As the United States looks to find its next great tennis star, one name that stands out as a potential candidate is Frances Tiafoe. The 24-year-old Maryland native has been making waves on the ATP Tour in recent years, and many believe that he has the talent and drive to become a major force in the sport.
However, it feels like now is a pivotal time for the Hyattsville-born player to take his game to the next level. He achieved his highest rank of number 17 in the world in 2022 and is now at number 19 according to ESPN. He will be seeking to build upon this in 2023.
Tiafoe Has Long Been Touted as the Next Big Star for the USA
The USA has led the way in women’s tennis for some time thanks to Venus and Serena Williams, but the men’s game has been lacking stars over the past couple of decades. Many people are hoping that Tiafoe will change that fact and emerge as the next major talent from the country.
It’s no surprise that Tiafoe is being touted as the saviour for men’s tennis in the USA. The player was raised at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, and he had a racquet in his hand before he could run. He started his professional career at the age of 16 when he was a wildcard in the Washington Open. It wasn’t a memorable start as he lost to Evgeny Donskoy in his debut tour-level match. However, the following year he claimed his first professional title, showing that his early defeat hadn’t phased him. It was the ITF Futures tournament in Bakersfield. Hardly a major trophy, but still, a step in the right direction.
Tiafoe has gained a solid reputation in tennis circles and is renowned for his mental toughness. In the years since his debut, the Maryland native has proven that he isn’t afraid to take on some of the biggest names in the business. He even has a knack for coming up with big wins in high-pressure situations. In 2019, when he made his debut in the top 30 tennis rankings, he defeated Kevin Anderson and Grigor Dimitrov in the Australian Open.
In 2022, Tiafoe managed to claim an even greater scalp when he defeated Rafael Nadal in the US Open. Given his impressive pro debut nine years ago, which we reported about here at World Tennis Magazine, it’s perhaps no surprise that Tiafoe has managed to reach such dizzying heights. His win over Nadal made him the first US player to beat the Spaniard since James Blake pulled off the same feat in the 2005 US Open. That win felt like a major turning point in Tiafoe’s career and could be the catalyst that helps him push on to even bigger and better things. There’s no doubt that he is still improving, and he is not quite the finished article yet.
Maryland Born Star Could Have Huge Backing from People in the State
Maryland is renowned for being a sports-mad state, with some hugely successful and well-known teams from the region. There’s the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL and the Baltimore Orioles in MLB, along with a wide range of competitive sides in other sports. The official state team sport is lacrosse, and the state is regarded as having the best program for the sport in the country.
Aside from participating in and watching sports, Marylanders are also now getting involved with competitive matches through betting. Online sports betting was only recently launched in the state, but it’s already clear how popular it is through the sheer number of sportsbooks vying for bettors’ attention. For instance, there’s Caesars Sportsbook Maryland, which offers up to $1500 in free bets. The site covers all the main sports and will doubtlessly have markets on Tiafoe, whenever he competes.
Thanks to the hype around sports in the state and also due to the rise of the betting industry, there’s no doubt that Tiafoe will have a huge amount of support in his home state. As one of the few standout men’s tennis players in the whole country, the 24-year-old can also rely on the backing of the rest of the nation during the biggest televised tournaments. Indeed, the US Open could be the best opportunity for Tiafoe to win his first significant trophy as it’s on his home soil and he’ll have a great deal of support.
The USA Hasn’t Had a Successful Men’s Tennis Player in Some Time
Many people are beginning to worry about the state of tennis in the USA, and there are questions as to whether the country will still be able to compete against the world’s best in the future. Now that the Williams sisters are past their prime and beginning to be phased out of the women’s game, there aren’t as many world-beaters in the ranks anymore. However, there are some promising female talents including Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff who are currently ranked third and seventh in the world respectively.
The men’s game has been in a worse state than the women’s for some time across the country. According to The Bleacher Report, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi were the last American male tennis legends. It’s hard to argue with that, as there have been few players of note in the years since the two greats of the game hung up their racquets. As their two careers began to dwindle down, the Big Three of Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic emerged. Since then, nobody has come close to these stars in terms of Grand Slam wins.
Pete Sampras is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time and won 14 Grand Slams during his glittering career. These included seven Wimbledon titles, five U.S. Open titles, and two Australian Open titles. He also won two Olympic medals: a gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Games and a bronze medal in the 1992 Barcelona Games. He was ranked the world number one for a record total of 286 weeks and reached the Wimbledon final eight times in his career.
Andre Agassi is also considered one of the best players to have graced the courts, and he won eight Grand Slam singles titles at his peak. These included four Australian Open titles, two Wimbledon titles, one French Open, and one U.S. Open. He was ranked the world No. 1 for a total of 101 weeks. Agassi was known for his aggressive style of play and his impressive speed and athleticism on the court. Perhaps Agassi and Sampras would have been even more successful had the other not been competing around the same time.
The USA is desperately hoping that it will one day have another men’s tennis player as good as Sampras or Agassi. There’s a chance that Tiafoe could be that player, but it feels like the next few years will be pivotal for the Maryland man to get to that level.
