.
- [31:36]
Mike
I. I often go back and think through stuff, and I can't decide if.
- [31:41]
Marty Fish
A lot of the way that I.
- [31:42]
Mike
Thought was the reason why I was. I had any career that I had, or it's a reason why I didn't accomplish more, Right? Like, I'd go to the track at 7am and I would always be thinking about, like, is Rafa doing this right now? Or, like, is Roger doing this right now? Are they doing, like, these things? But then I was also like, is that healthy? Right? There's so many things, and I think there's a certain point where our strengths kind of become our biggest weaknesses sometimes as well. And it's hard to, like. It's hard to navigate those things, right?
- [32:11]
Francis Tiafoe
I've been like. For example, I've been going on super long runs at, like, you know, this offseason, super early in the morning. Like, you know, five 30s, and I'm. And I'm sitting there thinking. I was like, yeah, like. And, you know, the final eight's going on. And I'm like, you know, sorry for my language, but I was like, none of these motherfuckers are doing this right now. Like, say that literally, because they're out here. And then. So I Mean, I think. I think it's good, though. Like, but at the same time, it is like, no, you're doing it for you. Like, you're trying to get better. But I really think, like, it is good to think that way because they're the reason why you may not get to or do whatever you're trying to do.
- [32:43]
Mike
I remember I was like, the last.
- [32:45]
Marty Fish
Year or two that I played, I was a psycho.
- [32:48]
Mike
Like, if I lost, it was as if the world fell in every time. Like, every single time, like, couldn't handle it. Didn't. Like, it would win.
- [32:55]
Marty Fish
I'd be like, okay, next one.
- [32:56]
Mike
I didn't give as much credit. The thing that messed me up the most was I interviewed Roger, like, two years after I retired, and I was working for a different, different network. And I said, like, you don't have that. Like. Like, you don't get perceived as, like, that fire and ice. Like that Michael Jordan thing where he broke a teammate's nose in practice. Like, you don't have that. I was like, is it in there? And he said something that I didn't understand. And I'm curious your take on it, because you seem like this happy, go, lucky, easy smile. It presents itself, you know, everyone's friend type thing, which I think is the greatest thing ever. And he goes, you know, I just.
- [33:29]
Marty Fish
I don't know.
- [33:29]
Mike
Like, I hear these people that hate.
- [33:30]
Marty Fish
To lose, hate to lose, hate to.
- [33:32]
Mike
Lose, hate to lose. He goes, I just like winning more than I hate losing. And I couldn't understand it. I had no idea what he's talking about. Does that make any sense to you, what he says?
- [33:41]
Francis Tiafoe
No, it definitely. It definitely does. God, it definitely does. You have.
- [33:47]
No, no, no. But. But honestly, like, I like. I love. Yeah. Like, I like, for me, I don't really have, like, that fear, like, coming.
- [33:55]
Mike
Out, like, insecurity and ego. I'm not really currency.
- [33:59]
Francis Tiafoe
I don't really think about, like. Like, man, I better not fucking lose it. I'm more like. I say you're thinking that, but I'm. Or.
- [34:08]
Marty Fish
That'S exactly what I was thinking.
- [34:09]
Mike
That's what I was thinking. I was running from shadows.
- [34:12]
Marty Fish
That's all I was doing.
- [34:13]
Mike
That's it. That's it.
- [34:15]
Francis Tiafoe
No, but. But, yeah, I just.
- [34:17]
Mike
I just.
- [34:18]
Francis Tiafoe
I love. I love winning. I love, like, big moment winning. I love everything about winning. And what that, you know, like, that. That brings out a smile on me, but playing it when then, you know, deeper scale to playing the game. Well, I love tennis. I love playing, but winning is Is like the most exciting thing. That's when the big ass smile comes out, all the reactions, all the celebrations. That's. That's what I look forward to. I'm. You know, I visualize those things a lot. But that's crazy that he said that, because I. That's exactly how he looks like the guy. No stress.
- [34:47]
Marty Fish
Like, I might as well have.
- [34:48]
Mike
Like, you could have knocked me over with a feather. Like, I had no idea what was happening. And I was so angry with him. Like, you don't have the angst and you have all this success. I'm like, oh, God. It's like a. He's not like a tortured artist, but talk through, like, your. Your generation. So we're talking about, like, TP Riley, Taylor Eubanks was in here earlier.
- [35:08]
Marty Fish
We shot some shows.
