Frances Tiafoe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Frances Tiafoe

Tiafoe at the 2024 Washington Open
Country (sports)	United States
Residence	Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Born	(1998-01-20) January 20, 1998 (age 27) Hyattsville, Maryland, U.S.
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Turned pro	2015
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	David Witt (July 2024-), Jordi Arconada
Prize money	US $13,352,004  64th all-time in earnings
Singles
Career record	212–193 (52.35%)
Career titles	3
Highest ranking	No. 10 (June 19, 2023)
Current ranking	No. 16 (January 13, 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	QF (2019)
French Open	3R (2023)
Wimbledon	4R (2022)
US Open	SF (2022, 2024)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games	2R (2020)
Doubles
Career record	30–52 (36.59%)
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 160 (November 1, 2021)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	3R (2021)
French Open	2R (2021, 2022)
Wimbledon	1R (2017, 2018)
US Open	2R (2014)
Other doubles tournaments
Olympic Games	2R (2020)
Team competitions
Davis Cup	SF (2018)
Hopman Cup	RR (2019)

Frances Tiafoe Jr. (born January 20, 1998) is an American professional tennis player. He is known for his powerful style of play and exciting matches.

Frances reached his highest ranking of world No. 10 in singles on June 19, 2023. This made him the first Sierra Leonean American man to be ranked in the top 10 by the ATP.

Tiafoe has won three ATP titles. His first was at the 2018 Delray Beach Open, making him the youngest American man to win an ATP tournament since Andy Roddick in 2002. He also won titles on clay in Houston in 2023 and on grass in Stuttgart in 2023.

Frances's parents are immigrants from Sierra Leone. He grew up at the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) in College Park, Maryland, where his father worked. This unique background helped him become a promising young tennis star. At 15, he won the 2013 Orange Bowl, becoming the youngest boys' singles champion ever in that tournament. He also reached the semifinals of the US Open, a major Grand Slam event.

Early Life and Tennis Beginnings

Frances Tiafoe was born on January 20, 1998, in Maryland. He has a twin brother named Franklin. His parents, Constant and Alphina, came to the United States from Sierra Leone to escape the civil war in their home country.

In 1999, Frances's father helped build the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) in College Park, Maryland. After it was finished, he became the head of maintenance there. The family was given a small office to live in at the center. For 11 years, Frances and his brother lived there five days a week. This meant they could start playing tennis regularly from age four.

When Frances was five, his father arranged for him and Franklin to train at the JTCC for free. At eight, a coach named Misha Kouznetsov noticed Frances's hard work and love for tennis. Kouznetsov coached Frances for nine years and even helped him pay for tournaments.

Junior Tennis Success

Tiafoe at the 2013 US Open

Frances Tiafoe became one of the best junior tennis players in the world, reaching No. 2 in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior rankings. His interesting background and early success made him well-known even before he became a professional.

At 14, Frances won his first big international tournament, Les Petits As, in France. The next year, in December 2013, he became the youngest player ever to win the Orange Bowl. This is one of the top junior tournaments. He won it a month before his 16th birthday.

In 2014, Frances played in junior Grand Slam tournaments. He reached the semifinals of the US Open junior event. In August 2015, at 17, he won the USTA Junior National Championship. This win earned him a special entry into the main draw of the 2015 US Open.

Junior Grand Slam Results – Singles

• French Open: 2nd Round (2014)
• Wimbledon: 3rd Round (2014)
• US Open: Semifinals (2014)

Becoming a Professional Player

Early Professional Years (2014–2017)

Tiafoe at the Open de Nice in 2015

Frances Tiafoe made his first appearance in an ATP Tour main tournament at 16 and a half. This was at the Washington Open in 2014. In March 2015, he won his first professional title at an ITF Futures tournament. He officially became a professional player the next month.

In April 2015, Frances started playing well on the ATP Challenger Tour. He reached his first Challenger final in Tallahassee. His strong performance earned him a special entry into the main draw of the 2015 French Open. He was the youngest American to play in the main draw of the French Open since 1989.

Frances Tiafoe at Wimbledon in 2016

In 2016, Frances won his first Challenger title in Granby, Canada. This helped him reach a career-high ranking of No. 123. In October, he entered the top 100 rankings for the first time by winning another Challenger title in Stockton. He finished the year ranked 108.

