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Frances Tiafoe beat ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 4-1 ret. in the quarterfinals to make the last four of the US Open 2024. He has progressed to this stage for the second time in his career, and was beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals here two years ago.
Tiafoe will take on fellow American Taylor Fritz for a spot in the championship round. Both are gunning to become the first male player from the country to reach the final here since Andy Roddick in 2006.
After an inconsistent first half of the season, Tiafoe rediscovered his form during the summer hardcourt swing. He made the final of the Cincinnati Open a couple of weeks ago, and lost to Jannik Sinner. He has continued that momentum to record another deep run in New York.
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As Tiafoe finds himself in the spotlight yet again, here are some previously lesser-known facts about him as he prepares to take the US Open by storm:
#1 - Juan Martin del Potro was Frances Tiafoe's childhood idol
Tiafoe idolized del Potro while growing up. Aside from being a fan of his playstyle, he was also the first player to sign a tennis ball for him as a kid. He got the opportunity to compete against him on three occasions.
Del Potro won their first duel at the Mexican Open in 2017, and their next one at the Australian Open in 2018. Tiafoe beat him in the second round of the Delray Beach Open the following month in three sets. The American went on to win the title as well, his first on the ATP Tour.
Tiafoe is now on the cusp of following in his idol's footsteps. Del Potro won the US Open in 2009, and stunned five-time defending champion Roger Federer in the final. He also finished as the runner-up to Novak Djokovic in 2018. The American is a couple of wins away from laying his hands on the winner's trophy himself.
#2 - Frances Tiafoe's parents immigrated from Sierra Leone in the 1990s
Tiafoe's father, Constant, was the first to leave his native country in 1993, while the mother, Alphina Kamara, left the country three years later. Both moved to the United States after Sierra Leone was ravaged by a brutal civil war during that time.
Tiafoe's parents worked hard to make ends meet. His mother worked as a nurse, who had to work late nights as well from time to time. His father was part of the construction crew that built the Junior Tennis Champions Center in Maryland, and was later promoted to custodian of the facility.
This marked the beginning of Tiafoe's tennis journey, as they were given space to live on the premises, and he began training there regularly as well. He continued to train there until he moved to the USTA National Training Center in Florida as a teenager.
#3 - Frances Tiafoe has a twin brother
Tiafoe's twin brother, Franklin, also grew up playing tennis. The two trained together as kids. The latter represented his high school DeMatha Catholic High School, and then continued his tennis journey at Salisbury University. However, he didn't taste the same success as his brother on the pro tour.
#4 - Frances Tiafoe's charitable endeavors won him the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award in 2020
Tiafoe's off-court efforts resulted in him getting honored with the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award four years ago. The pandemic took a toll on everyone's health in more ways than one, and the American tried his best to help others during that time.
Tiafoe auctioned off signed collectibles and the proceeds were used for the benefit of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. He also used his platform to highlight the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement back then with his "Racquets Down, Hands Up" video message.
#5 - Frances Tiafoe is a huge follower of basketball
Tennis is not the only sport Tiafoe is obsessed with as he is an ardent lover of basketball as well. Kevin Durant and LeBron James top his list of favorite players, and he supports the Washington Wizards as a team. He is often spotted at basketball games during his downtime from tennis.
Tiafoe also participated in the NBA Celebrity All-Star Game last year, and was on Dwyane Wade's team. He teamed up with Janelle Monae, Simu Liu, Nicky Jam, and 21 Savage, among others, and ended up on the winning side.
