Frances Tiafoe Pregames Tennis Matches by Listening to Nipsey Hussle
There’s one thing about tennis player Frances Tiafoe that’s unlike many other athletes in his sport: He has charisma. The reaction he brings out of a crowd at a match is exuberant, with nearly everyone cheering for “Big Foe.” Born in Maryland to immigrant parents from Sierra Leone, Tiafoe’s father worked as head of maintenance at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland, encouraging young Frances to train in the sport since he was 4 years old. It’s a door that may not have been open to him otherwise. When he plays a match, like he has been at the 2024 U.S. Open, you can see the strength and determination inherited from his family emanating from his every move on the court.
While tennis has grown in popularity over the past few years, thanks in part to Netflix’s docuseries Break Point and Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers (which Tiafoe admits he still hasn’t seen), Tiafoe’s reverence for athletes past and present goes beyond his own sport. He dreams of basketball players like LeBron James watching him from the stands and likes to keep Allen Iverson’s style on his mood board. After an impressive run at the Cincinnati Masters earlier this month, in which he played in the final against the world’s No. 1 tennis player, Jannik Sinner, Big Foe is back on the court at the U.S. Open and ready to take on the challenge. Part of his motivation, he says, comes from sticking to his routine, playing Nipsey Hussle’s Victory Lap, and finally getting to reach for a Grey Goose Honey Deuce cocktail right after he wraps up the tournament. Before he celebrates with everyone’s favorite U.S. Open drink, Tiafoe let the Cut in on his pre-match rituals and more.
How do you think your style on the court reflects your style off court?
My style on the court is definitely loud, passionate, showing you who I am, smiling and just enjoying the game and life, and having a ton of fun. I try not to take myself too seriously, but I bring that into everything I do.
What’s your first memory of someone with great style or fashion sense?
When I was young, I would probably say Allen Iverson. He definitely met sports and fashion — what he did with the baggy jackets and pants, cornrows, tattoos. He took it to a whole other level.
Merch is having a huge comeback with celebrities and concert tours, and even politicians. What would be your dream merch?
My dream merch … I haven’t really thought about that. It would be cool to have some “Big Foe” stuff.
What do you like to listen to before a match to get yourself hyped up? If you could play a song or album during a match, what would you choose?
Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Nipsey Hussle, and probably his album Victory Lap would be what I would play. He says a lot of heavy stuff; definitely you should catch it.
What’s your pre-match ritual?
I listen to the same songs and motivational things. I eat the same thing before every match. I like to be on a big routine.
What is one place you need to go or something you need to do whenever you come to New York?
I really enjoy shopping here, hanging out on rooftops and things like that, enjoying so many nice restaurants.
What’s the first thing you like to do once you arrive at the U.S. Open?
Walk onto Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums; I think the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is the best arena we have. It’s such an iconic court.
What do you like to do right after you’re done playing the tournament?
I have a Honey Deuce and debrief the match, you know what I mean. As a kid, I always saw somebody who would drink one and talk about it, and it’s such an iconic drink for the U.S. Open. I feel like you can’t go to the Open and not have one. The glass has all the past champions, and it has the little tennis balls in there. To now be a part of that is great.
Is there a celebrity you dream of watching you play on the court?
If LeBron James came to watch me, that would be sick.
Have you seen him play?
There’s no question about that. Right up front and center.
Is there a tennis match that you like to go back and rewatch over and over again?
A couple of years ago playing Rafael Nadal here, that was probably one I would definitely go back to. I try to relive certain moments.
You’re traveling all the time. What is your form of entertainment when you’re on the go?
I love docuseries, learning about new things and people. I was bingeing Friday Night Lights for the last month or so; it was pretty cool doing that again.
What is something you never want to watch, no matter what?
I don’t really do scary movies in general. I don’t get scared, sometimes suspense is cool, but it just messes up my sleep totally.
What’s your favorite game to play outside of tennis?
Uno. It’s my favorite game ever. I get big-time heated.
What was the last meal you ate?
I had a steak last night. But if I’m home, sometimes a chef comes by or my girlfriend cooks. If I’m in Maryland, I leave that to my mom. She is one of the best cooks out here; she makes a bunch of African dishes.
You’re hopping in an Uber XL and can bring five celebrities — dead or alive — with you. Who’s coming?
I definitely wanna invite Taylor Fritz, probably LeBron, Jay-Z, Kerry Washington, Viola Davis, Denzel Washington. I feel like there would be so much to talk about and common interests outside of just what they do, what they’re into.
What’s the best and worst advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I’ve ever gotten is that it’s never as bad as it seems, and it’s never as good as it seems — stay mellow and don’t get too low. But the worst advice I’ve heard is to be realistic.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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