The making of an American tennis star

WIMBLEDON, England—The story may have been told, but it never gets old. Or less fascinating. His imigrant father helped build a tennis complex. Now Frances Tiafoe has built himself a game.

That’s the so-called American way, isn’t it?  Just keep plugging away—or in tennis, hitting away—and who knows what will happen.  You might advance to the third round of The Champioships which everyone from Chelsea to Cornwall knows is the very brief and British way to refer to Wimbledon.

For a few years,  Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz, both 24, have been called the great hopes of U.S men’s tennis (everybody who remembers Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Michael Chang, Jim Courier and Andy Roddick. Please wave).  They ain’t Rafa, Roger or Novak, and never will be, but they’ve been winning at Wimbledon this summer, and that’s progress of a sort.  On Saturday, Fritz defeated Alex Molcan, 6-4.6-1, 7-6. A day earlier, Tjafoe beat Alexander Bublik,  3-6, 7-6. 7-6, 6-4. You might expect Fritz to be a tennis star. His mother and father were champions.  But not Tiafoe, whose parents came to America to escape a civil war in Sierra Leone. 

Tiafoe’s dad needed work after arriving in the U.S.  He took a job as a day laborer building the National Junior Tennis Center in Maryland. Frances, allowed to play when construction was done, had an an opportunity.  He already had the talent.

The early years were difficult. Frances developed quick enough in high school, winnng titles, but he struggled as a young pro, and there was added pressure because of his background. Finally, success—confidence and yes arrogance.

 “I could have lost,”  he said, “but I wanted to win. Yeah there is always a bit of pressure in the Slams.”

For an American man it’s more than a bit. The nation, the networks would love a U.S. winner at Wimbledon  Or the U.S Open. A country of 350 million and we can’t  now and then win either of the two biggest tournaments on the globe? Please.

The danger is the young (top) guns will force the issue.  But if they can win at Indian Wells and Miami, why can’t they win at the All England Club or Flushing Meadows.

Apparently, Tiafoe thinks the same way. “I mean I liked grass when I played juniors here,” said Tiafoe.

So it’s not the surface that stops hm (or maybe the other Americans) it’s the competition.  Does one Spaniard who tugs at his wrist and headbands have more firepower than thousands of Americans?. It looks that way. 

Tiafoe was asked if at last year’s U.S. Open he said “There is no Nadal here, (injury,  no Federer here (retirement) the guys in the locker room are thinking, ‘Why not me?’ Is there that same sensibility here this year?”

Tiafoe said  there was although true Nadal is here, and Rafa can win any time anywhere, even on grass, his least favorite court. 

“There are opportunities to be had,” agreed Tiafoe. ”Guys are –I mean the game is shifting.  Even with those (veterans) playing, guys are beating them. You saw what  (Carlos) Alcaraz and Fritz did at Indian Wells.

“We are damn good.” insisted Tiafoe about the American men. “Playing great tennis.We feed off each other.  I think we believe can do even even better.”

Until one of them wins Wimbledon or the U.S. Open the words don’t mean a thing.