Gaint Killer Frances Tiafoe Reaches Vienna Final

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Gaint Killer Frances Tiafoe Reaches Vienna Final
By Ken Miller, Lawn Tennis Analyst, Posted: Friday, November 5, 2021 7:59am PST USA

Vienna-- Last week in Vienna, Austria, the American Frances Tiafoe came through the qualifying rounds to defeat the top seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece as well as the eighth seeded Diego Schwartman of Argentina and the seventh seeded Jannik Sinner of Italy before falling in the final round to the second seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany.

In the semifinals, Tiafoe trailed Sinner 3-6, 2-5 before the American raised the level of his game to win five games in a row and to take the set 7-5.

Tiafoe used an aggressive second serve return as well as an aggressive net game to

Frances Tiafoe of the USA

At 30 all, Tiafoe struck a 130 miles per hour ace down the tee which he followed up with a 128 miles per hour ace out wide to end the match.

rebound.

Serving at 1 all in the decisive set, Tsitsipas committed four forehand errors to drop serve and trail 1-2.

Then while leading 4-2, Tiafoe struck a 83 miles per hour crosscourt forehand return winner to lead 15-0.

Tiafoe followed up more aggressive play with forceful volleys while high fiving courtside fans before breaking serve again to lead 5-2.

While serving for the match, the American serve and volleyed as he had earlier in the match to reach 15-30 after striking a crosscourt forehand volley winner.

At 30 all, Tiafoe struck a 130 miles per hour ace down the tee which he followed up with a 128 miles per hour ace out wide to end the match.

However in the final round versus Zverev, Tiafoe was unable to repeat his earlier tennis level as Zverev mixed defense with a powerful offense.

The German broke Tiafoe's serve early in both sets before winning 7-5, 6-4.