"NEW YORK -- When Frances Tiafoe walked onto the court on Monday for his first-round match at the US Open, he knew it could be the last time he had the chance to play on Arthur Ashe Stadium. It wasn't Yoshihito Nishioka, his far less seasoned opponent, or the back injury that plagued him earlier this month in Cincinnati, or even a lack of confidence that made him feel that way."
"'I get so much inspiration from [Ashe] and I never want to take that for granted. There are no guarantees in life. Obviously I'm [only] 27 but I feel like, this could be the last time I'm playing on this court, you just never know, and because of that I want to enjoy it and I want to play at the highest level, every time.'"
Frances Tiafoe entered his US Open first-round match on Arthur Ashe Stadium with visible emotion and a sense that any appearance there might be his last. He described feeling goosebumps and drawing inspiration from Arthur Ashe, committing to enjoy each opportunity and to play at the highest level. Against Yoshihito Nishioka, Tiafoe used aggressive serving and crowd energy to win 6-3, 7-6 (6), 6-3, finishing with 19 aces and an ace to seal the match. As the No. 17 seed and a past semifinalist in 2022 and 2024, he aims for six more victories to claim the title.
Read at ESPN.com
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