Frances Tiafoe survived a grueling four-hour, 43-minute battle against Hubert Hurkacz at the French Open, winning 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-7 (1), 6-4 in the second round. The American let his emotions run wild after the forehand winner that sealed victory, sprinting into the crowd to celebrate with fans while still clutching his racket.

In the chaos of his embrace with spectators, Tiafoe's lime green racket disappeared. He realized the loss walking off court and joked with his team about being 'down a racket.' Coach Mark Kovacs suggested an Instagram plea, prompting Tiafoe to offer two tickets for his next match in exchange for its return.

The social media strategy worked quickly. Team members located the fan who had grabbed the racket during the celebration and snapped a selfie as proof. Tiafoe explained his urgency: he won the match with that specific racket and considers it good luck for upcoming rounds.

The third-round meeting with Portugal's Jaime Faria now awaits Tiafoe, who advances in the French Open with all eight of his trusted rackets accounted for. His recovery operation showed the lighter side of professional tennis while preserving what he believes brings success.