Latest news with #Frances Tiafoe
The Guardian
09-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘People see themselves in me': Frances Tiafoe on being a tennis trailbazer in a mainly white sport
Frances Tiafoe is in his element when he talks passionately about the growing presence of black and mixed heritage players at the highest levels of men's tennis. During a stroll on tournament grounds he reels off the names of players he competes with regularly on the tour. 'Now they're at a position where I have wars with them and go back and forth. So this is great, man. It's great to see,' he says. 'And then you have Giovanni [Mpetshi Perricard], you have Gaël [Monfils], who I looked up to.' Seconds after Tiafoe mentions his name, Monfils suddenly appears from around a corner as if magically summoned by the American's utterance. His arrival naturally leads to a pause in this interview as an excited Tiafoe greets Monfils by heaping praise on his new haircut, particularly focusing his attention on the Frenchman's sleek fade. Monfils responds with a compliment of his own: 'You're looking like a wedding day,' he says, laughing. This encounter perfectly encapsulates the dynamic between two different generations of black players in a sport where their success immediately marks them as trailblazers. Although they step on to the court with the sole intention of beating each other, there is also a deep understanding between them and they are extremely supportive. 'He texts me all the time,' says Tiafoe. 'He tells me, like: 'Yo, you can do this.' Don't get it twisted, when he plays he still wants to beat my ass and so do I, but it's just a lot of love.' Tiafoe, at No 14 in the rankings is the third-highest ranked US man behind Taylor Fritz, the world No 4, and Ben Shelton, who won the Toronto Masters 1000 on Thursday night, but in terms of name recognition the 27-year-old has become the most prominent US male tennis player in years. His matches attract NBA stars like Kevin Durant, he breaks bread with Taylor Swift and has earned a fan in Michelle Obama. In recent weeks Tiafoe has been name-dropped in songs from the rap duo Clipse and the rapper Wale. 'I still think he's the player on tour with the most clout, like every celebrity knows him, or he knows every celebrity. He's mentioned in two rap songs, so he's pretty iconic,' says Coco Gauff, laughing. Tiafoe, for his part, believes his burgeoning profile underlines the importance of tennis reaching beyond its traditional audience: 'Just to be able to be in a position where I get crossover, people want to be a part of things I'm doing in a predominantly white sport. They see themselves in me, in the sport, and they want to get behind me. Hopefully I'm able to get that done,' he says. There is also simply nobody like Tiafoe. His extroverted character and bluntness can be abrasive to some spectators, but he is kind, warm and has time for everyone. Laughter is never far from his lips, which makes his energy infectious. He has also deliberately made a point of using his platform to promote female athletes. When he is not playing, he is often at WNBA games and he wears player jerseys throughout the tennis season during practice. He is friends with many female basketball players. 'I think [female athletes] just need to get their flowers,' says Tiafoe. 'They put in the work, just like we do. They just need to be getting their love, their notoriety, their compensation. Let them smell their flowers. That's kind of what it is. And I think more women should support women, to be honest with you, because it's a beautiful thing. It's not just me showing up and supporting it. It's me showing up and watching a good product.' In addition to his support for women's sport, Tiafoe has also actively tried to help certain female tennis players follow in his path. His success has paved the way for others at the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC), his childhood tennis club near Washington DC, particularly the WTA players Hailey Baptiste and Robin Montgomery. This year, while also working with Franklin Tiafoe, Frances's twin brother, Baptiste has enjoyed a breakout season, reaching the top 50. Both players cite Tiafoe as a mentor they have constantly sought advice from and he has tried to be on hand to help them in any way he can. He takes great pride in their success. 'I'm still young – I've still got a lot more to achieve. I still haven't scratched the surface of my career. But with them, I've already won in so many ways,' says Tiafoe. 'So it's kind of how you look at the glass, but it's amazing to be in that seat. It's a blessing.' Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion During tournaments, Tiafoe can sometimes be found training with other female players, which is still an unusual sight. He describes Jessica Pegula as his favourite training partner on the WTA: 'She hits the ball so pure and right in pocket every time,' he says. 'She's pretty relaxed as well. But she doesn't want to hit with me any more. She's made some finals now in some slams, 1000s, and she doesn't want to talk to me as much any more. She got too big time for me. She forgot about the little people.' Such is his jovial nature, Tiafoe is often the butt of jokes among his friends on the tour. They tease him for his questionable organisational skills, his lack of punctuality and his general unseriousness. His driving has also come under fire. Offered a platform to defend himself against his friends' scorn, Tiafoe smiles. 'I just recently got my license, so I was definitely shaky in the early days, probably when they were saying it,' says Tiafoe. 'But I'm definitely nice [at driving]. I'm definitely [Lewis] Hamilton 2.0 behind the wheel so I don't worry too much about it.' The story of Tiafoe's past has already been told countless times, but it can never be repeated enough. The son of Sierra Leonean parents who immigrated to the United States, Tiafoe spent much of his formative years at the JTCC, where his father worked as a janitor. He has defied almost impossible odds to establish himself as one of the best tennis players in the world. After reaching his second grand slam semi-final at the US Open last year, when he lost to Fritz in five sets in heartbreaking fashion, this year Tiafoe will attempt to rediscover the magic on courts that have regularly inspired his best. Regardless of what awaits him as he enters the prime years of his career, however, it is obvious that in many ways Tiafoe has already won. 'I'd tell guys from the [club] that I'd want to be a pro,' says Tiafoe. 'They would just clown and not take it seriously. I was always like: 'Don't worry, man. I'm going to be the last person laughing.' Here we are today.'
