Frances Tiafoe has a way with people. Whether it’s his tennis or his charm, or maybe both, nobody knows. But the American tennis star can make the crowd go wild, as he did at the DC Open. Where, despite losing the finals against compatriot Sebastian Korda, the home crowd rallied behind him to cheer him up. Hence, Big Foe, striking a chord with not only his girlfriend and friends but audiences as well should not be surprising. But according to the WTA insider Monica Puig, he has a way with the mothers too!

Jon Wertheim and Monica Puig joined host Steve Weissman, on the Tennis Channel live podcast that was released today, Aug 15. When the talks turned to Tiafoe, Weissman narrated another success for the American tennis star this month. At the Cincinnati Open, Tiafoe sailed through the Round of 32 against Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets. It’s a big deal, as Big Foe claimed his second top-20 prey in August, the first one coming at the DC Open. This certainly increases the hopes of tennis fans after a first-round exit at the Canadian Open.

Puig has nothing but praise for her good friend Tiafoe as she opens up about the bond between the two. She said, “I mean it is always something I like to see. I mean Frances is a good friend of mine. We talk a ton.” The Puerto Rican former professional tennis player further revealed that Tiafoe is not just good friends with her but also her mother. “He texts my mom sometimes and has a chat with her.” 

Moreover, the Olympic gold medalist further explained how she “likes to see him coming through and letting his personality shine.” Maybe it’s the nature of Tiafoe which helps him connect with people rather easily. But this was not all. Puig has a point to make when it comes to Tiafoe’s connection with people. She further remarked, “He is a fan favorite. Once he gets the crowd behind him, I think he kind of lets that into his game.”

Moreover, according to Puig, Tiafoe is a confident player, which somewhere has been lacking in his game as the American has yet to win any big tournaments this season. But Puig feels that once the confidence settles in, Big Foe could do some serious damage to the top-ranked players. He is quicker on the court, has the firepower, and a big serve to aid his exploits in the future.

Could Frances Tiafoe’s grit and new coach take him through the US Open?

Tiafoe has made it to the quarterfinals (at least) on the home soil, making it to the semifinals at the DC Open. And at the Cincinnati Open, he is all set to battle Jiri Lehecka in the Round of 16. His good friend Puig wants him to make it as far as possible in the lead-up to the US Open. Could he make it? Maybe he can, though the year has been quiet for Tiafoe, but right at the end he has started making some noise. Moreover, there has been a fruitful addition to his team, in the form of David Witt, as his new coach who has also trained Serena and Venus Williams.

When asked about his new collaboration, Tiafoe said, “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 over coach. So it’s been it’s been super easy right away.” 

Since the addition of the famous coach, Tiafoe has produced remarkable results, though he has yet to hunt the big fish. But a step in the right direction has raised the hopes of the home crowd and his supporters. He might make it and battle against the defending champion Carlos Alcaraz to carry on the Wimbledon threat against the Spaniard!