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How tennis players play their best friends with Grand Slams on the line

Güncelleme tarihi: 6 Eki 2024





When Taylor Fritz is on the tennis court, he prefers not to play against his friends. But on Friday, during the U.S. Open semifinals, he will face one of his closest friends, Frances Tiafoe, on the other side of the net. 


"I hate it," Fritz said before Wimbledon, explaining that it’s hard to stay focused when playing a friend. Even though he usually wins these matches, it feels uncomfortable. But now, Fritz feels different. "It’s going to be a lot of fun," he said after beating Alexander Zverev in four sets. Tiafoe agreed, saying, "I’m happy for him. I know he’s happy for me. Let the best man win on Friday."


Tennis often puts friends in tough situations. Winning against a friend means taking away their chance for ranking points, prize money, and prestige. Many people can relate to this awkward situation. It is rare to compete against your closest friends, but we can all imagine how uncomfortable it would be. 


This year’s U.S. Open shows this discomfort clearly. In the other semifinal, No. 25 seed Jack Draper will face world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Draper and Sinner have been friends since they were teenagers and recently played doubles together. Draper shared how important it is to have a friend who understands the emotional and physical challenges of the sport.


Other players have also experienced this strange dynamic. For example, Grigor Dimitrov beat his friend Andrey Rublev in five sets, and Australian teammates Alex de Minaur and Jordan Thompson played against each other, despite their long friendship. 


De Minaur admitted that it felt strange to win the first set 6-0 against his friend, but he knew they had to play seriously on the court. He said that when friends face each other, it doesn't always lead to the best quality match because they know each other's weaknesses so well.


This situation has happened many times in tennis history. One famous example is Serena and Venus Williams, two of the greatest players in women's tennis. Their matches were often disappointing because they knew each other so well. Another example is the rivalry between Russian players Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, who are so close that Rublev is the godfather to Medvedev’s daughter. Medvedev usually wins their matches, and while it may feel awkward, once they’re on the court, both players want to win.


In 2017, friends Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens played each other in the U.S. Open final, with Stephens winning easily. Keys said that if she had to lose to anyone, she was glad it was to Stephens.


Tennis history is full of stories of players who were friends but had to compete at the highest level. Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova faced each other 80 times in the 1970s and 1980s. They were very close friends, but when Navratilova started winning more often, Evert realized that their friendship was affecting her game.


Some players, like Novak Djokovic, believe that being friends with their biggest rivals is impossible. Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer were the top three players in men's tennis for years, but Djokovic said they were never friends because they were competing against each other for the biggest prizes in the sport. 


The same is true for other rivalries, like Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras. Their rivalry was so intense that it created tension between them, even during a charity match.


Some players, however, have found a way to balance friendship and competition. Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka, for example, remain friends off the court but compete fiercely on it.


As for Fritz and Tiafoe, their different personalities have helped them stay close. Fritz is quieter, while Tiafoe is more outgoing and always cracking jokes. Despite their different styles, they’ve supported each other throughout their careers. 


As they prepare to face each other in the U.S. Open semifinals, both know that they are living the dream they had as young players. Playing a friend in such an important match may be uncomfortable, but it’s also what they’ve been working toward their whole lives.


Adapted from The Times


Multiple Choice Questions:


1. Who will Taylor Fritz play against in the U.S. Open semifinals?  

   a) Novak Djokovic  

   b) Jack Draper  

   c) Frances Tiafoe  

   d) Daniil Medvedev  



2. How does Taylor Fritz feel about playing against his friend Frances Tiafoe?  

   a) He loves it  

   b) He finds it uncomfortable but also fun  

   c) He doesn’t care  

   d) He feels confident and relaxed  


3. What does Draper say about playing against his friend Jannik Sinner?  

   a) It’s easy to beat a friend  

   b) It’s hard to play against a friend  

   c) He always wins against friends  

   d) He never wants to compete with a friend  


4. Which famous sibling rivalry is mentioned as an example of awkward matches between friends?  

   a) Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer  

   b) Serena and Venus Williams  

   c) Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova  

   d) Novak Djokovic and Pete Sampras  


5. What did Fritz say about his head-to-head record against Tiafoe?  

   a) He always loses  

   b) He has a 6-1 winning record  

   c) They’ve never played before  

   d) Tiafoe has won more matches  



True/False Questions:


1. Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe have been friends since their early teens.  

   True / False


2. Jannik Sinner and Jack Draper are competing in the women’s semifinals.  

   True / False


3. Medvedev and Rublev are so close that Rublev is the godfather to Medvedev’s daughter.  

   True / False


4. Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova played each other 80 times during their careers.  

   True / False


5. Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer were close friends throughout their careers.  

   True / False


6. Serena and Venus Williams often had highly competitive and intense matches against each other.  

   True / False


7. Fritz said it is always easy to play against a friend because it helps him stay focused.  

   True / False








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