The Guardian
09-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘People see themselves in me': Frances Tiafoe on being a tennis trailbazer in a mainly white sport
Frances Tiafoe is in his element when he talks passionately about the growing presence of black and mixed heritage players at the highest levels of men's tennis. During a stroll on tournament grounds he reels off the names of players he competes with regularly on the tour. 'Now they're at a position where I have wars with them and go back and forth. So this is great, man. It's great to see,' he says. 'And then you have Giovanni [Mpetshi Perricard], you have Gaël [Monfils], who I looked up to.' Seconds after Tiafoe mentions his name, Monfils suddenly appears from around a corner as if magically summoned by the American's utterance. His arrival naturally leads to a pause in this interview as an excited Tiafoe greets Monfils by heaping praise on his new haircut, particularly focusing his attention on the Frenchman's sleek fade. Monfils responds with a compliment of his own: 'You're looking like a wedding day,' he says, laughing. This encounter perfectly encapsulates the dynamic between two different generations of black players in a sport where their success immediately marks them as trailblazers. Although they step on to the court with the sole intention of beating each other, there is also a deep understanding between them and they are extremely supportive. 'He texts me all the time,' says Tiafoe. 'He tells me, like: 'Yo, you can do this.' Don't get it twisted, when he plays he still wants to beat my ass and so do I, but it's just a lot of love.' Tiafoe, at No 14 in the rankings is the third-highest ranked US man behind Taylor Fritz, the world No 4, and Ben Shelton, who won the Toronto Masters 1000 on Thursday night, but in terms of name recognition the 27-year-old has become the most prominent US male tennis player in years. His matches attract NBA stars like Kevin Durant, he breaks bread with Taylor Swift and has earned a fan in Michelle Obama. In recent weeks Tiafoe has been name-dropped in songs from the rap duo Clipse and the rapper Wale. 'I still think he's the player on tour with the most clout, like every celebrity knows him, or he knows every celebrity. He's mentioned in two rap songs, so he's pretty iconic,' says Coco Gauff, laughing. Tiafoe, for his part, believes his burgeoning profile underlines the importance of tennis reaching beyond its traditional audience: 'Just to be able to be in a position where I get crossover, people want to be a part of things I'm doing in a predominantly white sport. They see themselves in me, in the sport, and they want to get behind me. Hopefully I'm able to get that done,' he says. There is also simply nobody like Tiafoe. His extroverted character and bluntness can be abrasive to some spectators, but he is kind, warm and has time for everyone. Laughter is never far from his lips, which makes his energy infectious. He has also deliberately made a point of using his platform to promote female athletes. When he is not playing, he is often at WNBA games and he wears player jerseys throughout the tennis season during practice. He is friends with many female basketball players. 'I think [female athletes] just need to get their flowers,' says Tiafoe. 'They put in the work, just like we do. They just need to be getting their love, their notoriety, their compensation. Let them smell their flowers. That's kind of what it is. And I think more women should support women, to be honest with you, because it's a beautiful thing. It's not just me showing up and supporting it. It's me showing up and watching a good product.' In addition to his support for women's sport, Tiafoe has also actively tried to help certain female tennis players follow in his path. His success has paved the way for others at the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC), his childhood tennis club near Washington DC, particularly the WTA players Hailey Baptiste and Robin Montgomery. This year, while also working with Franklin Tiafoe, Frances's twin brother, Baptiste has enjoyed a breakout season, reaching the top 50. Both players cite Tiafoe as a mentor they have constantly sought advice from and he has tried to be on hand to help them in any way he can. He takes great pride in their success. 'I'm still young – I've still got a lot more to achieve. I still haven't scratched the surface of my career. But with them, I've already won in so many ways,' says Tiafoe. 'So it's kind of how you look at the glass, but it's amazing to be in that seat. It's a blessing.' Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion During tournaments, Tiafoe can sometimes be found training with other female players, which is still an unusual sight. He describes Jessica Pegula as his favourite training partner on the WTA: 'She hits the ball so pure and right in pocket every time,' he says. 