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Frances Tiafoe carried American hopes on his shoulders during his semi-final run at the 2022 US Open. He delighted fans with his performances and earned the respect of many, including the former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama.
Obama was present in the stands to support Tiafoe during his semi-final match against Carlos Alcaraz and even met him in the locker room after the match. She recently took to Twitter to praise the World No. 19, saying she had a feeling he would "dominate in the years to come."
"Frances Tiafoe, I’m so proud of you! You were an amazing force on the court. I have a feeling we’ll all be watching you dominate in the years to come," Michelle Obama wrote.
“I'm capable of winning Grand Slams" - Frances Tiafoe
Frances Tiafoe had a dream run at his home slam, defeating the likes of Andrey Rublev, Diego Schwartzman and, most memorably, Rafael Nadal in the fourth round.
Tiafoe eventually succumbed to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals in what was a thrilling five-set affair.
The inspired run has given Tiafoe the belief that he can mix it with the best and win Grand Slams in the future.
“I just proved that, honestly, I can play with the best obviously, and I'm capable of winning Grand Slams," he said. "I think everyone knew when I play my best what I could do. But you know how close I can actually be to be one of those guys and to do this consistently," he added.
The 24-year-old admitted that he has been inconsistent with his performances in the past, but said he is ready to take the next step in his career.
“Obviously through my career I've been pretty sporadic of playing well, veering off for a while. I've always backed myself against the best players in the world. I'm doing it on a consistent basis, starting to beat guys more readily. [I’m] ready to take the next step,” said Tiafoe.
