The result didn’t go his way, but Frances Tiafoe knows how to leave a lasting impression. The American, who’s had a mixed bag this season and is still on the lookout for his first win of 2025, gave it everything in Montreal. He picked up two gutsy, three-set wins in Toronto—against Watanuki and Vukic—pushing both players to the brink and coming out on top. But against Alex de Minaur? His resilience only earned him a set. Still, it was enough for the Aussie to tip his hat to him.

On Sunday, Tiafoe and de Minaur squared off for the fourth time since 2022. Frances had outlasted Alex before, but in Montreal, the Aussie wanted revenge—and he took it. Frances snatched a set, but Alex dug deep, saving two huge break points at 3-3. Then, he broke through in the ninth game, clinched an epic point at 4-4 and 40-40, then served it out to seal victory. After a marathon two hours and 24 minutes, it was the 27-year-old’s grit and persistence that saw him through.

His opponent didn’t hold back in talking about Frances’s level. “It was never going to be easy, and Frances, he’s got the ability to turn the switch on whenever he wants, so it’s very tricky to kind of put him away. And I think I battled him, I battled myself, I battled the conditions today—there was a lot going on—and I’m happy that I was able to sneak away with a win today.” Tiafoe definitely gave him a scare.

Alex de Minaur shot out of the gates fast in Montreal, grabbing the opening set 6-2. Frances could barely buy a first serve—just 39 percent landed. That’s a nightmare against someone as speedy and sharp as de Minaur. Alex pounced on Frances’s second serve, scooping up a huge 64 percent of those points. The first set flew by, and de Minaur looked locked in. Not so fast.

The script flipped in the second set. Big Foe started going for it, launching winners—and yes, sprinkling in a few errors. The game plan worked: only six winners and 20 unforced errors in the first set, but he bumped that up to 12 winners and brought the errors down to 16 as he went on the attack and stole the set.

De Minaur felt the pressure. He just couldn’t keep up with the power Frances brought late in the set, winning only 13 of his final 29 serve points and giving up a critical break. “I think I did, but it definitely was nowhere near where I wanted to be. In fact, it was probably the reason why I lost that second set, because I was up a break a couple times, and I just couldn’t find the first serve. So, I think everyone’s talked about how difficult the conditions are with the balls, but when you have the wind, it makes it so much harder.” de Minaur explained, summing up the battle—and the battle with himself.

Coming back to Frances, this match marks another setback. Still, he’s enjoyed the American leg of the tour so far. Last month, he was thrilled to be in DC, finally back on home turf after surviving clay and grass abroad. However, while he hasn’t had much luck, Tiafoe knows how deadly his skills can be.

Frances Tiafoe gives himself a pat on the back

Tiafoe has been electrifying tennis since turning pro in 2015, dazzling fans with his wild flair and unpredictability. This spring, he charged to the French Open quarterfinals—the deepest by an American man in Paris since Andre Agassi in 2003. Just as quickly, hope flickered out with a first-round loss at the HSBC Championship to kick off grass season. Still, Tiafoe’s signature shot—the wild, whippy forehand—keeps everyone talking and guessing.

His forehand isn’t just a stroke; it’s a spectacle. While most follow the textbook, Tiafoe launches his with exaggerated flair and energy, almost as if he’s unleashing chaos on purpose. Instead of controlling the shot, he lets it fly, creating a weapon that leaves opponents scrambling.

On ‘The Changeover’ podcast in June, Tiafoe revealed its origin: “That was super funny… I used to have a normal forehand. Then I went to Les Petits, skipped practice for a week and a half, came back out, and I was like, Yo, I can’t hit a forehand.” His strong semi-western grip forced constant improvisation—one day, hitting against a wall, something just clicked. “I went on the wall and came back and just got all stiff with it. It felt right. I was like, yeah, this will do for a little bit. I was like, yeah, I can cook dudes.”

Now, although his Canadian Open campaign ended early, don’t count out Big Foe yet! Cincinnati is next, where last year he surged to the finals before falling to Jannik Sinner. But this year, armed with more belief and a nod from Alex de Minaur, Frances Tiafoe rolls into Cincy as a true challenge. Could this be his big Masters moment?