“I’m 100 percent sure that we’re still going to be friends,” that’s what Ben Shelton said, ahead of his quarter-final clash against Frances Tiafoe at the US Open. There were several instances at the US Open where fans witnessed the heat of All-American showdowns but the young champs managed to keep the bond between them intact. After competing against each other at Flushing Meadows, Laver Cup finally offered the American stars a chance to go hand and hand. And Frances Tiafoe has now made an emotional revelation about his long-standing friendship with his compatriots.

Tiafoe, after his thrilling victory over Daniil Medvedev at the Laver Cup 2024, opened up about his close bond with fellow American stars, including Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Riley Opelka, and Ben Shelton. During his press conference, the 26-year-old shed light on the special connection they’ve built over the years, saying, “We’ve been going at it… me, Riley, Tommy, Fritz… We’ve been going at it since we were 11 or 12, doing little camps and kind of always pushing each other.”

Tiafoe also explained how their friendship has been a driving force in their tennis journey. He recalled how all the friends motivated each other at every stage, from junior camps to the ATP tour. “We were doing that at a pretty young age. Guys were breaking through at a young age and that just creates a domino effect.” This adorable sense of camaraderie has kept these American stars consistently moving ahead for greatness.

The American players depicted a significant rise in rankings by the end of the US Open. Taylor Fritz, who lost to Jannik Sinner in the finals, solidified his position in the top 10 whereas Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, and Tommy Paul moved up to claim their own slots in the top 20. It’s quite clear how despite a line of rivalry, the American ATP pros are motivating each other.

Besides the on-court rivalry, Tiafoe has been vocal about Ben Shelton’s nature off the court as well in the past. “As a guy, he’s just young and funny and crack jokes and just about as immature as I am. We always have fun joking around and cracking jokes for sure,” he said, ahead of their quarter-final battle at the US Open.

However, despite the amazing camaraderie between the American players, there’s one American ATP star who is not putting aside the competitive spirit.

Taylor Fritz recognizes a competitive threat in Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul and others

Out of all the things that the fans witness about the American ATP stars, their camaraderie is something that outshines. Be it off the courts where they meet unfiltered, or during competitions like the Laver Cup, the players never cease to amaze their fans. However, regardless of their bond, the reality clearly states that these players exist in a setup where winning against each other is the only way toward greatness.

Taylor Fritz takes this aspect seriously. “He has like a really good base over the next year to, like, contend,” the 26-year-old said recently, talking about Tiafoe. Besides Tiafoe, Fritz is also wary of Tommy Paul’s consistency as he highlighted the stable graph of his performance as well. “Tommy’s just been really, really consistently good… we’ve been super close in the race for the past two years, maybe even more,” Fritz added.

Although Fritz knows how to keep the camaraderie alive, keeping the competitive spirit up is also wise, as he moves into a vital phase of his career. What do you think about Fritz’s future prospects?