Frances Tiafoe fought to his first-ever singles victory at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Tuesday. One gets the feeling it won’t be the last for the rising young American.
Tiafoe overcame the sweltering heat and humidity — and No. 29 Adrian Mannarino — for a 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory in the first round of the U.S Open.
“It felt good. I was really happy afterwards. I really wanted it,” Tiafoe, 20, told The Post.
After having lost first-round matches the past three years to Victor Troicki, John Isner and Roger Federer — the latter two in five-sets — he broke through.
“I’ve had a ton of heartbreakers here at the Open, and it’s nice to finally get over the line,” Tiafoe said in an on-court TV interview. “I’m definitely trying to make something happen this year. I’m having a good year, and there’s no better place to do it than New York.”
That good year has seen Tiafoe come back to New York a better player than the one who left a year ago.
“I’m just putting it all together; everything makes sense now,” Tiafoe said. “I know how to play the game, I know how to win tennis matches. You don’t have to hit highlight reels to win tennis matches, it’s just meat and potatoes, staying the course. I’m just more mature now.”
Tiafoe is the youngest American titlist on the ATP Tour since 2002 and the fourth-youngest player in the top 50. Small wonder fans are hailing him as the next American star, and a role model for young black players.
“I love that people look up to me and want to be like me; that’s what you work every day towards,” Tiafoe said. “Play to inspire, but also play to give myself and my family a better life.”
Of course, that family’s quest for a better life is inspiring in and of itself.
Tiafoe’s father, Frances Sr. — who survived three years toiling in Sierra Leone’s diamond mines — emigrated to the U.S. in 1993. His mother Alphina followed three years later, winning a visa lottery and a green card to flee a civil war that killed 50,000 and displaced 2.5 million.
After Frances Sr. worked as a day laborer to help build the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park (Md.), he stayed on as custodian and lived in a spare office at the center. Tiafoe lived with his dad and brother Franklin at the center, and picked up tennis by age 4.
He’s been honing his natural gifts since then.
Tiafoe’s forehand, power and athleticism were too much for Mannarino, avenging a loss in their only previous meeting.
After cruising early, Tiafoe went up 2-1 in the third but lost focus and was broken. But he snapped back to take the fourth.
“I got focused, more than anything,” Tiafoe said. “At 6-1, 6-4, I’m thinking shake hands and get out of here. But you’ve got to win another set.”
He did just that, breaking to go up 2-1 in the fourth. And on match point, his crosscourt shot just got the line, he dropped his racket and roared, “Let’s go!”
“It’s been one hell of a year,” said Tiafoe, who’ll face Alex de Minaur next. “It’s been insane, and plenty more to go.”
