MUBADALA CITI DC OPEN

July 20, 2025

Frances Tiafoe

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Frances, obviously we know what it means to you to be here and to possibly win this thing. What's different when you come here as opposed to other tournaments for you? What's the feel?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I mean, a lot of American tournaments for me for the last few years felt the same. When I walk on the grounds, people are ultra excited.

But here, it's just weird. Everywhere I go, it's like a long homecoming. I know everyone from security and everyone and staff for so long, and everyone's so excited to see me. A lot of "I'm proud of you" and "Keep going," and kids and stuff.

A lot of love like that. But yeah, I mean, just get bulldozed everywhere I go, which is kind of fun.

Q. We just heard from Ben Shelton. He talked a lot about the young faces that are in the crowd. Obviously you were one of them, I presume, at one point in time. What's it mean to play in front of them and be a hometown inspiration?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Man, I love this area wholeheartedly, man. It's shaped me into the person I am today. To be able to see what a tournament has been, to now be the face of the event, you know, it's incredible.

It's also amazing, you know, helping, seeing more people of color want to watch the game, play the game, be around it, being more knowledgeable about it. We had a few guys before doing amazing things, Arthur Ashe, and kind of want to keep that going, just keep that thing going.

Q. Big picture. Starting here with hard-court season and the hard-court swing back half of the year, what are you looking forward to most this second half of the year? And it seems like you always play some of your best tournaments in these back-end tournaments. What do you think it is about this hard-court season and these tournaments that brings out the best in your game?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Well, I'm home, I'm comfortable. It's hard court. It's hot. Ball is jumping around. Ultimately I know for me it's like one last push. You go from here all the way through New York, it's like one last push. And ultimately, I hate to say it, but it's the tournaments I care about the most.

Everything, obviously like Wimbledon and French Open, all these tournaments are very big, of course I want to win, but here is just a different feeling. I try to replicate it. I can't, really.

I come out here, it's do or die. I have that mindset. That's why I play great tennis. I want to show up, compete at the highest level.

Again, I snuck into this event. I have no more motivation than to want to see my name on the stadium. And then, you know, from Cincinnati, US Open. So yeah, you get some extra motivation.

Q. With this being somewhat of a hometown tournament for you, how has the Junior Tennis Champions Center kind of impacted the trajectory of your career? And what's it like being back here and playing in sort of the DMV area?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Well, without the JTCC, I don't have a career (smiling), quite literally. It's an amazing place. We have cranked out a lot of players: myself, Hailey, Robin, Denis. I mean, incredible club. From a small area that wasn't tennis-known, so to speak.

I think it's an incredible club and only going to continue to do great things. Super happy about where I came from and where I started the game.

Q. I wanted to ask you about another player who is here, I don't know if you have run into her at all yet, but Venus Williams playing in a tournament for the first time in more than a year. Just want to ask what your reaction was to hearing that she would be back at a tournament? And what you think it means for this sport to have her involved again like this?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, obviously I get inside scoop about things (laughter), so I knew. But yeah, no, she's one of the best athletes of all time. Her and her sister, they're not only great for women's game, not only great for women's sports, but they are so iconic. Obviously in this area, I mean, people are going to go crazy to see her.

I remember Serena the year she retired, came here a couple of times and this place almost fell down. People are going to go absolutely nuts to see her and see her on court. And she's playing doubles my little sis, so to speak, with Hailey. I'm super excited and to see that and see her play.

Whatever the result is, it's going to put a lot of people in the seats and a lot of different demographics. It's going to be incredible.

Q. One question about New York. Some players say they find it intimidating or hard to get used to between the noise, the commute from Manhattan, the airplanes, the crowds being a little different than, say, at Wimbledon. You thrive in that environment. Did you always, like from the first time you went there, did you feel comfortable, or did it take some adjustment for you?

FRANCES TIAFOE: I obviously watched it a ton on TV. First time I went to New York is the first time I played the US Open juniors. When I seen it, I was, like, Man, this is incredible. Energy is wild around the city, around the event. Just kind of wanted to be part of it.

I mean, I operate well in chaos. I'm kind of a little, well, very much ADD-type guy. So when it's all like screaming, yelling, this and that, I kind of, I can focus, it's like fun for me. I feel like I'm not doing something that that's that important. I'm just enjoying what I'm doing.

That's why I kind of thrive in those situations. I really enjoy nontennis fans in a tennis match. I think it's so good for the game. You know, you have an easy shot and they're, like, Go get 'em, this and that.

It's the best. That's what you want. And that's what I really enjoy.

Q. Asking about Wimbledon, how you look back on that and process that loss. Obviously you came in feeling pretty good and had a shorter run than you would have wanted.

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, look, obviously it's tough. You gotta respect Cam. He made semis at the event before, top-10 guy. It's not like, I didn't lose to -- yeah, I ain't doing that again (smiling). It's not like it was, you know, a bad loss. He's tough on grass.

Even the weeks he had before that is irrelevant. Everyone is going to give a great push at Wimbledon. I started well, and, I mean, I thought I still had my chances and could have turned the match.

But it happens, and just gotta kind of move on. I think it helped me a lot, have a lot of time to get ready for this, get in the heat and play. And so, I mean, I'm not really there anymore. I'm right where my feet are and happy to move on.

Q. Taylor Townsend recently came out with her own brands and logo. What do you think of that idea? Is that something you have considered, having your own logo or merchandise so your fans here and elsewhere could put stuff on to support you?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, we've got some things coming up, for sure (smiling). There will be some things coming up.

Q. You thrive well in chaos. When you come back home here, you've talked about demands on your time here, trying to see everybody. Have you managed that better every time you come back to the District, or you almost thrive off of being able to do so many things in such a short period of time?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, I mean, look, this one's a little, obviously it's thrive in the chaos on steroids, because, you know, I mean, there is a lot of things I've got to do, a lot of people want to see me.

But obviously when the tournament happens it's about the event. You have to understand that I'll be back in D.C. It's not going to be the last time I'm back in D.C. This week I may not see everybody.

But also, it's a great event. Then I have to call Mark and get 200 tickets, that kind of thing (smiling). It is a fun event, man. So many things I'm able to do here that would not fly at any other event, and it's just amazing.

So, yeah, I love every year coming back. And again, I have fun. It's all good things, all good problems.

Q. Going off the branding portion of it, you have the Commanders kit with Lululemon now, some College Park-themed gear off the court, something you haven't been able to do in the past. How important is that to put your stamp on your look now?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, my outfit here is going to be insane. I'm super excited to rock it. Can't wait to post about it here, day before I play, so everyone can see it.

Yeah, Lulu's been incredible. Lululemon's been incredible. Incredible brand. I think the merchandise here is Lululemon. They're just reaching back and doing whatever it takes. It's been incredible to be with a brand that believes in me and wants me to help push the brand forward.

Yeah, I definitely got a lot of reign. Yeah, it's good. It's really good.

Q. You and Ben, having the opportunity to play doubles together, what are you looking forward to most about that opportunity and how did that come to be?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, he asked me randomly. He texted me, What do you think about dubs in D.C.? He thinks he's from D.C. now, because he has a little girlfriend that plays soccer sometimes, I guess (smiling).

No, I love him, and we have had incredible battles, became incredibly close the last few years. Our humor, mannerisms, very much the same. The crowd is going to go nuts.

We just practiced just now. We couldn't even get off the court. The crowd is going to go absolutely nuts. I'm super excited to get out there with him.

We're going to go for it and try pretty hard to try to win some matches out here, both singles and doubles. It's going to be fun. It's going to be really fun.