Tiafoe at the 2017 Eastbourne International

In 2017, Frances made his main draw debut at the Australian Open and won his first Grand Slam match. He also had his first win against a top-10 player, beating world No. 7, Alexander Zverev, at the Cincinnati Masters. He ended 2017 ranked inside the top 100.

Breaking Through (2018–2021)

Frances Tiafoe at the 2018 Queen's Club Championships in London

In 2018, Frances had a great year. He won his first ATP title at the 2018 Delray Beach Open. He beat his idol, world No. 10 Juan Martín del Potro, on his way to the title. This made him the youngest American to win an ATP title since 2002. He also reached another ATP final in Portugal and broke into the top 50 rankings.

In 2019, Frances reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time at the 2019 Australian Open. He beat No. 5 Kevin Anderson and No. 20 Grigor Dimitrov before losing to No. 2 Rafael Nadal. This amazing run helped him reach a career-high ranking of world No. 29.

At the US Open, Frances reached the fourth round, his best result there so far. He was the youngest American man to get that far at the US Open since 2011.

Tiafoe at JTCC in 2021

In 2021, Frances had one of his biggest wins at Wimbledon. He beat world No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets. This was his first win against a top-5 player. Later that year, he reached his first ATP 500 final in Vienna.

Reaching New Heights (2022–Present)

Tiafoe hits a jumping backhand during the 2022 US Open

The 2022 season was a highlight for Frances. He reached the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time. At the US Open, he had an incredible run. He defeated No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal to reach the quarterfinals. He then beat No. 9 Andrey Rublev to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal. He was the first American man to reach the US Open semifinals since 2006.

In 2023, Frances continued to shine. He was part of the United States team that won the first-ever United Cup. He reached his first Masters 1000 semifinal at Indian Wells. He also won his second ATP title on clay at the 2023 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships. In June 2023, he won his third ATP title on grass at the Stuttgart Open. This win helped him enter the world's top 10 for the first time in his career!

In 2024, Frances reached the semifinals of the US Open for the second time. He also made it to his first Masters 1000 final at the Cincinnati Open. He had a tough period after the US Open, but continues to be a top player.

Playing Style

Frances Tiafoe plays an exciting, aggressive style of tennis. He has a very strong serve and a powerful forehand shot. He can hit serves over 140 miles per hour! His forehand is unique because of the way he swings his arm, which gives the ball a lot of spin.

Coaches

Frances has had several coaches throughout his career. Misha Kouznetsov coached him from age 8 to 17 at the JTCC. Later, he worked with coaches like José Higueras, Nicolás Todero, Robby Ginepri, Zack Evenden, and Wayne Ferreira. In December 2023, he reunited with former USTA coach Diego Moyano.

Equipment and Apparel

Since January 2025, Frances Tiafoe is sponsored by lululemon for his clothing. Before that, he was sponsored by Nike and Adidas. He uses a Yonex PERCEPT 97 tennis racket, which he says helps him play more aggressively.

Personal Life

Frances Tiafoe is often called "Big Foe" or "Foe." He is in a relationship with fellow tennis player Ayan Broomfield.

Growing up, Frances looked up to tennis star Juan Martín del Potro. Del Potro was the first professional player to sign a tennis ball for him. Frances later had the chance to play against his idol and even beat him in a tournament.

Frances loves watching and playing basketball. He is a big fan of NBA star Kevin Durant and supports many sports teams from the Washington, D.C. area. He also has a strong connection to the University of Maryland and its sports teams.

Frances is proud to be one of the few players of color on the ATP Tour. He wants to be a role model and inspire more young people, especially black people, to play tennis. He believes in inspiring everyone, no matter their background.

Performance Timelines

Singles

Current through the 2025 Australian Open.

