Frances Tiafoe seems to have stagnated a bit since cracking the Top 10, believes tennis journalist

Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim recently shared insights on Frances Tiafoe's slump in form on the tour of late. He also shared that he remains optimistic about the American's trajectory, hinting that the player's prime years are still very much alive.

In 2023, Tiafoe reached his career-high ranking of No. 10 in June, after winning his third career title in Stuttgart. However, he failed to yield promising results at Wimbledon, where he lost in the third round to Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets, 2-6, 3-6, 2-6.

The 25-year-old bounced back at the 2023 US Open, where he reached the quarterfinals, eventually losing to compatriot Ben Shelton in a thrilling four-setter, 2-6, 6-3, 6-7(7), 2-6. Since then, his form has dipped following early exits in the subsequent tournaments and slipping to No. 14 in the rankings.

As the 2023 season comes to an end, Wertheim gave his predictions for the Top-5 American tennis players in 2024, where he weighed in on Tiafoe's current standing.

"Frances Tiafoe seems to have stagnated a bit since cracking the top 10. But he’s still in his fat prime years," Wertheim wrote in Sports Illustrated.

Frances Tiafoe is currently participating in the 2023 Vienna Open, where he is seeded seventh.

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Frances Tiafoe to face Gael Monfils in the 2023 Vienna Open 2R

Frances Tiafoe at the 2023 Laver Cup

Frances Tiafoe will face Gael Monfils in the second round of the 2023 Erste Bank Open on Thursday, October 26.

Tiafoe, ranked No. 14 in the world, received a win by retirement against Dan Evans in the first round on Tuesday. The Brit was leading 4-1 when he pulled his right calf muscle attempting to sprint forward from the baseline.

Monfils, ranked No. 89, defeated Daniel Altmaier in the first round in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. The Frenchman has struggled with injuries and form in recent years, but showed signs of resurgence by winning his first title of the season in Stockholm last week.

This will be the third meeting between Tiafoe and Monfils, with the head-to-head record tied at 1-1. They last met during the Round of 16 at the 2021 Canada Open, where the latter won in straight sets, 6-1, 7-6 (2).

The match promises to be a thrilling contest of contrasting styles and personalities. Tiafoe former is known for his powerful forehand, aggressive baseline game, and fiery personality on the court.

The winner of this match will advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face either Jannik Sinner or Lorenzo Sonego.