Video - When Tiafoe lost a Davis Cup match on a penalty point

Adrien Guyot

le 14/09/2025 à 15h35

2 min to read

Griekspoor Tiafoe

Frances Tiafoe and the Davis Cup, it's not really a love story. The American has only won one match in the competition since his debut in 2018, in eight singles encounters. That was in 2021 against Nicolas Mejia and Colombia (4-6, 6-3, 7-6).

During the second round of the 2025 Davis Cup qualifiers this weekend against the Czech Republic, the world's 29th-ranked player lost to Jiri Lehecka (6-3, 6-2) and then to Jakub Mensik (6-1, 6-4).

In 2023, during the finals, Tiafoe lost to Tallon Griekspoor after a thrilling match (6-3, 6-7, 7-6), sealing his country's defeat against the Dutch in a group stage format before a knockout phase starting from the quarter-finals.

With the score at 1-0 for the Netherlands, Tiafoe wanted to bring his team level, but did not succeed. Griekspoor was serving at 5-2 in his favor in the decisive tie-break of the third set when his first serve to the T was called out by a line judge.

After the Dutchman used his challenge, the ball was ultimately in, and the chair umpire then awarded the point to the server, giving him four match points. Furious at this decision, Tiafoe, who was in the trajectory, hoped the point would be replayed, but it was not.

Frustrated, he then broke his racket but, having already received a warning during the match, he was ultimately given a penalty point which cost him the match (see video below).

The United States then fell heavily to Finland (0-3), and despite a win against Croatia on the first day, the USA could not advance past the group stage. Additionally, the United States, the most decorated nation in Davis Cup history with 32 titles, has not won the silver bowl since 2007.