- [35:10]
Mike
And he goes. The thing that's, like, weird that I don't think that your group understands is like, you guys were sitting around at like 14, 15 years old, and you're like, we're gonna play in majors, we're gonna win tournaments, we're gonna do all this shit. And then it actually happened, right? Like, mine is more like, there's one person that made it along with me. It seems like your core group, like, actually worked. It reminds me of like, the French group of like, Songa Simone, Mom Feast Gasket, where like, every single one of them is like, oh, you were 12 in the world. You were nine in the world. You were eight in the world.
- [35:39]
Marty Fish
Do you guys.
- [35:39]
Francis Tiafoe
When we come away from it, I think we're gonna be like, wow.
- [35:42]
Mike
Do you guys actively acknowledge it? Like, it doesn't happen normally. You lose some soldiers along the way. Right?
- [35:47]
Francis Tiafoe
It seemed like everybody just kept going. Yeah.
- [35:51]
Marty Fish
Is it exactly what you guys thought?
- [35:53]
Francis Tiafoe
It's weird because, like, we're all like, you know, we're all generally like, get on. Well, yeah, like good friends. But it's. We always kind of had that mentality. Well, if this guy did it, oh, I. I can definitely do it. Right? And then it kind of just. And so on, so on, so forth. You know, there was, you know, me and Kazlov, and then, you know, then Tommy, Tommy, these guys started coming and Fritz. And then it just kind of kept going. And then once, and we just kept believing off each other, but not really spoken about. We just kept believing off each other. And then. But sometimes, like, I've had a conversation with friends, I'm like, bro, like, honestly, like, right shortly after we played in 70 years open, I'm like, pro, like, growing up I never thought in my mind I would be playing your ass at the 70. Us like, think about it. I mean. Cause we watching you play and like, fed Rafa like thinking about all the people I'm thinking about to win a slam. I'm like, Taylor, Fritz, like crazy, like.
- [36:49]
Mike
And did some of you develop later? So like in every group there's like some stud who's 12 who you never hear of again. But then there's some guy like Marty Fish didn't make nationals until he was like 15.
- [37:00]
Francis Tiafoe
So Fritz was like. Couldn't put one foot in front of the other. Like he was. I mean, I mean. I mean, he. Falling off treadmills. I mean, he was. He was not. He was not. But then, then.
- [37:10]
Marty Fish
But he was kind of good at like, y'.
- [37:12]
Sponsor Voice
All.
- [37:12]
Mike
I mean, he hit the finals in Memphis when he was like 18.
- [37:14]
Francis Tiafoe
So. Yeah, but I'm talking about like in the beginning, like 12, 14. Then like when he turned 15, he had a growth spurt and then like started serving. Well, real like. Oh, he got crazy.
- [37:24]
Mike
Yeah.
- [37:25]
Francis Tiafoe
And then. And then. Yeah, then he started winning a bunch and started getting his feet on him. Riley. Riley, I would say was good. And then he had a growth sport in the middle and then he got better. Tommy was always good. Tommy was always.
- [37:35]
Mike
He looks like he's the kind of good.
- [37:37]
Francis Tiafoe
Tommy was always good. He was always a freak. Myself as well.
- [37:42]
Marty Fish
You're one of the guys we heard.
- [37:43]
Mike
About, like when we were on tour. I was like, there's this 13 year old.
- [37:46]
Francis Tiafoe
One of those guys. Exactly. So we all had it a little different. Tommy, when he first came on and got it going later. But yeah, I mean, we're all walk away from it at minimum be like, yeah, top 20 in the world up then in the world. Like, it's pretty. It's pretty wild. It's pretty wild.
- [38:02]
Mike
It's pretty cool. Like, I don't know. And you guys actually like live trained. Like you're like, with each other.
- [38:08]
Francis Tiafoe
Yeah, Like, I mean, I mean, Tommy sent me his Explain that because our.
- [38:12]
Mike
Listeners, I don't know that they fully understand, like, how small the world is. It's like you guys all coexisted in the same three blocks for like 90% of your life. I don't think.
- [38:22]
Francis Tiafoe
I don't think people understand, like, USDA dorms. It's me, Tommy Riley and like Fritz and we're like in bunk beds. I mean. And then wake up and then play for six hours and then mess around, get in trouble, do the whole thing going. Yeah. Like and then kind of go out and practice the next day for, like, for years. And it's just. You don't really think anything of it. You're kind of just a kid, right? Like, you're like, yeah, he's good, and he's good, too. But, like, you know, whatever.
