Tennis' biggest stars didn't just let their racquets do the talking in 2025. To look back on a memorable season, we're counting down some of the biggest winners in the press conference room and on the microphone—and Frances Tiafoe takes the top spot in our countdown for the stinging one-liner he delivered that cut through that cloud of controversy that marred his quarterfinal loss at Roland Garros.
Most viral moments: When Frances Tiafoe and Coco Gauff walked onto court without racquets
2025 proved to be a challenging year for the fan-favorite American, but an up-and-down season was decidedly on the upswing when he put together his deepest-ever run at Roland Garros in June. Previously dubbing clay-court seasons of prior years "an eye-roll situation," Tiafoe teamed with Tommy Paul to make recent history for the U.S. in Paris, as two American men were among the eight quarterfinalists for the first time since 1996.
But the good feelings quickly evaporated for both in that round: A physically-hampered Paul won just five games against eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, while Tiafoe was bundled out in four sets by Lorenzo Musetti—but only after the Italian was spared a sticky exit himself.