feature-image

USA Today via Reuters

feature-image

USA Today via Reuters

Tennis unfolded many inspiring and spine-chilling journeys of players, like that of Frances Tiafoe. The African-American tennis star, with Jack Sock, defeated the mighty duo of Roger FedererRafael Nadal to reach the final and claim the Laver Cup title. Federer had to retire with a defeat because of two budding players who battled throughout. Recently, Tiafoe made it to the Top 10 in the ATP rankings, besides Taylor Fritz. It was the first time in more than a decade that two Americans were in the Top 10. But Tiafoe had to break mountains to reach this level, and he did with the support of his family.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

In Netflix’s Break Point: Part 2, Tiafoe and his father talked about what made him achieve the remarkable feat and how their family stood like a rock and surpassed each obstacle.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was not just Frances Tiafoe who gave everything to the game

In the ninth episode of the series, Tiafoe and his father spoke about the financial struggles they had to endure. His father loved the game and was determined to train Tiafoe at the prestigious JTCC academy in Maryland.

Tiafoe Sr. said, “For somebody to go pro, you gotta pay like $40,000 a year just to be here. My yearly salary is not even that. At a young age, I tried to make them understand that you can’t have an opportunity like this and don’t make the best out of it. “

ADVERTISEMENT

article-image

Imago

Only a person with hunger, passion, and love for the game can understand what it is like to play a professional game. The vision of the father filled love for the game in the son, and his mother helped in fulfilling it. The episode starts with Tiafoe saying, “If you get a chance to change your life, you gotta grab it with both hands.”

ADVERTISEMENT

READ MORE: 10 Days Ahead of Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic to Take Frances Tiafoe’s Help in Making Final Touches Before Heading for His 8th Championships Crown

ADVERTISEMENT

The twenty-five-year-old also talked about how his mother took up two jobs so that he could access the best training. Tiafoe made them all proud with a historic win.

Tiafoe repaid the family in a historic moment

The ATP star’s mother worked as a nurse and also took night shifts so that his tennis career could shine. Tiafoe said, “Where I grew up, tennis was very inaccessible for black people. I mean, I’ll be an idiot to not take this opportunity right in front of me.” The career-defining moment for the tenth seed arrived at the US Open 2022.

ADVERTISEMENT

The man whose family migrated to America in the early 90s played against the legendary Rafael Nadal. Tiafoe had to play a match against a legend who holds the record of winning twenty-two Grand Slams, of which four are US Open titles.

article-image

The world was almost sure that Nadal could overpower him. But the boy who grew up devoting his life to tennis filled the Arthur Ashe Stadium with pure art. He played a game that the audience could not forget for decades. The commentators were also stunned by the artistic perfection Tiafoe manifested. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for every person in the stadium, and for Tiafoe, it was a sign of how he has progressed in his career.

ADVERTISEMENT

WATCH THIS STORY: ‘When You Grow Up Black In This Country..’ – 5 Years After Serena Williams’ Raging Meltdown, Former Coach Dissects The ‘Trauma’ And The Aftermath That Followed

ADVERTISEMENT

Share this with a friend:

Link Copied!

ADVERTISEMENT

Written by

author-image

Vadlamani Krishna

348 Articles

My journey as a sports writer could not have been more hyperbolic. Growing up, I buried myself in books and could not play any sport I wanted. So, I channeled my passion towards watching them extensively and imitating the players. My Master’s degree in Applied Psychology helped me understand the dynamics and thought processes of athletes. I enjoy watching the interviews of my favorite athletes as much as I enjoy their games. Gaining athletes’ perspectives helped me understand their gameplay better and why they chose a certain shot or made a specific decision. As an English literature and Journalism graduate, I tend to research extensively and store a lot of information that threatens to exhaust my memory. At ES, I have focused on writing elaborate perspectives, reporting interviews, controversial topics, and coresport news along with the occasional pop culture article. Movies, series, fiction, food, music, and painting are a few of the many things that keep my sanity in check. I highly anticipate current-generation tennis champions to spice the game up and create more on-court rivalries. I hope Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, and Carlos Alcaraz achieve their best and carve a place for themselves among the tennis legends.

Know more

Edited by

editor-image

Tony Thomas

ADVERTISEMENT