- [38:51]
Mike
It's kind of weird. Like, we talk, like, I'm sure you guys have to talk about us, tennis ad nauseam. Like, it's this.
- [38:57]
Francis Tiafoe
We got to hear your name a lot.
- [38:59]
Marty Fish
I know.
- [38:59]
Mike
I, like, hate it.
- [39:00]
Marty Fish
I promise you, I hate it.
- [39:02]
Mike
I hate it for you guys as.
- [39:03]
Marty Fish
Much as you guys hate it for yourself.
- [39:05]
Mike
But it's kind of weird because we make player development into this really. It can become complex, too. And the simplest version of it is, whether it's.
- [39:17]
In the 80s, like, when Andre. It's the same thing. Andre, Jim, you know, David Wheaton and all. Like, all these guys who ended up being top 10. And a lot of them were number one. Like, they just beat the. Out of each other every day for a while, right? And then there was that healthy jealousy like you were talking about. Someone takes a step.
- [39:32]
Francis Tiafoe
It's like, no, no.
- [39:34]
Mike
Like, I want to do that. Like, this is. You know. And then Marty and I, we had a group of six guys, and two top ten guys came out. We used to play at an apartment complex on the courts. Like Crystal Palms of Carbon apartment complex. Like, if you get talent together.
- [39:47]
Francis Tiafoe
I don't think it's that complicated, to be honest.
- [39:49]
Marty Fish
It's. It's.
- [39:49]
Mike
It's harder in America because it's so big. Like, I get it, but, like, just like.
- [39:53]
Francis Tiafoe
But once. Once I started to understand, like. And it's kind of funny, you said that about, like, seven, eight workouts. And you think about Rafa and those guys. Like, when it came to it and when it growing up, like, I was like, well, I ain't trying to lose Tommy Paul. I ain't trying to lose Ry Poga, like, from like, 12.
- [40:08]
Mike
Yeah.
- [40:09]
Francis Tiafoe
And then, like, you go to the nationals and you're like, okay. And then they. But they did a good job of always putting us in camps. I'm seeing these guys like, two weeks out of every month, like, at 1 from like 14 on, 13 on. And so. But like, yeah, I'm looking around like, I'm. I'm trying to be the best out of this group. Not really thinking about big picture pros or, you know, turning pro, doing that whole thing.
- [40:27]
Mike
Cause that's not dominating your day to day.
- [40:28]
Francis Tiafoe
Yeah, I was like, I don't really Care about that? This group right here, I gotta be the guy.
- [40:33]
Mike
Did you guys. Did you. Did you think you were a really good group or did you just think we're one of the groups that exists now?
- [40:42]
Francis Tiafoe
I mean.
- [40:43]
Mike
Or does every teenager think he's part of a good.
- [40:45]
Francis Tiafoe
I mean, yeah, I think we thought we were, like, really good. I mean, I mean, but. But. But I didn't. I didn't.
- [40:51]
Marty Fish
We don't.
- [40:52]
Francis Tiafoe
You don't still know what that looks like? Like, because you're so far away from it. Like, I mean, I'll be honest, as a kid, I was super, like, I was just like. I mean, there was a. There was a point, like 14. I was like, yeah, I'm gonna make it for sure. I don't.
- [41:06]
Mike
I don't know what you actually.
- [41:07]
Marty Fish
So I like, I'm telling you how.
- [41:09]
Mike
Like, different mentalities can kind of same. Like, I was always like, I suck. Like, I'm gonna. Like, I thought everyone else was amazing. And then something clicked and it, like, switched.
- [41:20]
Francis Tiafoe
Like, like, for.
- [41:21]
Mike
I didn't have that, like, when I.
- [41:22]
Francis Tiafoe
Was a kid, 100%. Like, Dennis Kudlow was so big that he was in our academy growing up, and he was always the guy and always on papers. And I remember he had like a good run. He got in the top hundred twenty something. And I was like. I remember telling coaches, I was like, well, you know, I love Dennis, but Dennis made it. I definitely should make it, right? I'm like 14 years old and the guys are like, what are you talking about? Like, you suck.
- [41:46]
What do you mean? Like, you made 14's like, national open right now. Like, you talking about, like, who the. Playing Wimbledon his second week. I was like, nah, if he's making. I was like, yeah, I mean, you can break down his fortnite. I should make it if he's man. But that sickness. But then the other guys are like, they weren't. They weren't quite like that. They were just like. They were just kind of beat everybody they were playing. Yeah, I was. I was super naive as a kid. I was like, why not?
