Frances Tiafoe calls it "comical" that Lorenzo Musetti wasn't defaulted for Roland Garros incident

After exiting his first Roland Garros quarterfinal, Frances Tiafoe took no prisoners when asked about the warning opponent Lorenzo Musetti was issued for kicking a ball—and accidentally hitting a line judge:

Q. I just wanted to ask you about the incident in the second set when Musetti kicked a ball, and it hit a line judge. These are always strange incidents in tennis. I wondered what your view was on that and what it's like for you on the other side of the court. Maybe it's going through your head that this could be a potential default situation? It must be strange.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, I mean, obviously he did that and nothing happened. I think that's comical, but it is what it is. Nothing happened, so there's nothing really to talk about. Obviously it's not consistent, so it is what it is.

Tiafoe was down a set when the incident occurred, and the American was able to level the match and keep things close deep into a third set before Musetti nabbed a crucial break to reclaim momentum and win, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.

It was right to have a warning, but I think the umpire saw that there was no intention about that, and that's why probably just, you know, let me continue my game. Lorenzo Musetti

“Yeah, honestly it was really unlucky coincidence,” Musetti said in his own post-match press conference. “Yeah, I was a little bit, honestly, scared, because I really didn't want to harm nobody, of course. So, I immediately went to the line umpire, and I of course said, Sorry, I apologize to everyone.”

The incident comes two years after doubles player Miyu Kato was defaulted from a Roland Garros match after hitting a ball girl, a decision that caused controversy given the apparently accidental nature of the hit.

“It was right to have a warning, but I think the umpire saw that there was no intention about that,” Musetti explained, “and that's why probably just, you know, let me continue my game.”

For his part, Tiafoe didn’t blame the incident for his loss, and comes away from a career-best Roland Garros result with a new attitude towards what has traditionally been his least favorite surface—and a boosted motivation as he heads into the grass- and hard-court swings.

“Last bunch of clay court seasons have kind of just been an eye-roll situation,” Tiafoe said. “Like, ‘Oh, man, this is like just kind of watching paint dry. Can't wait for the season to pass.’

“Now, to be able to make quarterfinal slams, gonna probably change the way I approach it next year, this season in general. And obviously, I'll be coming here ready to play, for sure, next year. So, I'm really happy about that.

“I still haven't scratched the surface generally. I've had some good runs and that's cool, but I really feel like I can really be at the end of these type tournaments. I haven't done it yet, and that's what's going to keep me going and keep me excited to do more.”