Frances Tiafoe finally reached his first masters final as just Jannik Sinner stood in the way of glory. In the end it was a step too far for Tiafoe, yet it will still go down as a welcome week of progress for a player who has been suffering lately.
A welcome break from disappointment
Since reaching a career high of #10 in the world, it’s been a bumpy road for Frances Tiafoe. There was a period in time when the American was approaching the Grand Slam and Masters events as a serious contender. Truthfully, after a career best 2022, his form steadily declined the following season. Come 2024, it fell off a cliff.
He started the season with a straight sets loss in the second round of the Australian Open to Tomas Machac. He then exited at the same stage of Roland Garros at the hands of Dennis Shapovalov. An injury at Wimbledon against Rinky Hijikata meant he couldn’t complete his opening round tie. Meanwhile, he suffered early exits at the Atlanta Open and National Bank Open to Alejandro Tabilo and Yoshihito Nishioka. A career best run at Cincinnati was not on the cards.
Technique
The style of Frances Tiafoe is so unique and unorthodox, but this suits him in a way. The persona he plays on the court isn’t to blend in, he wants to put on a show and be the entertainer. His backhand is one of the flattest on tour, only Nishioka and Cameron Norrie rival him in that regard. When he strikes, it’s more of a push than a swing. On the other hand, his forehand is one of the most spin dominated strokes in the world. His racket face is completely open and facing the sky on the back take and by the time the contact point comes his racket is lower than his arm. This paired with an aggressive Western grip seems counterproductive as normally both would cancel each other out, yet for Tiafoe he finds a way to make it work.
As with anything, when his form slumped the critics rose. Those who praised and attributed his unorthodoxy to his steady rise, now argued that it gave his game a ceiling. To reach the top of the game, they argued he must be technically sounder.
A career-best Cincinnati
Out of nowhere, Frances Tiafoe put together his best ever run at a masters tournament. The quicker court surface this year harmonised well with his aggressive game. In the opening round he dealt with Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina with relative ease. He then met an in-form Lorenzo Musetti who has won a Bronze medal at the Olympics and reached the semi-final of Wimbledon this season. He breezed past him 6-3, 6-2.
Jiri Lehecka stood in his way. The world #35 had just knocked out Daniil Medvedev in the previous round, showing off a monstrous forehand in the process. In a classic battle Tiafoe came out on top 6-4, 6-7, 7-6. Holger Rune was waiting in the ranks, the former Paris Masters Champion eager for a repeat of success at this level. Yet Tiafoe kept silencing the doubters and recovered from a set down to reach his first final at this level.
In the end Jannik Sinner proved too tough a bridge to cross. Tiafoe also seemed fatigued at times which was little surprise as he hasn’t played high-intensity back to back matches for a considerable time.
The Home Crowd Factor
Tiafoe has always been a favourite for the American crowd. Of course, being American helps that, but there is more depth to it. He embodies the American dream. His father was a construction worker at the Junior National Tennis centre while his mother worked multiple jobs just to allow him to pursue a career in tennis. In a sport so dominated by the upper classes, he breathes a fresh air of relatability for many.
Plus, there is the infectious personality and playing style he brings onto the court. He involves the crowd, feeds off their energy and puts on a spectacle. While the second half of 2023 was incredibly disappointing, he still reached the quarter-finals of the US Open. New York brings the best out of him.
Whether he can repeat a semi-final run like 2022 remains to be seen, but I wouldn’t rule it out. The reality is that Frances Tiafoe may not be one of the most talented players on tour, but the concoction of his tennis and an Arthur Ashe Stadium capacity crowd is a force to be reckoned with.
Main photo credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