- [42:10]
Mike
That's amazing. I wish I. I can't figure out what part of like, what the proper combo is of, like, the way you thought versus, like, my stress, my stressed existence.
- [42:22]
Sean
Do you think if, given what the temperature is now, would you have gone to college maybe instead of going proud a young age? We were just having a conversation with.
- [42:29]
Mike
The context of it was guys are getting paid.
- [42:31]
Marty Fish
Like, I got.
- [42:32]
Mike
I signed a Reebok deal where I got paid 300 grand when I was 17, over 5, you know, and then there was incentives. So, like, that was my reason for turning pro. Right. But now you can make that and you can go train at a great facility and almost create, like, a super.
- [42:44]
Sean
Team of exactly what you're saying. Right.
- [42:46]
Mike
You'd be around the place, and it's basically taking what you guys had in Orlando, but getting paid for it. Do you think the current version of that would change anything? Or were you just basically, like, it's. It's pro or as fast as possible.
- [42:58]
Francis Tiafoe
For me, for me and my. At my position. No, I still would have. I still would have turned pro. I was. I was saying. I was. I was going. I was like, man, like, you're like, it's my destiny. I was like, what are we. What are we. What are we waiting for?
- [43:11]
Sean
Yeah.
- [43:12]
Francis Tiafoe
I wasn't trying to be in the classroom.
- [43:17]
Mike
Okay.
- [43:20]
Francis Tiafoe
I was, like, trying to do that, too. But I mean, I think going college would have been fun, but I was. I was locked in. I was ready to go. So I was like, let's. Let's do it. But to your point, though, like, I'll be saying, like, you know, whatever, your college scholarship quote, unquote, will be over those 250,000, 300,000, like, if you're not getting that, like, your eyes needs to be going to college contractually. So, yeah, yeah.
- [43:40]
Mike
Like, I always approached it from people like, well, you lose your eligibility, and I go, my goal isn't to play line four somewhere in college. Like, I don't want to do that. So I don't care. I can go to school. It's not like, as if I can't go to school. It'll just be, you know, older. If I felt like I. For me, going pro wasn't a stress point. That's probably the only thing that we might agree on here as far as, like, the way we go about, you know, whatever.
- [44:03]
Marty Fish
I was a psychopath about all of it.
- [44:08]
Mike
So the tour, like, when. When Roger Rafa Novak stop and I'm going, okay, there's going to be some parody here. Like, there's going to be. It's going to go back to the way it was in the 90s where you had a bunch of people who had, like, four, five, six slams, right? Like, that used to be the kind of the barometer. Jim Currier has four and Edberg has six and Becker has six, and, like, they're all these icons of the game. Talk through the progression and, like, what you've seen from Carlos and Jannik because I get a bunch of Hazbin players.
- [44:37]
Marty Fish
Talking about what they see.
- [44:38]
Mike
Tell us about what you see game wise. And then also like mentality day to day because they seem like Carlos seems like he's got a little bit of you where he lights up when he sees people. And Yannick seems like he's a little.
- [44:49]
Francis Tiafoe
Bit, he's a little stand up a.
- [44:50]
Mike
Little, a little, A little calmer, right?
- [44:52]
Francis Tiafoe
Yeah.
- [44:53]
Mike
Did you expect these guys to get this good, this consistently?
- [44:57]
Francis Tiafoe
No, no, no. I knew Sinner was going to be really good. I played him in next gen. Like when he first coming out, I was like, man, this guy's going to be good. Obviously I played called for the first time when I was, when he was 17. I was like, everyone was talking about this guy. All Spanish guys, like, man, like good luck today. This dude's really good.
- [45:14]
Mike
He was one of those guys you heard about when he was 13. Yeah, he's like him like, you hear these names that I was like, I.
- [45:20]
Francis Tiafoe
Ain'T about to lose a 17 year old. I got him like five or six. I could walk off the court. I'm like, this dude's nasty.
- [45:27]
You know. And so.
- [45:29]
Marty Fish
Yeah.
- [45:29]
Francis Tiafoe
And then a couple years later we're playing in 70 U.S. open and he's 19. I'm like, dude, this guy's gotten so much better and the two year span and then they keep getting better. Right? Like, and that's why they staying at the top because they continue to prove. I like in comparison those two to the big four, obviously I think Carlos is a combination kind of all of them. I think Sinner with the Novak movement.