'She's pretty relaxed as well. But she doesn't want to hit with me any more. She's made some finals now in some slams, 1000s, and she doesn't want to talk to me as much any more. She got too big time for me. She forgot about the little people.' Such is his jovial nature, Tiafoe is often the butt of jokes among his friends on the tour. They tease him for his questionable organisational skills, his lack of punctuality and his general unseriousness. His driving has also come under fire. Offered a platform to defend himself against his friends' scorn, Tiafoe smiles. 'I just recently got my license, so I was definitely shaky in the early days, probably when they were saying it,' says Tiafoe. 'But I'm definitely nice [at driving]. I'm definitely [Lewis] Hamilton 2.0 behind the wheel so I don't worry too much about it.' The story of Tiafoe's past has already been told countless times, but it can never be repeated enough. The son of Sierra Leonean parents who immigrated to the United States, Tiafoe spent much of his formative years at the JTCC, where his father worked as a janitor. He has defied almost impossible odds to establish himself as one of the best tennis players in the world. After reaching his second grand slam semi-final at the US Open last year, when he lost to Fritz in five sets in heartbreaking fashion, this year Tiafoe will attempt to rediscover the magic on courts that have regularly inspired his best. Regardless of what awaits him as he enters the prime years of his career, however, it is obvious that in many ways Tiafoe has already won. 'I'd tell guys from the [club] that I'd want to be a pro,' says Tiafoe. 'They would just clown and not take it seriously. I was always like: 'Don't worry, man. I'm going to be the last person laughing.' Here we are today.'
Forbes
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Frances Tiafoe Celebrates Hometown With DC-Themed Lululemon Kit
Frances Tiafoe's DC Open kit features the colors of the NFL's Washington Commanders. When Frances Tiafoe takes the court for his first match at his hometown ATP tournament, the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open, there'll be no questions where his allegiances lie. The World No. 11 will walk onto the courts of the Fitzgerald Tennis Center sporting an array of DC-themed colors from Lululemon, highlighted by special-edition graphics on his hoodie and colors themed to celebrate the NFL's Washington Commanders. 'I love how bold it is,' Tiafoe tells me about the new kit. 'The burgundy and gold hit hard—it's loud in the best way, and it represents DC. Plus, seeing that DMV Made graphic on the off-court gear was a special moment for me.' At the tournament, Tiafoe will wear an on court kit featuring a Lululemon Metal Vent Tech Short Sleeve shirt in maize yellow and a Pace Breaker Linerless 7' short in autumn rust, both colors in the mainline Lululemon collection that serve as dead ringers for the colors of Tiafoe's hometown NFL team. It helps pay homage to Tiafoe's roots growing up in the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia), specifically playing tennis as a kid at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland. Frances Tiafoe in an all-blue kit from Lululemon during Roland Garros 2025. (Photo by Li Jing/Xinhua ... More via Getty Images) Tiafoe has long celebrated his love of sports and hometown teams, donning jerseys and gear from the Commanders, the NBA's Wizards, the WNBA's Mystics, the Maryland Terrapins of the NCAA and plenty more during practices. At the DC Open, along with his on-court colorway, Tiafoe will have a Lululemon Steady State Pullover in maize yellow and a Steady State Hoodie in autumn rust, both with a custom DMV Made graphic featuring a tennis court graphic and the coordinates of the courts he grew up playing on in College Park, similar to what he wore in Australia after signing with Lululemon in January. Working with the Canadian-based brand on kits in 2025 has been a new experience for Tiafoe. 'It's been a blast,' he says. 'Lululemon really lets me have a voice in what I wear, which makes it feel personal. We're not just picking colors; we're telling stories with every kit.' And they're personal stories. 'It's special,' he says about being the only athlete at tournaments in his kits. 'You feel that extra energy like, this was made for you. It gives me pride, confidence and it reminds me of the people I'm representing out.' The on-court kit for Frances Tiafoe at the DC Open. Tiafoe signed a new apparel sponsorship deal with Lululemon in early January, saying at the time he was eager to work with a brand newer in the tennis space because they care about both performance and style. Lululemon first signed Leylah Fernandez in 2022 and has steadily grown its support of the sport and product offerings designed for players of all levels. Lululemon says that a new wave of tennis products released in 2025 highlights the continued growth. With the DC-themed kit the latest from Tiafoe and Lululemon, the DC-area native doesn't plan to stop there. 'I want every style I wear to have meaning,' he says, 'whether it's repping a city, a cause or a part of who I am. Stay tuned, we're just getting started.' MORE: Lululemon Celebrating Frances Tiafoe With Oversized Vending Machines
