"Going to practice wearing hand-me-downs... People are laughing at us": Frances Tiafoe opens up on childhood struggles, calls father Constant his rock

Frances Tiafoe recently opened up about his childhood struggles and recalled the days when he and his brother, Franklin Tiafoe, were trying to make it as professionals in tennis. He also revealed that his father, Constant, has been his source of support and had been his 'rock.'

Tiafoe's parents, Constant and Alphina Kamara, immigrated to the United States to escape the civil war in their home country. His father took on the role of head of maintenance at the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) and was provided with a spare office to live in. Meanwhile, Tiafoe's mother worked as a nurse at a hospital and took on part-time jobs.

In a recent episode of Nick Kyrgios' video podcast, 'Good Troubles with Nick Kyrgios,' Tiafoe opened up about the challenges he faced during his childhood. He recalled that due to the financial struggles, he and his twin brother Franklin would often wear hand-me-downs and use demo rackets. This led to ridicule from others when they participated in tournaments.

“There’s days where it got tough for me, my brother. We’re going to practice, and we’re wearing hand-me-down stuff or demo rackets, whatever you can play with. People are laughing at us, saying, ‘This guy thinks he can be a pro, or this guy is playing with holes in his shoes, whose shoes are those or Pikachu shirts and khaki shorts, and I’m playing tournaments, and they’re like, ‘That’s not even tournament equipment’ and I’m like, ‘This is all I got,’” he said (at 4:06).

Kyrgios had asked Frances Tiafoe as to who had been his 'rock' and his support system through all the hardships he went through during his childhood.

In response, Tiafoe shared that his father, Constant, was a source of strength for him. He revealed that Constant is very proud of his accomplishments and also mentioned that his girlfriend, Ayan Broomfield, and his brother, Franklin, have also been supportive.

"Yeah, my dad's definitely one. My dad was always saying, ‘It's not about where he starts but where you going.’ That sentence right there changed my life. He’s just so proud of me. He, my long-term girlfriend, and my twin brother," Frances Tiafoe said (at 5:05).

Tiafoe also emphasized the importance of family support during his formative years, stating how it has been instrumental in his success.

"I like a good family base. I think families are so big that you can just lean on them and they’ll tell you the room—stuff you’re not trying to hear but you need to hear. Yeah, I’ll probably say my whole family,” he added.

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Frances Tiafoe on the promise he made to his family during their struggling years: "I’m going to be a pro, going to take care of everybody"

Frances Tiafoe at the Erste Bank Open

While speaking to Nick Kyrgios at the aforementioned podcast, Frances Tiafoe shared that he and Franklin, sometimes had to stay overnight in his father's office while their mother Alphina Kamara worked night shifts to support the family.

“2–3 times a week I’ll get picked up from school and my dad is working, and me and my brother would have the ball against the wall, kind of joke around, we’d see the coaches, tell the players some stuff, and we would go to empty court and try to mimic it, like whiff and serves or whatever, but we’re trying to do it," Frances Tiafoe said (at 2:57).

Tiafoe revealed that they would spend several days a week at the tennis center and interact with players, coaches, and support staff. At times, during their stays, they would assist their father with tasks like picking up trash and maintaining the clay courts.

"Then my mom calls us, and she's like, ‘I’m working overnight; you’re going to the tennis center.' So we’re picking up trash, we're lining the clay courts, we’re doing all this, and I always go to my dad, and I’m like, ‘Man, this is crazy.’ He’s like, ‘Look man, this is going to play out one day.’ We’re sitting in the golf cart while he’s sweeping the place, saying, ‘It is going to pan out one day,’” he added.

Due to the hardships he and his family endured, Frances Tiafoe made a promise that he would turn professional and take care of them.

“I was like, ‘You know, I’m going to be the guy who is going to change that.’ He’s always chasing dreams; I’m doing this for the greater good, and so then the appreciation came. Anything that came my way, I was very appreciative. So yeah, I mean, then I’m just sitting there sleeping on the massage table with my dad and I’m like, ‘I’m going to be a pro; I’m going to take care of everybody,’” Frances Tiafoe said (at 3:35).

Seeded third, Tiafoe is currently scheduled to start his U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships campaign with a second-round match against James Duckworth on April 4.