Aleksandar Kovacevic vs. Frances Tiafoe Condensed Match | 2024 US Open Round 1

yeah you said kosovich he did play in qualities last year he lost in the last round of qualis [Applause] train lines run directly adjacent to the national tennis center both Subway and commuter train when safe emphasis when safe [Applause] how that came about with Hugo Armando is kovich does a lot of practicing with Tommy Paul [Applause] out [Applause] [Music] 14 oh there's the [Applause] Tio yeah I think when kosovich is looking for [Applause] H 40 second Serv 14 1 and there's the big first 128 to secure the game that's a shot making ability that he has right there willingness to come in yeah I like that I like that from kosovich you know where he's recognizing the short ball taking matters into his own hands you know not kind of hoping something's going to happen each oh boy serve it the right time well you called him Nick 14 [Applause] up well kovich tried there to jump on that second step on the gas at 35% yeah it's a pretty low percentage but and when he doesn't make the first serve I mean 119 miles in hour he hits his spots really well as you said now 38% on the first serve okay all right couple of spots there at the end Francis staring at the last one feeling the fans kind of right on top of you was really cool that came in that yeah this Stadium's getting pretty see the shot making of these two players soe [Applause] [Applause] now terrific play both ways and in the backhand slice just to change up the pace a little bit but then once Francis comes in got to be ready to hit a pass get that pass a little bit lower that slice you mentioned until about a month ago but really working on his slice always good to just change up the pace with that shot cuz we see how the power that he has with his Top Spin forand and backhand but to be able to get a little slice will help playing his best tennis when he's looking to come forward not allowing shorter balls like this to just stay at the Baseline he's looking to get in he's seven of seven net points one now as Francis using that great athleticism and making kosovich have to try to find a pass a jam from Tio from k a lot of pace on it but this is also when Francis is playing his best when he's looking to use his back hand down the line to and set up his forehand out getting into the point just keep [Applause] working wow Ace is back to back going against and uh David's usually pretty stoic guy you don't see him show much emotion Francis tiapo has had in three different service games yeah and again and this is where if you're Francis you just stay focused on your service game play one point at a time 13 returning serve you know well now he's a little closer here he was he was almost in Connecticut on the other side [Applause] [Applause] 14 that's what's been working n there it is so TFO was ready on the back end return how many he has in his bag right now he's on three in 45 minutes so hopefully it'll be enough yeah do we reuse sweaty shirts unless they have a quick wash underneath yeah that'd be nice to have Riley opela surf I mean that thing is coming from so up high all three work work together [Applause] yes ow [Music] kosovich to stay inside out with his forehand wing and wait till he's in the court to go inside in with it so we'll see if that changes up the pattern okay but yeah like you said I mean it before coming back here on the hardcourts and he took some took some lumps early on in in tournaments but he got some confidence to then make the semi-finals the US Open last year [Applause] [Music] the nice sub [Music] progress yeah that's a great feat for any player right you know as as a young kid Young Junior you're looking to play the main draws get in the grand slams and but that's great credit but what the big boys so to speak with Roger Rafa and Novak in particular have stood for in all of the internal meetings is to make sure that this money drifts downward to help $40,000 so the money starts going up but it's big time just to be in main draw [Applause] See's reaction again wow and so tell me you're you're sitting there is this just as well as as far as where he's going to serve that's why Francis doesn't have a great beat on it another one there [Applause] bapo didn't put that ball away and kovich made him pay [Applause] [Applause] the first few games that they have have to get their own towel now there's Tio's 10th Ace after game one should be able to access their seat yeah it's been nice to see just fans being able to walk down the stairs especially on the the top levels of the stadium yeah oo that one fortunate enough that uh oov can't catch it a he went to the forehand and TFO was ready [Applause] [Applause] well it's today against Dominic team served eight8 Aces to Ben Shelton oh nice job by kovasovic I'm assuming if that does take place Friday will not be on Stadium 17 one one wouldn't think life to a two- We Major when that when you can get first week action like that yep [Applause] put Relentless pressure on this young man and just a few weeks ago Francis yaa won that 6-3 in the third kosovich had 14 aces in that match and he already has 15 now now 16 [Applause] how can you figure that 10 aces in a set that he may well lose 63 if Tios [Applause] [Applause] than [Applause] [Music] you 14 C [Applause] aho and there is a two set lead you know look one thing that they've been working on with Hugo Armando is just staying more patient in points points and decision making right I mean the point before this one we saw him kind of check out of the point too early ball was really deep on the Baseline he tried to go down the line but this one he was able to get his feet behind the Baseline behind the ball just a little bit more to then go for it so wow big shot there from kosovich this is the first break point that Francis toppo has had to face [Applause] out see Francis Tio doing a great job of keeping the ball to K's backand there oh kovich and slice so movement has been very good [Applause] out out W there's French and wmbl juniors very good