Tiafoe: “Tennis needs noise, wild crowds and madness”

Noise, please. Tennis has always been the sport of silence, fair play, respect on and off the court, a zero-volume discipline. But Frances Tiafoe doesn’t think so.

“I think spectators should be free to move, to come and go and talk during meetings,” explained to Forbes the number 14 in the world, an American from Maryland, one of the great entertainers on the circuit used to expressing his emotions and his opinions without too many formalities (and Jannik Sinner, who a couple of years ago underwent his personality, knows something about it). “Imagine going to a basketball game and not being able to say a word.”

It would be easy to reply that tennis is not basketball, and that the atmosphere of the US Open is often more similar to that of a rock concert than a solemn mass. But Tiafoe doesn’t have in mind the history, the tradition, the written and unwritten rules of lawn tennis. He has the future in mind. The attitude and habits of the new generations, the tools to capture the attention of those who sincerely don’t care about the immaculate silence of Wimbledon. After all, Frances is known for his colorful, original outfits, for the Jabbar-style bandana he wears on the pitch and for the NBA tank tops he uses in training.

«I always go on the field to compete at my best, but with a smile on my face. Bringing the audience into the match and making them feel part of this crazy journey we call life. And I think viewers like it. I don’t do it to attract sympathy, but because I’m like that. I love entertaining people. Whoever comes to see me spends money that he has struggled to earn, I limit myself to doing everything that can help me win ».

The NBA as a role model, is no big deal, and it’s no surprise since Frances has never hidden her passion for basketball, so much so that she participated in the Celebrity All Star Game. For Tiafoe, the sacredness of an event like Wimbledon must be preserved, but «apart from certain occasions, we begin to change things to bring younger fans to tennis. «There is nothing more exciting than Arthur Ashe Stadium during a night session. New York at night, everybody drunk, absolutely crazy vibe.” Other than strawberries with cream.