Tiafoe makes history on court named after pioneer Ashe

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Tiafoe makes history on court named after pioneer Ashe
Tiafoe is set to play in his first Grand Slam semi-final
Tiafoe is set to play in his first Grand Slam semi-final
Reuters
Rising American Frances Tiafoe (24) danced into the middle of Arthur Ashe Stadium court and soaked up the cheers from his rapidly expanding fan base after securing his spot in the US Open semi-finals on Wednesday.

In that moment it was hard not to wonder what the man that dance floor was named after would have thought of the jubilant scene.

With the win, Tiafoe became the first Black American man to reach the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows since the late Hall of Famer Ashe did so in 1972.

Former world number one Ashe, who grew up poor in the segregated US South, was at the forefront of breaking down barriers for Black tennis players and in 1968 became the first Black man to win the US Open, the first of three major titles.

Tiafoe is the son of immigrants from war-torn Sierra Leone who was introduced to the sport at a tennis center where his father worked as a custodian.

He is gunning to be the first American man to win a Grand Slam in nearly two decades.

"Every time I win, I just want to inspire a bunch of people to know that anything is possible," Tiafoe told reporters after his straight-sets win over ninth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev.

"At the end of the day I love that because of Frances Tiafoe there is a lot of people of color playing tennis. That's obviously a goal for me. That's why I'm out here trying pretty hard."

Tiafoe said exposure to tennis is the key to diversifying the overwhelmingly white sport.

"Like with anything, the more you can do something, the better you will be at it," he said.

"I was lucky. I was playing tennis for hours and hours and around the game, soaking up the game, watching the game.

"It was my life. The only thing I really watched growing up was Tennis Channel. You end up just falling in love with it. I think that will get you to the next level."

No doubt his inspired run to the semi-finals will attract a new generation to tune in - and maybe take up a racket - as well.

Cinderella story

Tiafoe has carried the weight of enormous expectations throughout his career, winning his sole ATP title in Delray in early 2018 before stunning the Australian Open field to reach the quarter-final roughly a year later. The road since has been less smooth.

"When I came on the scene, flying up the rankings, everything was kind of good. I got a bit complacent, 2019. Took me a long time kind of just get myself together," he said.

"I stopped trying to be the guy. Like when things were going to happen, it was going to happen. I was fine with it. I was comfortable with myself.

"Now, it's all come into fruition."

After a series of early exits from Grand Slam competition, he added coach Wayne Ferreira to his team in 2020 and reached the fourth round of the US Open for the first time that same year.

"Some players have difficulties being really, really talented and just playing the game without really understanding what it is you need to do," said Ferreira, a former player who helped overhaul Tiafoe's diet and approach to practice.

"It's taken time for us to get gradually to where we are today."

Anybody can do it

His humble beginnings are already the stuff of legend: His father worked as an on-site caretaker at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, while his mother worked nights as a nurse after they each fled the civil war in Sierra Leone.

Asked what message his story sent, Tiafoe said it was simple: "Anybody can do it."

"If you are truly, truly passionate about something, I think anything can happen," he said.

"Seeing people like screaming your name, just loving what you're doing. That's awesome," he told reporters. "You know, everyone loves a Cinderella story. Just trying to make one."

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