player that's why you look at event here at the US Open and maybe they figured why not but I have a feeling if Cy POS would go well [Music] Keeping kovich On A String here running him to the forehand Wing now the drop volley great speed from kosovich but just too much variety from [Applause] yes oh just so nicely done stronger B he definitely gets a lot more UND spin on this ball carves under it well only lost three points when he's come to N 16 [Applause] oh he's going to give himself another chance [Applause] here there another game or another Point rather without a first serve but toao survives some of those short slices and Drop shots coming off the tifo racket he was Z there quick typically Francis likes to go with that short slice crosscourt not normally down well this is turning out to be a game that would be one terrific save oh I got the L whoa we knew we'd see some shot making out here and this is Case in point kosovich with the sting [Music] fifth oh TFO survives after finally putting the first serve in the reason TFO guarded the down the line here was because cross was a little bit late so once he got there late he could only go down the line with that shot it would have been much tougher that game had to feel like an hour and a half for t 5 [Applause] left Ace 19 [Applause] oich got him there and [Applause] so yeah one thing I've noticed on Fran first serve is he's just droing the head a little bit too quickly a lot of the first servs that he's missed have been in the net oh there's kovich with the yeah when you're playing Alexander kovich you just you just know that he's going to have some sometimes like this and moments like this with his shot making he's such a great athlete we've seen it off the backhand Wing as well where he's hit winners on the Run especially down the line off of that side roof closed here on Armstrong on ash as well T puts the game away for three all it is going to pose a distra reaction to players but Francis then I mean that's what we all took away two years ago from his great run here to the semis dou champ I'll tell Nick Monro UA was at UCLA y oh nice return hanging up there in the greats of the game and Francis was loving it being being down court side just that [Applause] smile all right ni and just a quicker side CU I called that match I need there he was jokovic I mean the guys he played against the time of yeah remember it well he uh jovic actually retired I mean I can I think I did two or two matches probably against Nadal in Roland garos where he jokovic retired [Applause] little bit of extra energy so good look everybody's going to react differently to this and it's new it's new and [Music] wow there's the slice again till you can go inside in waiting for the right opportunity for those kinds of shots [Applause] oh kovich information during the match is because it's a new partnership right between Hugo Armando and kovich just started a few weeks ago and and Hugo Armando said look we're we're working on decision- making so I think he's learning on the fly right he's learning during the matches el tiapo tried to press him and katovich answered so just the movement as well and you were commentating what sport there do want to give this young man life [Applause] [Applause] whoa kovasovic must have just click the [Applause] Baseline had a lot of times when you leave the court obviously you got to use the restroom but but [Applause] just got the line that sounded yeah that was a clean Ace get his feet moving on the return and then serve in the second game [Applause] yeah I think for [Applause] kosovich there's Tios [Applause] [Applause] here in the tifo camp that's exactly what what you want to hear from Francis that extra come on extra little juice of energy where's the Jimmy Conor's lawn mower that's what I want to see and I think the crowd wants to see that as well but that's the type of point that we' like seeing from Francis too you're in his Camp you want to see his extra footwork you want to hear those he just stopping play for a quick second and the location and you could tell I was a Long Island Railroad kid growing up I was going to say still name the babyon line by 14 nice wow not a great miss there for tiapo on the forehand and kovich the energy throughout not have too many ups and downs just stay even k [Applause] [Applause] oh oh Cho missed it oh barel in [Applause] there such a spin in this match that I'm sitting here thinking tfo's chance to win is going to be a tie break [Applause] 4 [Applause] left 14 [Music] 4y C it and there too kovich is trying to make sure everybody knows he's the New Yorker here yeah and I just noticed in Francis Tio's footwork that point he was much more on point with his footwork so Ace 25 Oho answers he's hitting the ball right now he's starting to realize that he's pushing Francis further and further behind that Baseline so the drop shot is becoming available but Francis showing he still got the wheels it is to win these five match is how locked in you have to stay and again it may be destined to happen in a tie [Music] break holds it love well there you go this is what I think we and a lot of the crowd have been waiting for about an hour to see that from tiapo the reaction exactly and and again obviously we know we're five all in the four set and someone in his Camp told him told him to decide decide that you want this how bad do you want this right now and give that little bit of extra effort and energy and that's what we're seeing from [Applause] ow [Music] woo I think he needs a first serve here too many second serves throughout this game first chances of this set for tifo kovachevich has saved two no not there and tifo awakens and now three points from winning [Applause] and tiapo feeling it so much he didn't even he didn't wait for the crowd to stop he didn't wait for people to sit he just served [Music] 14 [Applause] 1 oh waa not yet [Applause] [Applause] and Francis Tio exhales two completely different matches an hour and a half it was all tiapo then for an hour and a half it was largely