Doubles

Important Finals

Masters 1000 Tournaments

Singles: 1 (1 Runner-up)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2024	Cincinnati Open	Hard	Jannik Sinner	6–7(4–7), 2–6

ATP Tour Finals

Singles: 9 (3 Titles, 6 Runner-ups)

Result	W–L	Date	Tournament	Tier	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1–0	Feb 2018	Delray Beach Open, United States	ATP 250	Hard	Peter Gojowczyk	6–1, 6–4
Loss	1–1	May 2018	Estoril Open, Portugal	ATP 250	Clay	João Sousa	4–6, 4–6
Loss	1–2	Oct 2021	Vienna Open, Austria	ATP 500	Hard (i)	Alexander Zverev	5–7, 4–6
Loss	1–3	Apr 2022	Estoril Open, Portugal	ATP 250	Clay	Sebastián Báez	3–6, 2–6
Loss	1–4	Oct 2022	Japan Open, Japan	ATP 500	Hard	Taylor Fritz	6–7(3–7), 6–7(2–7)
Win	2–4	Apr 2023	U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, United States	ATP 250	Clay	Tomás Martín Etcheverry	7–6(7–1), 7–6(8–6)
Win	3–4	Jun 2023	Stuttgart Open, Germany	ATP 250	Grass	Jan-Lennard Struff	4–6, 7–6(7–1), 7–6(10–8)
Loss	3–5	Apr 2024	U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, United States	ATP 250	Clay	Ben Shelton	5–7, 6–4, 3–6
Loss	3–6	Aug 2024	Cincinnati Open, United States	Masters 1000	Hard	Jannik Sinner	6–7(4–7), 2–6

Doubles: 1 (1 Runner-up)

Result	W–L	Date	Tournament	Tier	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	0–1	Apr 2017	U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, United States	ATP 250	Clay	Dustin Brown	Julio Peralta Horacio Zeballos	6–4, 5–7, [6–10]

National and International Team Events

Team Competitions Finals: 6 (3 Titles, 3 Runner-ups)

Result	Date	W–L	Tournament	Surface	Team	Partners	Opponent Team	Opponent Players	Score
Loss	Sep 2017	0–1	Laver Cup, Prague, Czech Republic	Hard (i)	Team World	Sam Querrey John Isner Nick Kyrgios Jack Sock Denis Shapovalov	Team Europe	Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Alexander Zverev Marin Čilić Dominic Thiem Tomáš Berdych	9–15
Loss	Sep 2018	0–2	Laver Cup, Chicago, United States	Hard (i)	Team World	Kevin Anderson John Isner Diego Schwartzman Jack Sock Nick Kyrgios	Team Europe	Roger Federer Novak Djokovic Alexander Zverev Grigor Dimitrov David Goffin Kyle Edmund	8–13
Win	Sep 2022	1–2	Laver Cup, London, United Kingdom	Hard (i)	Team World	Taylor Fritz Félix Auger-Aliassime Diego Schwartzman Alex de Minaur Jack Sock	Team Europe	Casper Ruud Rafael Nadal Stefanos Tsitsipas Novak Djokovic Andy Murray Roger Federer Matteo Berrettini Cameron Norrie	13–8
Win	Jan 2023	2–2	United Cup, Sydney, Australia	Hard	United States	Taylor Fritz Jessica Pegula Madison Keys	Italy	Matteo Berrettini Martina Trevisan Lorenzo Musetti Lucia Bronzetti	4–0
Win	Sep 2023	3–2	Laver Cup, Vancouver, Canada	Hard (i)	Team World	Taylor Fritz Tommy Paul Félix Auger-Aliassime Ben Shelton Francisco Cerúndolo	Team Europe	Andrey Rublev Casper Ruud Hubert Hurkacz Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Arthur Fils Gaël Monfils	13–2
Loss	Sep 2024	3–3	Laver Cup, Berlin, Germany	Hard (i)	Team World	Taylor Fritz Ben Shelton Alejandro Tabilo Francisco Cerúndolo Thanasi Kokkinakis	Team Europe	Carlos Alcaraz Alexander Zverev Daniil Medvedev Casper Ruud Stefanos Tsitsipas Grigor Dimitrov	11–13

ATP Challenger and ITF Futures Finals

Singles: 14 (7 Titles, 7 Runner-ups)

