"It's going to pay off one day": Frances Tiafoe shares harrowing upbringing including sleeping on a massage table
ATP
America’s Frances Tiafoe has opened up about his journey of
becoming a professional tennis player.
The former world number 10 was recently quoted in a report
where he revealed how things panned out for him when he was a kid and how one
quote from his father played a key role in giving him the motivation that was
enough for him to become a professional tennis player.
“I literally get picked up from school when I was working
and me, my brother would tap the ball against the wall, kind of joke around,”
he said. “We’d see the coaches tell the players some stuff. We go to empty
court, try to mimic it, like whiffing serves and whatever, but we’re trying to
do it.
“And then my mum calls us, like, ‘Hey I’m working overnight.
You’re gonna have to stay at the tennis centre.’ So, we’re picking up trash,
we’re lining the clay courts, we’re doing all this. And I always go to my dad
and I’m like, ‘this is crazy.’ He said: ‘look, this is going to pay off one
day.’
“‘It’s going to pay off one day.’ And I was like, you know
what? I’m going to be the guy who’s going to change that. And so, then that
appreciation came. You know, anything that came my way I’m very appreciative
because I know if he didn’t do that, we’re not having this conversation today.
“I mean then I’m just sitting there, sleeping on a massage
table with my dad. If my dad’s sleeping in the bed at the tennis centre with my
twin brother, I’m like, ‘I’m going to win the US Open one day, I’m going to be
a pro.’”
The current world number 21 had a rather disappointing
outing in the Miami Open where he was knocked out after losing in the round of
64 to Christopher O'Connell with a score of 7-5, 7-6. He is now set to take part
in the ATP event in Houston where he will face Australia’s James Duckworth in
the round of 16 on Thursday.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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