‘Nobody Thought I’d Be Able to Do Any of These Things’ – American Tennis Star Frances Tiafoe Turns Emotional as He Re-Lives Parents’ Struggles to Make Ends Meet

Quite possibly, 25-year-old Frances Tiafoe may have had the most memorable week of his career that culminated in him winning the Stuttgart Open title last Sunday. Although he reached the US Open semifinals by defeating Rafael Nadal on the way last year, this victory in Stuttgart probably triumphs everything else – this marked his first-ever grass-court title and catapulted him inside the top 10 of the ATP rankings for the first time in his career.

Therefore, it goes without saying that emotions were riding high for the jubilant ATP star after his impressive run in Stuttgart. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to his parents for their struggles right after his 3rd ATP title victory.

An emotional Frances Tiafoe remembers the struggles of his parents

After clinching the Stuttgart Open title by defeating Jan-Lennard Struff in a thrilling final, an ecstatic Frances Tiafoe didn’t forget to acknowledge the impact his parents had on shaping his life as a tennis player.

In an interview with Tennis TV after his victory, he said, “It’s super emotional,man.. My dad was a janitor at a tennis club. My mom worked 2 jobs through the night. Living in a 2 bedroom with my mom… Nobody thought I’d be able to do any of these things… A lot of people said Frances Tiafoe’s always too relaxed, he jokes around too much, he’s not serious.. Everybody painted this picture around me.. And it’s like, what are you all going to say now? Yeah, I’m just pleased with it. I’m really pleased.”

As is clear, Tiafoe couldn’t help but reminisce about his humble beginnings and the indelible contribution of his parents to his success on the tennis court today. Surely, the struggles of his parents have come to fruition.

READ MORE: ‘Gonna Tell All My Friends’- Frances Tiafoe Exhilarates a Young Fan by Replicating a Classic Roger Federer Act

The inspiring backstory of Tiafoe’s family

Frances Tiafoe’s parents Constant Tiafoe and Alphina Kamara Tiafoe are both immigrants from the African nation of Sierra Leone. In the early 1990s, they migrated to the United States after fleeing their country, which was marred by civil war at that time. His mother worked the night shift as a nurse to help the cause of the family. Tiafoe, along with his brother, often slept at the Tennis Center where his father worked as a janitor.

As fate had it, Tiafoe’s tryst with tennis began at that very Tennis Center – and the rest is history. Certainly, Frances Tiafoe’s story will serve as an inspiration to thousands of young kids from similar backgrounds trying to make a name for themselves.

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