Frances Tiafoe suffered an unlucky mishap simply moments earlier than taking to the court docket at Indian Wells.
The American acquired a bye into the second spherical because the sixteenth seed and got here up towards Damir Dzumhur on the Tennis Backyard.
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He seemed calm and composed when strolling onto the court docket in entrance of a house crowd within the Coachella Valley.
Nonetheless, as soon as he set his bag down on his chair, Tiafoe realised he was lacking a key part to his possibilities of success – his racquets.
Upon realisation, he reduce a confused look earlier than his coach David Witt dashed away looking for his strings.
Tiafoe then walked as much as his opponent Dzumhur and defined the state of affairs to him in what was a weird prelude to the match.
Witt then emerged with the rackets they usually have been handed to the 27-year-old, who noticed the humorous facet of the blunder.
The gang cheered as he walked previous Dzumhur and again in the direction of his chair earlier than taking to the court docket for a tricky match.
Tiafoe gained the primary set earlier than going 5-1 down within the second, solely to show it round and seal a 7-6 [7-4] 7-6 [9-7] victory.
He gained with a powerful backhand and shouted in delight in the direction of the group as soon as his spot within the third spherical was confirmed.
Talking afterwards through the Day by day Specific, two-time US Open semi-finalist Tiafoe gave an trustworthy reflection of his comeback win.
“I used to be serving so poorly immediately so I needed to play so many lengthy factors and it was sort of what he needed and I couldn’t hit by way of him.
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“Ought to’ve come ahead possibly a little bit extra nevertheless it was powerful. He was defending so effectively immediately and I couldn’t hit as massive as I would really like.
“At 5-1, it’s so humorous, you sort of care much less. I began swinging the ball superb and abruptly began hitting large, threw numerous factors collectively actually quick.”
Tiafoe will face Yosuke Watanuki within the third spherical at Indian Wells, with the event already two main upsets within the males’s singles.
Alexander Zverev entered as the primary seed however misplaced 6-4 6-7 [5-7] 6-7 [4-7] to Tallon Griekspoor in a match that lasted simply over three hours.
Fourth seed Casper Ruud additionally suffered an early exit as he was crushed 6-7 [4-7] 6-3 2-6 by Marcos Giron.