Frances Tiafoe jokes after shocking Carlos Alcaraz in Charlotte Exhibition: "It was time he lost some matches”

Frances Tiafoe surprised 4-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling match at the recent Charlotte Invitational exhibition. The American secured a tight win in front of over 16,000 fans at the Spectrum Center, 5-7, 6-1, 11-9.

After the match, the world No. 18 and Alcaraz shared a heartfelt embrace, showcasing their strong bond off the court. Tiafoe also joked about his victory over the world No. 3 Spaniard.

“It’s nice to get this guy out the way. It was time he lost some matches every once in a while,” Tiafoe said. “It was unbelievable. I’ve never been to Charlotte to play out here. I hope you guys enjoyed it, me and Carlos tried to put on a show for you guys.”

“This was amazing, I really wasn’t expecting this, to pack this out,” he continued. “It’s incredible and I hope more and more tennis can get played here in Charlotte, y’all love your tennis and again I hope you guys enjoyed tonight, we did everything we could, so I appreciate it.”

‘Big-Foe’ will soon begin his preparations for the 2025 season, with his first commitment at the Brisbane International, where he’ll compete as the 4th seed. The draw will feature top names, including Novak Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Holger Rune, and the highly anticipated return of Nick Kyrgios to the ATP Tour.

On the other hand, Alcaraz will take a bit more time before returning to the court, having opted not to play any lead-up tournaments before the Australian Open. His next appearance will be in mid-January at the year’s first Grand Slam. The 21-year-old is currently in Spain at the Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy, where he will train this week alongside fellow players Jack Draper and Flavio Cobolli.