- [45:50]
Mike
I was about to say, he seems like the next version of Novak.
- [45:52]
Francis Tiafoe
Yeah.
- [45:53]
Mike
But maybe more aggressive.
- [45:54]
Francis Tiafoe
Yeah, right. With the Novak movement. But with Agassi like on everything on the hop and just playing super fast and, and you feel like you don't see any space when you're kind of playing against them.
- [46:06]
But then the tour is kind of open then it kind of feels like to me like, you know, like, I don't know. Those years were before, you know, Federer and Rafa and those guys kind of kind of happened like it just back.
- [46:23]
Mike
When anyone could win a slam.
- [46:28]
Francis Tiafoe
No, seriously, like it, it's, it really is open from like 3 to 200 with the guy winning, winning Shanghai. Like, I mean it's 204 and also.
- [46:38]
Mike
A guy 800 in the world the.
- [46:39]
Marty Fish
Month before, by the way.
- [46:41]
Mike
It's crazy.
- [46:42]
Francis Tiafoe
It just, it's, it's open. So it's exciting times from that Sense. But. And then when you think about it, it's like, okay, you know, at the end of, at the end of Slam, you got to beat two guys running in three guys. And a lot of times the four guys, the semis was already a lock. I just think there's a big open in tennis and that's what I'm really excited about. I don't think. I still don't think these guys are unbeatable. I struggle to believe that. I genuinely, especially you also thought you.
- [47:10]
Mike
Were going to be on tour when you were 14.
- [47:12]
Francis Tiafoe
Right, right, right, right, right. But I have to think that way. I mean, look, I played Carlos twice and look, he's won two Slams, I lost him in five. And I feel like I missed out on that. I'll be genuinely honest with you, you know, last year, Wimbledon, I felt like that's one. I let one go. And at the Open, I was hanging out. I was hanging for dear life. I mean, we were three all on the fifth, but I was hanging for dear life in the sets I've won. But at Wimbledon, I really felt like that was just one up with a couple of love 30. So I, you know, and then.
- [47:40]
Yeah, I guess. I guess otherwise, then why am I playing if I don't believe that? They're unbelievable. Now, are they very tough to beat? Absolutely. Hence why they're winning every tournament that, that mostly enter in. But if you're telling me the whole tour you have a shot and then at the end of the week you got to beat two guys. I take that.
- [47:57]
Marty Fish
Yeah. Taking that completely foe.
- [48:01]
Mike
I know you got a lot of going on. I know you're here in town. You got to play tonight. You're going to be on court in front of like 15,000 people in like three hours.
- [48:07]
Sean
Yeah.
- [48:09]
Mike
So we won't keep you any longer, man. We're always cheering for you.
- [48:13]
Marty Fish
Like, I've always liked you.
- [48:15]
Mike
And then we hit a little bit yesterday and I came up, my wife was like, how was it today? I was like, I like him more. I think he's just like a good dude, you know, he's just as nice and just as friendly when. When there's no cameras around. So props, man. You're the real thing. I hope great things for you. I hope you believe in yourself as much as we believe in you.
- [48:35]
Francis Tiafoe
That means a lot.
- [48:35]
Mike
Honestly, I think you can go a long way. I want you to be interned next year.
- [48:40]
Francis Tiafoe
Yes.
- [48:40]
Mike
Because that means every week was good.
- [48:42]
Marty Fish
100.
- [48:42]
Mike
Appreciate you, bud.
- [48:43]
Francis Tiafoe
That keeps off.
- [48:44]
Mike
That's it.
- [48:46]
Marty Fish
We'll clip that in case it works. But we're not going to speak about it unless it works. Secret code.
- [48:52]
Mike
Until then, thank you for watching, sir.
- [48:56]
Marty Fish
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Marty Fish
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- [49:57]
Marty Fish
All right, welcome back to served props. Thank you to big Fo for coming on. Mike, I don't think you had met Fo before.
- [50:05]
Mike
We said hello quickly the other day.
- [50:06]
Marty Fish
When we were hitting and then he came in studio. What do you think? What were your takeaways?
