“Literally this week last year I was 10 in the world and now I’m barely seeded here, losing to clowns, I mean… I hate to say it, but I’m just gonna be honest with you guys,” Frances Tiafoe confessed at Wimbledon 2024, reflecting on his disappointing performance post 2023. For the American star, 2024 was anything but smooth. Despite flashes of brilliance, the year ended without a single title to his name. He came close to the U.S Open trophy, but compatriot Taylor Fritz shattered his dreams in the semifinals. Now, with the 2025 season in sight, Tiafoe believes “the game is open“. How?

The 26-year-old arrived in Brisbane earlier this week to compete in the Brisbane International, a 250 event, where he hopes to regain his momentum. Talking at a press conference ahead of the tournament, talked about how the off-season has been for him.“Yeah, it’s great. It’s been great to come back. I haven’t played here since I was 20 years old…It’s great to be back in the city of Brisbane. They really love their tennis here. It’s a great event, been around for such a long time. A lot of great champions have won here, so…Happy to be here. Happy to be part of such a great field. Super stacked tournament.”

Point to note: The American is making a return after early exits from 5 of his 6 tournaments since the US Open, where he missed the biggest opportunity, suffering a heartbreaking five-set loss with a score of 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1. “That’s not easy, yeah. That wasn’t easy. I really thought I could have been in the final there. Thought it was pretty one-sided until that point,” Tiafoe admitted.

He also praised Fritz, who became the first American player to reach the finals of the U.S Open after Andy Roddick in 2006. Tiafoe said, “Again, you have to tip your hat, man. Taylor battled, and he deserved to win. The guy who wins the match at the end of the day deserves to win. Happy it was an American at the end of the day. It was great to see him play a final. That’s only going to light the fire under me to keep going, keep working.” 

Despite his struggles in 2024, Frances Tiafoe remains confident about the ATP’s competitive landscape. The World No. 18 said, “Guys, we look at the tour totally different. The game is open. Even though Sinner has had an incredible season, Alcaraz, incredible, Novak. I still think the game is open. There’s no clear winner for any event. It obviously showed.” 

This perspective comes even as Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz have set the bar high. Sinner dominated 2024, claiming the Australian Open, US Open, and ATP Finals, all while leading his team Italy to a Davis Cup title. The 23-year-old ended the year as World No. 1, solidifying his place at the top. Alcaraz poised at No.3 wasn’t far behind. He claimed the other two slams of the season, namely, the French Open and the Wimbledon. He also earned an Olympic silver medal for his home country, Spain.

Though Tiafoe is confident he can take them down, the former World No.10 is currently trailing behind these rising stars. Sinner leads their head-to-head record 4-1, with their last match at the finals in Cincinnati ending in a dominant win for the Italian. Meanwhile, Tiafoe and Alcaraz have met thrice, with Alcaraz claiming 2 of the 3 matches. Their most recent clash being a four-set Wimbledon R32 battle won by the Spaniard. No matter the score, their 2025 showdowns will be an interesting sight for sure.!

Remember Frances Tiafoe’s meteoric rise in 2019? He had begun the year playing alongside Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion at the Hopman Cup in Perth, where he also faced Roger Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion. What an incredible start! The then-20-year-old had achieved a major breakthrough, advancing to the third round of the Australian Open. He had secured his most significant victory to date by defeating fifth seed Kevin Anderson 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5. Tiafoe pulled the biggest upset of the tournament so far, at the time.

Tiafoe and Alcaraz have already proven their ability to entertain. They have carved out a unique rivalry that thrives not just in tournaments but in high-profile exhibition matches. Guess who’s winning there?

Frances Tiafoe and Carlos Alcaraz keep fans hooked at their exhibition matches

On 2nd December, Frances Tiafoe stunned Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling 5-7, 6-1, 11-9 encountering an exhibition match in Charlotte. It gave fans a taste of their electrifying chemistry on court. Their next exhibition match, set to take place in Puerto Rico in March 2025, is already making waves.

Dubbed the “Battle of Legends,” the event sold out in just 24 hours, showcasing the immense pull these two players bring even outside traditional competition. And as one would not expect, the two rivals have also grown fond of each other.

During a press conference ahead of the Charlotte match, Alcaraz had only positive things to say about Tiafoe: “I think we have a really good relationship off the court. You know when we play on the court, we have huge respect for each other. And I think that’s great for tennis and for the competition.”

Tiafoe also humorously talked about their equation.

“Yeah, no, I agree. I mean, I think we’ve had some great battles. Obviously, we get along really well. He copies all the restaurants I go to. I run into him in a restaurant once in a tournament for sure. So that’s obviously pretty funny. But yeah, I mean, it’s been great, and he’s a hell of a player and will continue for a long time,” he said.

As the 2025 season approaches, Tiafoe is determined to move past a lackluster 2024 and make his mark. Will this be the year he finally takes his game to the next level?