8 Months After Going ‘Crazy’ Over LeBron James, Frances Tiafoe Finds More Validation From Kevin Durant as He Issues Bold Message at Citi Open

Frances Tiafoe has found another high-profile fan to add to his growing list. His famous US Open run last year attracted many fans to tennis and he backed up the performance with two more ATP titles in the next twelve months. Now, after his victory over Aslan Karatsev at the Citi Open, he received the highest praise from another sporting icon.

Kevin Durant, the Phoenix Suns‘ forward was in the stands watching Tiafoe’s Round of 32 encounter. The American came out on top with two tiebreak set victories. After the match, Durant stepped on the court. He was given the mic and he was all praise for the world number 10.

Frances Tiafoe’s energy impresses NBA icon

Being a Washington DC local, Durant was no stranger to the crowd. They were glad to see the two local athletes embrace each other on the court. Rennae Stubs, the ex-coach of Serena Williams was on the court as the host here. With Durant on the court, she couldn’t resist asking him his thoughts on Tiafoe’s performance.

READ MORE: Overwhelmed by Frances Tiafoe’s Noble Deed, American Legend Chris Evert Sends a Heartwarming Message to the 25-Year-Old

Kevin Durant said, “There was a lot of energy in the building. I’m glad he got the win. He’s bringing that energy from this area (points to the court). He represents right. We’re all proud of him.” The crowd let out some of its loudest cheers during the interview. Durant was almost inaudible owing to the roars from the crowd. He was also asked who would win in a 1v1 basketball matchup to which he instantly replied, “I do“, while raising his right arm.

It wasn’t the first time an NBA icon acknowledged Frances Tiafoe’s brilliance. Two years ago, another big name in the NBA circuit, LeBron James was full of praise for the ‘Big Foe‘.

When LeBron James was moved by Tiafoe’s tennis

For an athlete, there might not be anything better than receiving praise from the biggest sporting star in the country. In the 2022 US Open, Tiafoe triggered the upset of the tournament by blitzing past Rafael Nadal in the fourth round. Tiafoe received plenty of support from the top athletes in the United States. However, the one that stood out was from LeBron James. James told Tiafoe that he was proud of his tennis which meant a lot to Tiafoe. The tennis star was over the moon with the message as he had always looked up to James.

Who would be next to join Tiafoe’s growing fandom? Do let us know in the comments.

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