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US tennis’s big hope Frances Tiafoe eyes Roddick footsteps

 

The last American to win a Grand Slam was Andy Roddick 20 years ago. Frances Tiafoe hopes to end the drought. In fact, he knows he can.

The 26-year-old American champion sent Flushing Meadows into a frenzy last September and his star has risen.

It is not enough. He wants more.

“My goal is to try to win the Grand Slam and get into the top 10,” Tiafoe told Dailymail.com exclusively from his hotel room in Nice last week.

“These are my basic goals. I’m really knocking on the door of the top 10. How much can I win? I don’t know. But I know I can win one.

Frances Tiafoe regained fame and shared a photo with NBA icon LeBron James in April

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For a nation that prides itself on producing tennis talent, ultimate success in the men’s game has been lacking for some years.

However, there is a wave of excitement that one man could change America’s outlook. ‘Big Foe’ is now a sporting celebrity in his native country and will be one to watch at Sunday’s French Open.

“It’s definitely day and night,” he said. While his newfound fame after the US Open semi-final has its pitfalls, the Maryland native is able to stay cooped up due to his surroundings.

“I have a great team around me,” he said. They keep me grounded, keep me humble.

“Having people around you who generally care about you is so important, not just people around you who are here because of who you are or who you come from. You get a lot of yeses. I think I think as I progressed, I tried less and less to eliminate my circle and that helped me a lot.

Tennis remains the primary focus, but what comes with superstardom is more than wholesome ovations in stadiums around the world. There is pressure and expectation, nothing more than internal, but it all adds to the burden on Tiafoe’s shoulders.

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