Frances Tiafoe may be struggling to clinch titles, but he’s certainly getting all the laughs. His humor and “positive energy” are his greatest weapons. Even his coach, David Witt, who joined his team in July 2024, agrees. David knew Tiafoe well before becoming his coach, following the American’s tough third-round exit at Wimbledon last year. Together, they’ve seen improvements with Tiafoe reaching the US Open semifinal and the Cincinnati final last year. However, 2025 hasn’t been easy for Big Foe, with several early exits. But Tiafoe and Witt are not dwelling on the disappointments too much and are rather looking at the brighter side of things, having a chuckle every now and then!

Tiafoe’s Sunshine Double campaign didn’t go as planned. However, he made an impressive comeback in Houston, reaching the final after defeating Brandon Nakashima in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6 (3). This was his fourth win over Nakashima. In the post-match interview, the spotlight shifted to Witt’s interesting clothing choice. Witt sported a hat with ‘FOCUS’ in bold letters, a departure from his usual sponsored attire.

When asked if this was a message for him, Tiafoe quipped, “I think it’s a message for him…make sure to bring the rackets. I think it’s more for him, more than anything.” Well, that was a playful dig at the coach.

You might remember that hilarious moment at Indian Wells when Tiafoe showed up to face Damir Dzumhur looking all business in his fresh Lululemon kit and white Beats headphones. However, things took a turn when he found his racket bag empty – no Yonex sticks in sight! He informed the umpire, Aurélie Tourte, and his opponent about the situation, and then his coach sprinted off to find the missing racquets. Tiafoe later joked about the incident, saying, “I don’t know what had me more sick forgetting my rackets or buddy leaving me hanging.”

Now, he’s bringing that joke back for his coach again. In the post-match interview after beating Nakashima, Tiafoe further added, “I’m surprised he hasn’t worn a wristband with it or T-shirt with FOCUS after what happened in Indian Wells.” Despite the delay, Tiafoe won that match in the Indian Wells in straight sets, 7-6(4), 7-6(7). Although he didn’t make it past the second round, Tiafoe remained in good spirits about it.

Witt has had a storied coaching career. In the past, he worked with tennis legends like Serena Williams and Jessica Pegula. Right before teaming up with Frances, Witt had just split from his partnership with Pegula, which began in 2019 and lasted until early 2024. During that time, she rose to a career-high ranking of No. 3 in the world and won several titles, including her first WTA 1000 title as well.

Coming back to Tiafoe’s racket mishap, well, it seems like something he isn’t going to let go of easily. However, David doesn’t seem too bothered by it; he was all smiles after the Houston SF. The chemistry between him and Tiafoe is evident. And it has been since the inception of this partnership!

Frances Tiafoe speaks about the impact of having David Witt on his team

Last year, Frances Tiafoe took a significant step forward at the 2024 Cincinnati Open by defeating Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the Round of 64. The match ended with a scoreline of 6-3, 7(8)-6(6). Post-victory, Big Foe spoke with Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj about his new coaching partnership. He praised Witt’s approach, saying, “He was open. Obviously, I was looking for a while, and our personalities kind of fit, you know. He’s super easygoing, you know, short, kind of on information, but gives quality information and doesn’t try to overcoach. So it’s been super easy right away.”

Tiafoe’s admiration for Witt is rooted in the coach’s extensive experience, notably his successful stint with Venus and Serena Williams. He highlighted Witt’s experience, noting, “He did an incredible job with Venus and Serena living at their place at the time.” Tiafoe and Witt share a quirky sense of humor, with Big Foe admitting, “We’ve been getting along, having a great time, we’re both a little weird in a way where we just say off the jokes and stuff like that.”

Tiafoe is set to appear for his first final match in seven months! Will he be successful in reclaiming the Houston Open title? Share your thoughts in the comments below!