Frances Tiafoe, one of many prime 10 tennis gamers on the planet, owes a lot of his success to his dad and mom, Alphina and Frances Sr. Tiafoe.
Born to immigrant dad and mom from Sierra Leone, Frances and his twin brother, Franklin, grew up in Maryland, the place their father labored as the pinnacle of upkeep on the Junior Tennis Champions Heart, whereas their mom, Alphina, a nurse practitioner, offered stability and help off the court docket.
Frances has usually credited his mom and father for his or her unwavering help and sacrifices, which allowed him to pursue his desires.
“I notice now how arduous he labored, and the way a lot he sacrificed, to permit my brother and me to chase our desires and have the life he and my mother needed us to have — the one they couldn’t have in Sierra Leone,” the tennis professional wrote in a 2020 essay in The Gamers’ Tribune.
From their humble beginnings to their continued presence in his life, Frances’ dad and mom have performed an integral position in his journey on the court docket. Now, as he competes within the 2024 US Open, vying for a spot within the semifinals, they’re nonetheless cheering him on from the stands.
Right here’s all the pieces to learn about Frances Tiafoe’s dad and mom, Alphina and Frances Sr. Tiafoe.
They’re from Sierra Leone
Alphina and Frances Sr.’s journey to the U.S. started within the Nineteen Nineties when Sierra Leone was engulfed in a brutal civil struggle that resulted in almost hundreds of deaths and hundreds of thousands of displaced residents.
Finally, Alphina and Frances Sr. made the choice to to migrate to the U.S. in 1996. The experiences they carried from their transfer and resilience in a brand new nation profoundly formed their outlook on life, and handed down classes to their sons.
Frances has spoken about how visiting Sierra Leone as a baby opened his eyes to the stark realities of life exterior the U.S., making him admire his dad and mom’ energy and the alternatives they offered for him and his brother.
“There’s nothing actually that may put together you for … the tradition shock, I suppose you might name it, of going to a rustic like that,” the athlete wrote in his essay.
Frances’ dad was head of upkeep at a tennis middle
Frances’ love for tennis was nurtured on the Junior Tennis Champions Heart in School Park, MD., the place his father, Frances Sr., served as head of upkeep.
Frances Sr.’s position on the JTCC went past sustaining the ability — he additionally performed an important half in his sons’ early publicity to the game. Frances and Franklin usually accompanied him to work, spending whole days on the tennis middle.
“On nights when my mother was working the night time shift, my brother, Franklin, and I might go stick with Dad,” Frances recalled in his essay. “He’d sleep on the therapeutic massage desk in order that Franklin and I might have the couches.”
As soon as Frances rose to stardom, he instantly returned to the place his profession began.
In July 2023, Frances introduced a $250,000 fund to help tennis schooling and entry in 270 communities nationwide, along with his dad and mom by his aspect on the Junior Tennis Champions Heart, to which he gifted $50,000 as a part of the initiative.
“I’m a product of this place,” he advised AP Information on the time. “I’m a man who was given an opportunity — who wouldn’t have actually had one — and look what I used to be in a position to do with it.”
Alphina balanced work and elevating Frances
Whereas Frances Sr. labored on the tennis middle, Alphina performed an equally vital position within the sons’ lives as a nurse practitioner.
“Any time we’d cough, Mother would remember to ensure that we had been all proper,” Frances wrote, reflecting on his childhood.
Alphina’s dedication to her career was a supply of inspiration for Frances, who has usually spoken in regards to the toughness his mom displayed, notably throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After I requested her to not go in for work, she didn’t hear,” Frances wrote of the unprecedented occasions. “As a result of she likes to work. As a result of she and Dad don’t actually know the which means of a break. As a result of they bought your again.”
Alphina’s unwavering dedication to her household and work instilled in her sons the values of arduous work and perseverance.
“That ‘zone’ that I’ve to get into after I’m down a set or one thing like that? That exists for my mother when issues are getting chaotic within the nursing residence and also you want a relaxed head to make selections that, ultimately, are far more vital than a tennis match,” the tennis professional added.
Frances’ mother took him to Sierra Leone to attach along with his roots
When Frances was 8 years outdated, Alphina took him and his brother on a visit to Sierra Leone to assist foster a reference to their household historical past. The journey profoundly impacted Frances, who described it as a “tradition shock” that opened his eyes to the realities of life in a growing nation.
The poverty he witnessed was a stark distinction to his life within the U.S. whereas additionally giving him a deep appreciation for his dad and mom’ sacrifices. Regardless of the challenges, Frances was struck by the resilience and happiness of the individuals he met in Sierra Leone.
“That feeling I had in Sierra Leone, of realizing how glad individuals had been over there, how unselfish they had been of their lifestyle,” the athlete penned. “I perceive now that they might have been financially poor, however they had been actually wealthy. You are feeling me? Their lives had been wealthy.”
In 2021, Frances shared on Instagram that he and his household got the chance to satisfy with authorities leaders in Sierra Leone.
“Big second for my household and I. To satisfy the president and First Girl of Sierra Leone,” he wrote. “Absolute honor and may’t wait to go to. Thanks for the chance.”
Frances credit his dad and mom for his success
Frances does not shrink back from acknowledging his dad and mom’ position in his rise to tennis stardom.
From his father’s early encouragement to his mom’s fixed help, Frances credit them with giving him the instruments and alternatives he wanted to succeed.
“I’m blessed as a result of I bought a few of [my father’s] drive … his will to get one thing performed,” Frances wrote.
He usually expresses his gratitude publicly. Whether or not it’s by way of social media shout-outs or interviews, he continues to honor his dad and mom and their essential half in his profession trajectory.