- [50:13]
Sean
Well, I think you said it in the opening and I mean it's obvious, right. He just seems to be the happiest person and just very engaged. When he shakes your hand, he's looking you in the eye, smiling. He's truly engaged. But I think the biggest thing was just the appreciation for sitting in this chair saying that he had to look at himself in the mirror and think about what he wanted to do and wanted to achieve and that knowing that he needed to make some changes and we, we allowed the guy we like, we praise sinner and others that are like, oh, I need to make changes, I need to make changes. When they say it in a press conference, like this guy's saying it to himself and, and you know, he's doing the uncomfortable. Which I thought was really, really cool. You know, especially for a guy that's achieved so much.
- [50:50]
Mike
Yeah.
- [50:51]
Sean
You know, in his life already.
- [50:53]
Marty Fish
Yeah. And, and this is, every time I say something like this, people say, it's like, you know, you get the comments that it's self serving and I promise you that's not the goal. You can be 9, 10 in the world and have been an insanely successful tennis player and we don't get that narrative enough during, during coverage. Also, I know I didn't want to bring it up to him because he was coming off a hit. It was kind of a happy place. He was going to work an exhibition that night. So context matters with how we go about an interview sometimes. Like, you know, he decided the day before, he's like, I'll stop by. It was that casual, right? And very nice of him because he, you know, they were running him through, you know, exhibition days. You're, you're doing clinic, you're doing, you know, prep. It's just nothing super like intensive. It's not the most important thing in the world. You're kind of going through the motions and there's a lot of crap to do.
- [51:41]
Francis Tiafoe
Right.
- [51:42]
Marty Fish
So he went, literally went fun practice, stopped over here, and then went to the arena.
- [51:47]
Mike
Right.
- [51:48]
Marty Fish
And I say all that. It's not something I wanted to ask him about during the interview, but if we had a sit down where, you know, it's an hour and 20 and we had schedule a month in advance, I would have loved to have gotten into this. For those of you that don't know the story of the Tiafo family, right, dad from mom and dad from Sierra Leone. Dad comes over in 1993. Mom comes in 1996 to get away from civil war that was happening in Sierra Leone, basically helped build the tennis center that Francis grew up playing at and then worked there after he was on the construction crew building it. Are all those facts correct?
- [52:27]
Sean
Correct, yeah.
- [52:28]
Marty Fish
In College Park, Maryland, and old Washington Post article, basically, dad would work nights, days, and Francis and his twin brother would sleep on like a massage table in a separate room. Like an extraordinary example of what the American dream is, in my opinion, phenomenal. Something that constantly, I think, because Francis is so engaging, charismatic, and we know what the upside is, you know, the peaks and valleys. And also just dealing with this, like, next American narrative is just kind of boorish because until someone kind of comes and wins a slam, it's just the same conversation over and over.
- [53:08]
But there's just no chance that any of those conversations should supersede the story. The story is the sacrifice made by parents that's manifested in this bundle of joy and charisma and this person who has brought so much life to an arena. I think because he's so magnetic, because he's so charismatic, because we always want more of him.
- [53:37]
JW
Right.
- [53:37]
Marty Fish
I don't even think it's like, oh, you're 10 in the world, you haven't made Turin yet. I don't even know that we want that just because we want it. I want it because we want more of him always. He's one of the best personalities in tennis, but he is the American dream. He is what it is all about their family is what it's all about. I think that's probably why he keeps his family so close. Like, he came in here to do a podcast and there were eight people with him.
- [54:02]
Sean
Yeah, his brother was with him.
- [54:03]
Marty Fish
His brother was with him. But listen, I was thankful for the time. I think this story is one that, like, I would dig into for two hours and want to know the nuts and bolts. I'd want Francis with his father.
- [54:16]
Mike
Right.
- [54:16]
Marty Fish
And going through those decisions. But the thing that I think gets lost in his charisma is the amount of gratitude that he shows to everyone he comes across. Seeing you the other day for the first time, like you said, engages. Right. Every person he sees is, like, hugworthy, right in his eyes. And I think that's gratitude. It just is presented in a bit of a different way. We only want Francis to be great because he's so much fun to watch. It's great to want more of someone. Thank you for Francis, for coming on. Props to mom and pop. Tiafo. You're what it's all about. So I thank you and I thank the rest of you for listening to serve. We'll see you next week.
- [55:07]
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- [55:21]
Mike
Agents.
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JW
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Here we have the Limu Emu in.
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JW
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Marty Fish
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Sean
Fascinating.
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JW
It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug.
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Mike
Uh, Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us.
- [55:44]
Marty Fish
Cut the camera.
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JW
They see us.
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Mike
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JW
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