Tennis fans were enraged with a reporter's question to Frances Tiafoe about Roger Federer at the 2022 Laver Cup.
During a press conference, Tiafoe refused to apologize for spoiling the Swiss' swan song after he and Jack Sock defeated Federer and Rafael Nadal in a doubles match on Friday.
Tennis fans sided with the American and took to social media to express their anger at the "terrible" question, with one user saying "it deserved this answer."
"Apologize for what? For not throwing Roger a bone in his last professional match? Terrible question and it deserved this answer," said the fan.
Another fan opined that there was no need to "go easy" on soon-to-be-retiring legends.
"I think it's time to retire the idea that players need to go easy on departing legends. Everyone is out there to play the sport; beating a great player on their way out is by no means something to apologize for," they wrote.
Below are a few other reactions.
"It is an official ATP match. And the last person to want an apology, I think, would be a top ace like Federer. He doesn't want pity, I think," wrote one fan.
This is also Federer's very own created event," stated another. "As a legendary player and competitor its only expected the best of the best would be picked for it. as a competitor Federer would never expect an opponent to take it easy on him. You play to win, and you don't apologize for that."
"Roger himself would hate it if Tiafoe apologized. He appreciates those guys giving it their all," chimed in another fan.
Apologize for what? For not throwing Roger a bone in his last professional match? Terrible question, and it deserved this answer.
Tiafoe on being asked whether he apologized to Federer after beating him (I personally don't see why he should have either): "Absolutely not. I want to see him lit, but I'm not going to apologize to him. He's got a lot to apologize after the last 24 years, beating everybody."
