Frances Tiafoe Battles Cramps, Vomiting to Win Australian Open Thriller

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Frances Tiafoe overcame severe cramps and vomiting to secure a dramatic five-set victory in his first-round match at the Australian Open on Monday. The No. 17 seed defeated France’s Arthur Rinderknech 7-6 (2), 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-3 in a grueling 4-hour, 8-minute battle at Melbourne Park.

Tiafoe, who turns 27 next week, was cruising with a two-set lead before his body began to break down. Up 5-2 in the fourth set, he failed to close out the match and later vomited on the court. Despite the physical toll, Tiafoe fought through the pain, crediting the importance of the Grand Slam for his determination. “Any other tournament, I would have pulled out, but it’s a Slam. I’m in the second part of my career, and these are the tournaments I care about the most,” Tiafoe told ESPN‘s Rennae Stubbs.

The American star, making his debut in Lululemon attire, relied on a mix of serve-and-volley tactics and drop shots to conserve energy in the decisive fifth set. He broke Rinderknech at love to take a 3-2 lead and sealed the match with a double break in the final game. “I really loosened up. At 5-3, I just didn’t care at all. I thought he was going to hold,” Tiafoe said. “Played some good points. He got a little tight there, I got lucky. That’s a big win.”

Tiafoe’s victory marks his first major breakthrough at the Australian Open since 2019, when he reached the quarterfinals. Since then, he has advanced to the semifinals at the U.S. Open twice, in 2022 and 2024. Despite the challenging conditions, Tiafoe dismissed the heat as a factor, attributing his physical struggles to overhydration. “It’s a tough time. … I feel like it’s really tough to prepare,” he said. “I’m happy I got through, happy everyone came out and enjoyed the four hours of tennis that was way longer than it should have been.”