The US Open brought a whirlwind of emotions for fans and players alike. But while some rode the high of victory, others were left heartbroken after falling just short of the prize. One such player who felt the sting of defeat was the ever-charismatic American, Frances Tiafoe. But here’s the thing—while he may not have lifted the title, Tiafoe has certainly captured hearts. And none other than Rennae Stubbs, the former coach of Serena Williams, is quick to point that out.

Tiafoe witnessed a close defeat against Taylor Fritz in the semifinals. He complained of cramps and fatigue after the match that eventually cost him the US Open title. However, for Stubbs, the player in the limelight seems to be Tiafoe, as she believes that the American tennis star has maintained his relevance amongst his fans and has emerged as one of the most loved players. 

Stubbs talked to Caitlin Thompson on the September 10th episode of The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast and deliberated on a wide range of topics including the recently concluded US Open. Speaking on the podcast, Thompson claimed that Tiafoe is “just certainly the crowd favorite, and of the Americans, I think everybody’s by far chosen. You know, I think if you polled 99 people on the street, they would say I want Tiafoe to win!” Stubbs made no delay in adding her support to the statement. 

“I’ve asked this question because I did it in Cincinnati, Who’s the most, you know, fun guy in the locker room? Who’s the one that’s always in a good mood? 99% of the players said Frances Tiafoe,” the 53-year-old said. However, this is not the first time when Stubbs expressed her support for Tiafoe. 

When an X user critiqued Tiafoe for aiming shots close to that of GOATs Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal during the 2022 Laver Cup final, Stubbs took to the platform and slammed the comments, “Your comments overall have proved that you’ve actually never played tennis at a high level. Ever! Especially doubles! Dear lord. Just stop!” Meanwhile, Fritz also admitted Tiafoe’s excellence at the US Open and sang praises for the compatriot despite defeating him. 

“He was overwhelming” –  When Taylor Fritz opened up about battling against Frances Tiafoe

The match between Fritz and Tiafoe was one of the most sensational ones that was witnessed at the US Open this year. Until the fourth set, things could go either way, and it was probably after Tiafoe looked exhausted that Fritz tried to build a dominant momentum. However, despite defeating the 26-year-old 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, Fritz did not fail to laud his skills. 

Speaking after the match, Fritz admitted that he “was freaking out a little bit.” “He was overwhelming from the baseline so much, taking the ball so early, changing lines so well,” Fritz said of Tiafoe’s aggressive approach. “I just told myself to try to stay in it, fight to hold my serve, and apply scoreboard pressure as much as possible.” He also said, “I told myself if I didn’t give it absolutely everything I had and stick with it and see if his level might drop a little bit, I would regret it for a long time.”

As the season progresses, it would be interesting to see if Frances Tiafoe can once again bring out his best skills and garner more praise from fellow players and experts alike.