The second week of Roland Garros is heating up as QF battles loom large on both the WTA and ATP sides. With the 14-time champ Rafael Nadal bidding an emotional farewell on May 25, the spotlight now shifts to the rising stars chasing clay-court glory. Today, however, all eyes are on the men, especially Frances Tiafoe, aka Big Foe, who’s set to face Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti on the grand stage of Philippe Chatrier. Still torn on who to root for? Well, former American ace Steve Johnson isn’t! He’s thrown his support behind Tiafoe, calling it an even matchup, but confidently backing the American firepower. His thoughts?

Before diving into what 35-year-old former American ace Steve Johnson had to say, let’s rewind the season for both quarterfinalists in a flash. Italy’s 8th seed, Lorenzo Musetti, had a shaky start to 2025 but has hit peak form on clay. Entering Monte-Carlo with a 7-5 record, Musetti surged into the spotlight with a finals appearance there, followed by SF runs in both Madrid and Rome, marking a strong clay-court campaign heading into France.

On the other side, American Frances Tiafoe entered Roland Garros with a 13-12 season record. Despite early exits at most clay events, he found rhythm in Houston, reaching the final. He competed in Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, and even Hamburg, but couldn’t make deep runs. Now, as the matchup stands evenly poised, Johnson has weighed in, predicting a tight battle but expressing hopeful confidence in the American to edge through.

Speaking on the latest episode of the “Nothing Major” podcast with John Isner and Sam Querrey, former American pro Steve Johnson weighed in on the highly anticipated Roland Garros QF between Frances Tiafoe and Lorenzo Musetti. Johnson started by giving the matchup a balanced call while citing Tiafoe’s current momentum and love for the big stage. “I honestly think it’s 50/50, just the way Frances’s confidence is going, you know. Frances is going to be on Philippe-Chatrier most likely. He loves the big lights. He loves the bright lights. He plays his best tennis. If he’s not feeling as confident as he ever has on a clay court at this moment, then I’d be shocked,” Johnson added.

He went on to highlight the added pressure Musetti might be feeling in this rare GS quarterfinal appearance, suggesting it could tip the scales in Big Foe’s favor. “And then for Musetti, he’s now in the quarters of a slam, he’s often not going to be, he’s not in this situation too many times, and he’s often not going to be the favorite. So now he, I would assume, feels a little bit of pressure just being in that regard. So I’m going to say 50/50. I think Francis has a great chance to win this. The guy’s playing great, great tennis,” he added.

Well, for the H2H count, Tiafoe and Musetti have faced off five times on tour, with the American holding a narrow 3-2 edge. However, only one of those matches came on clay, Musetti’s preferred surface, which he won in 2023. Their rivalry dates back to 2021 in Acapulco, with the most recent clash taking place in Cincinnati in 2024.

And as the stage is set on the iconic Philippe Chatrier court, Tiafoe is more than ready to light up Paris and make a defining statement on the red dirt this time.

Frances Tiafoe reveals he’s doing something no one else is at Roland Garros

Prior to the start of the Roland Garros, Frances Tiafoe made headlines after admitting he smashed a racket in frustration during practice because of his unsatisfactory form. But since then, the American ace has turned things around in style. After fine-tuning his game, Big Foe is now thriving in Paris like never before. The 27-year-old reached his 1st-ever French Open QF after defeating Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(4) in the 4th round, without dropping a single set all tournament.

What stood out in that win was Tiafoe’s tactical shift, his aggressive forays to the net. The 16th seed charged the net 37 times and won 30 of those points, showing a level of clay-court creativity rarely seen in today’s baseline-dominated era. Asked about this bold approach during a TNT Sports segment after his match, Tiafoe explained his strategy with typical candor and flair.

“I think nobody does it. Everybody is expecting you to hold back and do it,” Tiafoe added. “All of a sudden I was like grass court season is right around the corner, so I am just going to start prepping for that. But it’s working! Guys kind of panic like why is this guy coming in on clay? Why am I feeling so rushed on clay?”

“Since nobody really comes in any more because everyone hits the ball so pure from the back, people don’t pass that great, especially if you can stick the first volley. It has been working and believe me, I am going to keep coming!” Tiafoe concluded.

With this fearless net play and his trademark energy, Tiafoe is certainly making a statement in French capital. The question now is: will it be enough to outmaneuver the red-hot Italian in their quarterfinal showdown?