Result	W–L	Date	Tournament	Tier	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	0–1	Apr 2015	Tallahassee Tennis Challenger, USA	Challenger	Clay	Facundo Argüello	6–2, 6–7(5–7), 4–6
Loss	0–2	Nov 2015	Knoxville Challenger, USA	Challenger	Hard (i)	Dan Evans	7–5, 1–6, 3–6
Loss	0–3	Apr 2016	Tallahassee Tennis Challenger, USA	Challenger	Clay	Quentin Halys	7–6(8–6), 4–6, 2–6
Loss	0–4	Jul 2016	Nielsen Pro Tennis Championship, USA	Challenger	Hard	Yoshihito Nishioka	3–6, 2–6
Loss	0–5	Jul 2016	Lexington Challenger, USA	Challenger	Hard	Ernesto Escobedo	2–6, 7–6(8–6), 6–7(3–7)
Win	1–5	Aug 2016	Challenger de Granby, Canada	Challenger	Hard	Marcelo Arévalo	6–1, 6–1
Win	2–5	Oct 2016	Stockton ATP Challenger, USA	Challenger	Hard	Noah Rubin	6–4, 6–2
Win	3–5	Apr 2017	Sarasota Open, USA	Challenger	Clay	Tennys Sandgren	6–3, 6–4
Win	4–5	May 2017	Open du Pays d'Aix, France	Challenger	Clay	Jérémy Chardy	6–3, 4–6, 7–6(7–5)
Win	5–5	Oct 2020	Internazionali di Tennis Emilia Romagna, Italy	Challenger	Clay	Salvatore Caruso	6–3, 3–6, 6–4
Win	6–5	Jun 2021	Nottingham Open, United Kingdom	Challenger	Grass	Denis Kudla	6–1, 6–3

Result	W–L	Date	Tournament	Tier	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	0–1	Jan 2015	USA F5, Weston	Futures	Clay	Benjamin Balleret	5–7, 4–6
Win	1–1	Mar 2015	USA F10, Bakersfield	Futures	Hard	Maxime Tabatruong	6–1, 6–2
Loss	1–2	Mar 2015	USA F11, Calabasas	Futures	Hard	Dennis Novikov	6–7(4–7), 6–7(6–8)

Doubles: 1 (1 Runner-up)

Result	W–L	Date	Tournament	Tier	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	0–1	Jan 2014	USA F2, Sunrise	Futures	Clay	William Blumberg	Jason Jung Evan King	7–6(7–4), 4–6, [6–10]

Wins Over Top-10 Players

• Frances has a record of 13 wins and 36 losses against players who were ranked in the top 10 at the time of their match.

#	Player	Rk	Event	Surface	Rd	Score	Rk	Ref
2017
1.	Alexander Zverev	7	Cincinnati Open, United States	Hard	2R	4–6, 6–3, 6–4	87
2018
2.	Juan Martín del Potro	10	Delray Beach Open, United States	Hard	2R	7–6(8–6), 4–6, 7–5	91
2019
3.	Kevin Anderson	6	Australian Open, Australia	Hard	2R	4–6, 6–4, 6–4, 7–5	39
2021
4.	Stefanos Tsitsipas	4	Wimbledon, United Kingdom	Grass	1R	6–4, 6–4, 6–3	56
5.	Denis Shapovalov	10	Canadian Open, Canada	Hard	2R	6–1, 6–4	52
6.	Andrey Rublev	7	US Open, United States	Hard	3R	4–6, 6–3, 7–6(8–6), 4–6, 6–1	50
7.	Stefanos Tsitsipas	3	Vienna Open, Austria	Hard (i)	2R	3–6, 6–3, 6–4	49
2022
8.	Rafael Nadal	3	US Open, United States	Hard	4R	6–4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3	26
9.	Stefanos Tsitsipas	6	Laver Cup, United Kingdom	Hard (i)	RR	1–6, 7–6(13–11), [10–8]	19
2024
10.	Andrey Rublev	8	Washington Open, United States	Hard	QF	6–4, 7–6(7–3)	29
11.	Hubert Hurkacz	7	Cincinnati Open, United States	Hard	QF	6–3, ret.	27
12.	Grigor Dimitrov	9	US Open, United States	Hard	QF	6–3, 6–7(5–7), 6–3, 4–1 ret.	20
13.	Daniil Medvedev	5	Laver Cup, Germany	Hard (i)	RR	3–6, 6–4, [10–5]	16

Images for kids

• 

  Frances (left) with pro tennis player Jordi Arconada (center) and his brother Franklin (right)

See also

In Spanish: Frances Tiafoe para niños