Frances Tiafoe: Son of a construction worker, now one of USA’s youngest ATP title winners

When he used to practice with second-hand racquets at the College Park Tennis Club in Washington DC in the early 2000s, little Francis Tiafoe had a dream – a big one, considering his father was a construction worker and then a maintenance guy at the club: to play Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal at the US Open.

This he partly realised when he played Federer at the Miami Open last year (where the Swiss outclassed Nadal in the title clash).

But Tiafoe’s grown bigger than his childhood dreams. Because to become one of America’s youngest ATP champion since Andy Roddick wasn’t in his list of wishes (or at least, he doesn’t mention that in his story he wrote for The Players Tribune).

Tiafoe, as a wildcard, captured his first ATP Tour title on Sunday, defeating Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk in the Delray Beach Open final to become the youngest American to win a ATP Tour title in 15 years.

“While my dad worked, I picked up the game during nights and weekends at the facility when the other kids weren’t around,” he wrote in The Players Tribune. “I’d hit against the wall by myself, mimicking techniques I had seen older boys at the academy do. I’d imagine I was playing against Rafa or Roger in the US Open, that those guys were just on the other side of the wall.”

Racquets were lent to him, tennis he learnt and loved. Initially though, he had no teachers; he’d practice at night the shots the more affluent kids played during the day. Then, the College Park Tennis Club – one of Washington’s biggest tennis centres – took him in.

For a race to become the top tennis player in the world, Tiafoe had to run hard to the starting line.

So, when he told his parents about playing professionally, his dad approved with a laugh, perhaps amused and amazed Tiafoe’s dreams, but his mom was scared. Professional tennis – with its requirements of foreign travel, equipment, coaches and all – isn’t cheap. His mother, like many concerned middle-class mothers in India would, wanted him and his twin brother Franklin to go to college.

“She and I fought about the decision for years, even after I turned pro and started making a little money,” he wrote.

“I knew I had an ability to help my family and my community in a way that my peers at the academy couldn’t. No matter what they ended up doing after tennis, they were going to be fine. For me, there was so much more at stake. Tennis was my way out.”

Experiencing Federer at Miami

For those who aren’t among the top, every stop in the ATP tour is a struggle, every loss is a waste of opportunity and their savings. But e laboured up the ATP ladder, toiling for points and a little pride. Then, he realised his dream, sort of, in Miami last year when he played Federer.

“When I stepped onto the court, I got a great ovation – I honestly thought, wow, this is crazy. 14,000 people are screaming their asses off for me. But then Roger walked out. The whole ground shook,” he wrote.

He went down 5-7, 6-3 to the Swiss great, who was in roaring form. But the loss was a lesson: it taught him what it’s like to face a great tennis player in top flight.

“That’s a moment I’ll hold onto forever – a moment when I knew I was on the verge of something bigger than myself.”

Moving up

In this last two-weeks he has won seven tour matches. Among those recent victories is a second-round win over 10th-ranked Juan Martin del Potro this week.

“I told you guys I was going to get him,” said Tiafoe about beating Gojowczyk in the final. “All the guys were texting me, ‘You have to take him out.’”

Sunday’s win will take Tiafoe to 61 in the rankings. He entered last week’s New York Open, where he reached the quarterfinals, with nine total career ATP tour-level match victories.

“Now I’m in a position not only to help myself, but help fund my family,” Tiafoe said. “It’s an unbelievable place to be in and it’s bigger than tennis.”

US hasn’t had a man challenging to win Slams since the days of Roddick. At 20, Tiafoe could fill the void. And, this year, he’s well-placed (depending on the draw) to realise his childhood dream of taking on Federer or Nadal at the US Open.