This was real life for Frances Tiafoe. Massive respect for his grind to where he is now. Episode 6 of GOOD TROUBLE drops tomorrow. Audio out now on all platforms.
"Wearing hand-me-down stuff, people are laughing at us": Frances Tiafoe shares childhood struggles in chasing tennis dream
ATPWednesday, 03 April 2024 at 10:00
Frances Tiafoe opened up on the latest episode of Nick Kyrgios' podcast about his childhood struggles and he recalled the days in which he had to wear hand me downs to practice alongside his brother Franklin.
Tiafoe said that they were laughed at and told they would never make it and how he had to wear these for tournaments and was told he couldn't. This after an upbringing which saw Tiafoe's parents escape the civil war in their country and attempt to provide for their family.
“There’s days where it got tough for me, my brother. We’re going to practice, and we’re wearing hand-me-down stuff or demo rackets, whatever you can play with. People are laughing at us, saying, ‘This guy thinks he can be a pro, or this guy is playing with holes in his shoes, whose shoes are those or Pikachu shirts and khaki shorts, and I’m playing tournaments, and they’re like, ‘That’s not even tournament equipment’ and I’m like, ‘This is all I got,’” he said.
"My dad was always saying, ‘It's not about where he starts but where you going.’ That sentence right there changed my life. He’s just so proud of me. He, my long-term girlfriend, and my twin brother."
"I like a good family base. I think families are so big that you can just lean on them and they’ll tell you the room—stuff you’re not trying to hear but you need to hear. Yeah, I’ll probably say my whole family,” he added.
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