It was the first match of the Citi Open 2023 with American Frances Tiafoe in action. The local guy took on Russian player Arslan Karatsev. There were a few prominent personalities present to watch the action, one of them being Kevin Durant. The NBA star even participated in Tiafoe’s post-match interview on the court, with some kind words.
Speaking after the match, Tiafoe mentioned how special this venue is for him and the emotions they bring out in him to be able to play and win here in front of such big crowds. He recalled his childhood days of being amongst the spectators and how it feels now to be the one everyone has come to watch.
Frances Tiafoe Has Made It
Frances made an interesting revelation when he said that as a youngster he would sneak into this event and watch the best players compete against each other. He would roam around in worn out clothes with holes in his shoes. He would tell his parents that he would grow up and fulfil his dream of becoming a top tennis player.
“I was a kid who had an opportunity and dreamed massively big. Shouldn’t be doing any of these things, honestly. [I was] sneaking into this event, telling my parents I was going to be a pro at a super young age, against all odds, wearing hand-me-down clothes, holes in my shoes, cargo shorts. Guys like KD and [Kentavious] Caldwell-Pope and Gaff [Daniel Gafford] want to come see me play.”
Speaking about the match, Tiafoe won the match 7-6(5), 7-6(5). On hearing the scoreline, one can sense that the match could’ve swung in anyone’s favor. But eventually, it was the second seeded player who displayed maturity when it mattered most. He will face Juncheng Shang in his next round match.
NBA Star Kevin Durant Hails Tiafoe
Post the match, Durant came on the court and congratulated Frances on his tricky opening round win. They gave each other a high five before going on to hug each other. After that, the NBA superstar spoke about the match and ushered in some praise for Tiafoe.
The Phoenix Suns player stated, “There was a lot of energy in the building. I’m glad he got the win. He’s bringing that energy from this area. He represents right. We’re all proud of him.”
Over the years, Tiafoe has been spotted attending basketball matches and engaging in cordial conversations with various superstars of the sport. Kevin Durant and him have interacted in the past and were most recently seen attending the Chelsea pre season match a couple of days ago.
