The past comes back, but Frances Tiafoe is ready to look ahead. At Wimbledon, he started strong, taking the first set 6-4 against Cameron Norrie, but then he lost momentum, dropping the next two sets 6-4, 6-3. Facing pressure, Tiafoe took a lengthy bathroom break before the fourth set, which some saw as an attempt to disrupt Norrie’s rhythm. What bothered Tiafoe more was Norrie’s reaction: “He was super amped; he was saying, ‘Come on,’ from the first game, which was definitely annoying. That probably bothered me more than the crowd.” Now at the Citi Open, Tiafoe is ready to clear the air. On July 22, ahead of his match against Aleksandar Kovacevic in Washington, D.C., Tiafoe sat down for his pre-tournament press conference. When asked about moving to a new surface and his expectations, he was also asked if he’d thought about his Wimbledon match against British player Cameron Norrie and whether his frustration remained.

The American came across calm and composed, ready to start fresh. “I mean, obviously, it’s tough. I mean, you got to respect Cam as well. He made semis at the event before. He’s a top 10 guy. It’s not like I didn’t lose to anyone…” In a quick moment, realizing he might sound harsh, he added, “It’s not like I, you know, it was a bad loss, so to speak. I mean, he’s tough on grass,” he told the press.

Tiafoe and Norrie have faced off three times before today, with Frances holding a slight 2-1 edge. This will be their first meeting on grass, having played all previous matches on hard courts. Frances showed respect for his opponent and the home crowd, saying, “Even the weeks he had before that, it’s irrelevant. Everyone’s going to give a great push. Rumbling in the crowd was with him.”

Despite his sportsmanship, Frances’s frustration had been clear during Wimbledon—not just because of the crowd but because of Norrie’s actions on the court. Frances was seen trying to delay the Briton, drawing online backlash. He now reflects, “I thought I still had my chances and could have turned the match, but it happens and just kind of move on. I think it’s going to help me a lot.”

“It’s in the past, and now I’m looking forward to the next challenge,” he said. “I’m not really there anymore. I’m right where my feet are and happy to move on.” With flashes of brilliance this season, the American stepped onto the Citi Open stage with enthusiasm. And he’s also pumped for the US Open!

Frances Tiafoe reveals his thoughts on playing at home

Tiafoe is feeling recharged and ready as he gears up for the hard-court swing in the USA. In a conversation with Sports Illustrated, he exuded confidence. “I’m feeling good. I love the energy of the hard court season, especially in North America,” he said. His words land with even more weight knowing how much this part of the tennis calendar feels like home.

After a grass season that fizzled with a 1-2 record and a tough loss to Cameron Norrie in round two, Frances Tiafoe is resetting his focus on familiar territory. The hard courts are where he thrives, and the Citi DC Open isn’t just any stop on tour—it’s personal.

Frances Tiafoe honed his game just 30 minutes away in College Park, Maryland, at the Junior Tennis Champions Center, the very place his father helped build. Those early days, spent training with his brother Franklin and alongside talents like Hailey Baptiste and Robin Montgomery, shaped his journey. Now based in Boca Raton, Tiafoe carries those roots proudly back to D.C.

The local support means everything, and Tiafoe can’t wait to soak in the energy. “The fans bring the heat, the competition ramps up, and I feed off that,” he shared. Few things light him up like competing on American soil, especially with the crowd on his side and the stakes running high.

He’s tuned in, putting in the work, and is determined to deliver. “I’ve been putting in the work, and I feel like I’m in a great place mentally and physically. I’m ready to go.” With his fresh mindset and homegrown grit, the big question now is will Tiafoe channel all that energy into his showdown with fellow American Aleksandar Kovacevic? We’d love to hear what you’re thinking!