LONDON: Almost four months on from winning his maiden ATP title, Frances Tiafoe is now breaking new territory on the grass courts.
The Next Gen star progressed to the quarter-finals of the Fever-Tree Championships with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, win over Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer. Making the tournament his best ever run on the grass at a professional event. He did so with the help of 10 aces and 23 winners, as well as 30 unforced errors.
“The grass wasn’t my favorite surface at all in the past. I’ve had unbelievable preparation, staying here (in London) after French Open, practicing on grass for a couple weeks and practicing at the LTA with a bunch of great players. It’s paying off, luckily.” Tiafoe said after the match.
It was a far from straightforward encounter. In the decider Tiafoe saw four break points come and go before clinching a 4-3 at the expense of a Mayer forehand error. The sole break was enough to secure the victory as he closed the match out with the help of a body serve.
“I thought it was a really good match. I played him once before in Shanghai in the quallies, last-round quallies. So I knew it was going to be tough today.” He commented about Mayer.
“I came out playing great. In the second set I had a little lapse, but third set was extremely tight and I was happy to get through.”
Tiafoe’s route into tennis is far from ordinary. His parents fled to America in order to escape the civil war in Sierra Leone. They only managed to enter the country by coming through the Green Card Lottery. A system where the US government allocated a total of 55,000 visas worldwide to countries with low immigration rates to America. Tiafoe learned to play tennis at a club in Maryland, where his father worked as a maintenance man before becoming a on-site custodian. During his childhood, he would stayed with his father, who was given accommodation on site.
Those childhood moments resulted in Tiafoe becoming one of his country’s biggest talents on the tour. At the age of 20 he has already played in nine grand slam main draws and reached three ATP finals (including one in the doubles). It was at this year’s Delray Beach Open where he got a breakthrough on the tour. Becoming the youngest American man to win a title since Andy Roddick back in 2002.
“It’s been a really good year for me. I’ve won a lot of matches unexpected. I started the year pretty poor.” Tiafoe evaluated about his season so far.
“I’m starting to just really enjoy it (the tour), take expectations off. Obviously a ton of young guys my age, Americans, have a lot of expectations. I kind of just went back to what I did best, enjoying the sport I love and whatever happens happens.”
Reflecting on his encouraging start on the grass, the 19-year-old confirmed that he is taking a different approach to this period of the year compared to what he has done in the past. In 2017 he only managed to win one out of four matches played on the surface.
“I’m trusting my movement a little more. Trying to get ahead of rallies more, leaning into my shots a little more instead of being more proactive than reactive.” He explained.
Awaiting Tiafoe in the quarter-finals at Queen’s will be France’s Jeremy Chardy, who defeated Daniil Medvedev 7-6(6), 6-3. Prior to this week, Chardy has already won 9 out of 10 matches played since the French Open.
“So far he’s been having an unbelievable grass court season. He won a big challenger. Made finals last week in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Obviously he’s feeling good.” He concluded about his upcoming opponent.
“I will Try and slow him down, try and get it done on Friday.”
