"It's a lot of love for a guy like me coming from such a humble background," Tiafoe's heartfelt reflections on returning home to Washington
Washington is a very special tournament for Frances Tiafoe. Born in the suburbs near the U.S. capital (Hyattsville), the world No. 11 began his ATP career with a wildcard entry into the tournament at just 16 years old. Now 27 and competing again this year, the player shared his feelings about the event:
"It’s just great to be back home. I’ve known everyone here for so long—the security, the staff. Every time, people are so excited to see me. I love this place with all my heart, and to now be the face of the event, you know, it’s incredible. It’s a lot of love for a guy like me coming from such a humble background.
"To have people so hyped to see me—I think they see a lot of authenticity in me. That’s why I get so much love from the fans. There’s a lot on my plate, a lot of people want to see me. I gotta call Mark and get 200 tickets (laughs). It’s all good things, good problems."
With a first-round bye, he’ll face the winner of Kovacevic vs. Halys in his opening match. In the meantime, he teamed up with fellow American Ben Shelton in doubles. Against the Australian pair Ebden/Peers, they fell 7-6, 6-3.
