Frances Tiafoe is one of the most well-known and likable tennis players in the world who also has an incredible story to tell. Frances was born in Maryland on 20 January 1998, but that was just because his father Frances Sr and his mother Alphina managed to escape from a rather dire existence in Sierra Leone.
From diamonds mines in Sierra Leone, to janitor to…
Frances Sr used to work in diamond mines of his native Sierra Leone before managing to escape. His mother Alphina won a green card lottery to live in the US when millions applied. The odds were incredibly slim.
After Frances Sr.and Alphina became the parents of Frances and his twin brother Franklin, Frances Sr. found work on a construction crew that built a tennis center. Frances’ father worked so hard that the center’s owners were impressed and agreed to hire him as a janitor.
Eventually, Frances parents agreed that it was better for the twins to spend time at the centre, and they had the opportunity to convert a small office with 1 window in a room that became their house for 5 days a week. In the meantime, Alphina was working as a nurse and during the week, she was living by herself in a 1-bedroom apartment.
Tiafoe once commented:
“Sleeping on folding tables in the office. It was where my adventure started. I was thinking, ‘How’s this story going to end?’ I saw tennis as the way to get me somewhere else. It was me thinking: ‘Can you imagine if we do this right? It would be incredible. You can’t make it up.’ I want to use the story now to inspire others. You don’t have to be from the upper echelon to be great. If you want something in life, go get it.”
Not a bad story to tell!
Tiafoe at the U.S. Open, ranking, and results in 2021
Now ranked no.50, Tiafoe achieved an overall 30-21 match record in 2021. Frances is participating at the U.S. Open where he toppled Christopher Eubanks 7-68 5-7 6-3 6-4, Guido Pella 6-1 6-2 7-5 and Andrey Rublev 4-6 6-3 7-66 4-6 6-1.
Frances Tiafoe will come up against the world no.15 Felix Auger-Aliassime in the 4th round on Sunday at 7:00 pm on Arthur Ashe Stadium. In the past, they have never played each other till now in top events.
Frances has won 1 title in 2021 in the Nottingham 1 Challenger.
Auger-Aliassime at the U.S. Open, ranking, and results in 2021
Now ranked no.15 (career-high), the Canadian owns an overall 31-18 win-loss record in 2021. Auger-Aliassime is now playing at the U.S. Open where he defeated Evgeny Donskoy 7-60 3-6 7-61 7-68, Bernabe Zapata Miralles 7-65 6-3 6-2 and Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3.
Felix Auger Aliassime will face the world no.50 Frances Tiafoe in the 4th round on Sunday at 7:00 pm on Arthur Ashe Stadium. In the past, they have never competed against each other as of now in top tournaments.
Felix was the finalist in Melbourne (Murray River Open) and in Stuttgart (Mercedes Cup).
Frances Tiafoe and Felix Auger Aliassime have never squared off.
