“Gotta Stick It Out”- Frances Tiafoe Gets a Taste of His Own Flair From Hilarious 20YO Compatriot Mimic

For Frances Tiafoe, mimicry isn’t just a fleeting habit; it’s seemingly woven into the fabric of his personality. As far back as his appearance on Rennae Stubbs’ podcast on April 1st, 2022, the former Dallas Open champion openly discussed his tendency to imitate other players, even recalling his coach’s hesitant reactions to his on-tour impressions of forehands: “I was like…jumping around and making fun of these forehands on the tour. I would always go and do that. I would see guys on tour here. So, I would copy a bunch of guys, coaches.” This playful inclination resurfaced at the 2024 Cincinnati Open when Tiafoe celebrated his second-round win against Lorenzo Musetti by mimicking LeBron James’s iconic “Too Small” gesture. It’s clear that for “Big Foe,” impersonation is a consistent trait. But in a recent turn of events, the spotlight has shifted, and it’s not the ATP No. 17 doing the mimicking, but someone whose performance left him thoroughly amused.

Tiafoe defeated his 20-year-old American colleague Alex Michelsen in an impressive match at the River Oaks Country Club yesterday. He overpowered Michelsen by 7-5 and 6-1 in the ATP Houston quarterfinals and secured a spot in the semifinals against Brandon Nakashima. A winner of the tournament in 2023, Tiafoe, played with his heart and soul for 1 hour and 32 minutes to bag this victory and reach his third consecutive semifinals spot in Houston. Tiafoe and Michelsen’s equation isn’t limited to on-court!

A few hours after their QFs encounter, Fayez Sarofim & Co. US Clay and ATP Tour’s Instagram accounts jointly shared a video, where the 20-year-old ATP star did exactly what the Big Foe is known to do: Impersonation.

Michelsen began with Tiafoe’s speaking style. “Yo what’s good dude? There you can see Alex Michelsen. How’s everything? How’s your wife?”  He also tried imitating his American colleague’s walking style and said, “I have really tried on the walk. Just tryna, cause you’re really gotta stick it out a little bit? He goes like this. I am actually like it’s rubbed off me, it’s really bad actually. I spent too much time around him recently.” Tiafoe’s reaction?

As this unfolded, the 27-year-old remained focused on the video playing on his phone. The content clearly resonated, eliciting a strong reaction of laughter that suggested he found it absolutely hilarious, a definite “10/10” in his book.

The origins of Tiafoe’s passion for mimicry can be found in his childhood.

In an interview with Players’ Tribune last year, the 27-year-old player said, “I’m the son of immigrant parents from Sierra Leone. When I was a kid, my dad got a construction job at College Park Tennis Club in 1999, a new tennis academy in the D.C. area. While my dad worked, I picked up the game during nights and weekends at the facility when the other kids weren’t around. I’d hit against the wall by myself, mimicking techniques I had seen older boys at the academy do. I’d imagine I was playing against Rafa or Roger in the U.S. Open, that those guys were just on the other side of the wall.” The outcome?

Eventually, he was accepted into the academy, and the rest is history….⁠

Fun fact: Talking about Michelsen and Tiafoe, the duo first met in the Dallas Open last year. Big Foe advanced to the tournament’s QF with a straight sets victory over his then-19-year-old opponent.

Well, Tiafoe’s 2025 season began on uneven ground. But he stayed determined.

Frances Tiafoe believes “every win right now is big”

Tiafoe started his 2025 season with the Brisbane International. However, his run ended disappointingly on R16 after a defeat against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. He played in five more tournaments before ATP Houston, including the Sunshine Slam. However, despite his efforts, he couldn’t move past the R16- not in Australia, Dallas, or Mexico. In Indian Wells and Miami, his form went little more downwards, leaving him stuck at R32.

Tiafoe’s luck changed in Houston, the tournament where all eight quarterfinal spots were occupied by American players, marking the first time since the 1991 Orlando event. When Big Foe dominated Adam Walton to enter the QF, his statement, “I felt like I really played every single point; I felt super dialed in. I was in the zone, so to speak. I don’t think I played my best tennis, but I thought it was a good match overall. Good first match, especially on clay. Just happy to get through. Every win right now is big for me,” showcased how desperately he tried to turn the tides in his favor.

Frances Tiafoe is set to play his SFs match against fellow American Brandon Nakashima tomorrow. Are you rooting for him? Share your thoughts in the comment box.