When Madrid was shrouded in darkness on Monday, it led to a frustrating day of canceled matches and lost connections lasting six to ten hours. A massive power outage swept across much of the Iberian Peninsula, plunging the Madrid Open into chaos. Tennis stars like Coco Gauff, Marta Kostyuk, Mirra Andreeva, and others were caught in the turmoil. Some panicked, others found humor in the unusual situation. Electronic line-calling systems went down, adding to the confusion. But it also gave players a rare chance to just sit back and do nothing. Frances Tiafoe emerged from the darkness with some wise words!
On Tuesday, after beating Alexandre Muller 6-3, 6-3 in the round of 32, the American 16th seed was thrilled to advance. After nearly winning a title in Houston following a two-year drought, and early exits at Monte Carlo and Barcelona, moving into the round of 16 on clay meant a lot to him. You might think the blackout would throw him off, but not at all!
Speaking to Tennis Channel post-match, he was asked how the outage affected him. He said, “It’s one of those things, man. Again, it’s how you look at the glass. You start to realize, you know, no one, no man or woman, is bigger than life itself, right?? You know, it just normalizes everything. And it’s the kind of thing you get used to laugh about it, man.” Pretty profound, right?
Tennis – Wimbledon – All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain – July 5, 2024 Frances Tiafoe of the U.S. in action during a break in play in his third round match against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
This comes from Frances, who’s always on the move in the pro tennis grind-a routine he’s criticized before. He called it a “joke” when expected to skip Christmas to be in Australia for Brisbane. “I love, I love being away from tennis, like, I love, like, being a friend. I feel like I’m a very normal guy.” But duty calls.
During the blackout, all electronics went dark-from traffic lights to cell networks. WTA’s Coco Gauff even said there was no running water in the locker rooms for players to shower after matches. Yet, Tiafoe found beauty in the silence.
He added, “Worrying is not going to change it. Stressing out is not going to change it. And it’s kind of nice, the phone’s not working either. So it’s kind of just really disconnected and just chill, crack jokes, play cards. And whatever happens, happens.” Coming from someone who’s faced many ups and downs, that’s valuable insight.
Tiafoe’s tennis journey started from humble beginnings. Born to refugee parents, he and his twin lived at a tennis center where their dad worked. Early exposure and talent earned him free training. But he faced bullying for hand-me-down rackets and clothes, and breaking into the ATP circuit was tough.
In the past two years, Tiafoe reached a career-high ranking of No. 10 and made the 2024 US Open semifinals, also winning Houston in 2023. Yet, inconsistent results and early Grand Slam exits dropped him to No. 17 by late April 2025, with about 85 wins and 57 losses in that period.
When the power went out, Frances said it wasn’t too bad once the initial chaos passed. “It was a little wild getting out of here yesterday. Everyone’s going to bounce at one time, but, man I was happy when the power came back. You don’t realize how big that is until it’s gone.” Wise words from the American indeed!
And when the lights finally returned, Frances shared a heartfelt note on social media, joining his fellow players in celebrating the power’s return.
Frances and the players share their thoughts on the blackout
Frances Tiafoe was scheduled to play Frenchman Alexandre Muller in the round of 32, but their match got bumped to Tuesday thanks to the massive power outage. Reacting to the chaos, Tiafoe posted on his Instagram Stories: “Crazy day in Spain…Portugal….France and other surrounding countries. I hope everyone is okay after this crazy power outage. Be safe y’all sheesh a day to remember Thankful for the power to be back on .” That pretty much sums up the wild vibe of the day.
Coco Gauff’s post-match interview was cut short when her microphone died mid-sentence after her 6-4, 6-2 win over Belinda Bencic. She said, “It was pitch-black, and I got the gist that the power went out. I thought it was just us and then I realised it was the whole country, that’s just insane.” With no running water, players couldn’t shower. “I just had to take baby wipes and wipe myself, spray some perfume, and call it a day,” she added. Gauff also reflected on how much we depend on electricity, marveling at how people lived before it.
Taylor Fritz cracked a joke about the outage, posting, “Have they tried unplugging and plugging it back in?” Jack Draper, who moved on after Matteo Berrettini withdrew, took a more chill approach. On X, he said, “I was actually enjoying it. I’m a bit of a minimalist… It was actually so nice to have no phones and none of that other bu**** going on in the world. You just try and focus on what’s important. I ended up reading like 10 pages of a book. Usually I don’t read at all. So it was interesting.” Definitely a silver lining for some.
Now that the power’s back, all eyes are on Frances Tiafoe as he prepares to face Matteo Arnaldi after beating Muller. Having won against Arnaldi at Wimbledon 2024, he looks ready to keep his streak alive. The blackout was a wild curveball, but the players handled it with humor and grace. Will Frances push through and go far? Drop your thoughts below!
The post “Get Used to Laugh About It,” Frances Tiafoe Unearths Life Lessons as Madrid Blackout Becomes a Heavy Teacher appeared first on EssentiallySports.
