Frances Tiafoe offered a reward for the return of his racket after revealing it was stolen while he celebrated his second-round win at the French Open.
The American had just completed a 6-7 (5) 7-6 (5) 6-4 6-7 (1) 6-4 victory over Hubert Hurkacz lasting four hours and 43 minutes and went over to a section of fans courtside to celebrate.
Tiafoe was holding his racket as he was embraced by the supporters but, when he returned to the court, the racket was gone from his hand.
Tiafoe wrote on Instagram: "Unreal atmosphere on court 14 today. But I must say to the fan who took my racket at the end while I was celebrating with y'all. Can I please have it back.
"I’ll bless you with two tickets for my next match."
Speaking in his press conference later, Tiafoe revealed the message had worked, saying: "My guy’s going to go get it.
"I think I’m going to get it. In the States, I’m not getting the racket, but here, I feel like in Europe, they love tennis so much, I think I’m going to get it."
Detailing the moment, the 28-year-old said: "I hugged him with my racket in my hand, and then I was, like, my arm is getting stuck.
"But my mind’s going a thousand miles an hour, so at the time I’m trying to chill out, give my respects to my opponent, give my respects to the ref. And then you’re like, 'Wait, hold on, what’s was going on?’
"They were locking me in. I thought I was going to fall into the crowd at one point. But it was fun, it was a cool moment. But I actually need that racket."
It was not Tiafoe’s only brush with an over-enthusiastic fan after the American revealed one supporter informed him about Jannik Sinner’s loss mid-way through the match.
"Especially just being black and having black tennis fans in the match where they just don’t know what’s going on, (one guy was shouting), ‘Sinner is out and Big Foe is in’," added Tiafoe.
"I'm dying laughing. I was like, ‘This got to be an African dude’. I’m trying to keep it together. He said it repeatedly, for three minutes straight. It was insane. That’s how I found out."
