Frances Tiafoe is a true hypeman! Right now, he’s in the thick of the action at the Mubadala Citi DC Open. As the No.6 seed, he’s on the hunt for redemption, hoping to bounce back after a tough exit in the fourth round at Wimbledon. Moreover, with Venus Williams making her long-awaited return to the court, excitement in D.C. has hit a fever pitch. And Tiafoe never shies away from sharing his feelings—especially when the atmosphere is this electric!

On Wednesday, Tiafoe battled Aleksandar Kovacevic in a match that had everyone on the edge of their seats. He didn’t just survive his opener—he did it in serious style. Wearing a gold and burgundy kit that paid homage to the Washington Commanders, Tiafoe grabbed a crucial break at 4-3 in the deciding set. One game later, he shut it down, starting his ATP 500 campaign with a bang.

After the match, things got even more interesting. Myles David, host of the Tuned Into Tennis podcast, caught up with Frances. The topic? Hailey Baptiste, Tiafoe’s “little sister” on tour, called the DC Open one of the “blackest stops” on the calendar. Myles wanted Frances’s take, and the response was pure Tiafoe—he couldn’t agree more!

He put it simply: “Have you seen the stands? Incredible, man. It definitely is, man. Look, obviously Venus packs it to the rafters, man. So many people of color in the stands, it’s awesome. Chocolate City for a reason. Diversity is insane. I love being here. You don’t have your average tennis fan here, especially watching me or her or Ben, Taylor, obviously V. So it’s fun, it’s fun.” He’s got a point!

On July 20, the Fitzgerald Tennis Center was absolutely buzzing. WUSA9 reported a staggering 80,000-plus spectators winding their way through Rock Creek Park. Names like Naomi Osaka and Venus Williams drew the crowd, turning every match into a showstopper. Imagine the energy as these legends walked onto the court—it was more than electric.

Mark Ein, Citi Open chairman, explained the idea behind it all: “We intentionally designed the whole thing so you can get close because to me that’s the connection you’re trying to build. You’re trying to get young people close to their idols.” With this dazzling cast on court, Washington, D.C. sizzled with a vibe like no other.

The stars he named are blazing right alongside him! Venus has been making headlines, teaming up with Baptiste in doubles and cruising past her first singles foe into the R16. Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton already have their sights set on the quarterfinals. And the crowd? They seem to be having a rather strange effect on some of the players, according to Tiafoe.

He added, “Tennis etiquette, you saw Kovacevic getting super pissed, and a lot of times Black people not knowing what the hell tennis is. Not moving, not doing anything. Just funny. Unbelievable. He’s getting frustrated. It was funny, because, like, this is kind of what we need. But I get it. I get it, for sure.”

Frances has never hidden how much he loves this part of the year—he’s shouted it from the rooftops since the very start! In a recent chat with Sports Illustrated, he let his confidence shine: “I’m feeling good. I love the energy of the hard court season, especially in North America.” For him, these courts—and this city—feel just like home.

Frances Tiafoe shares a heartwarming tidbit about being “home”

Ahead of the tournament, the No.6 seed was in high spirits, chatting with the Washington Times and absolutely raving about his hometown event. “Everywhere I go, it’s like a long homecoming,” said the Hyattsville native. “I know everyone from security and everyone on staff for so long, and everyone’s so excited to see me. A lot of ‘I’m proud of you’ and ‘Keep going’ … a lot of love like that. But yeah, just get bulldozed everywhere I go, which is kind of fun.”

Coming off a career-best run to the Roland-Garros quarterfinals—then a tough early exit at Wimbledon—Tiafoe was more than ready to hit the hard courts at home. He’s got a fire in his belly, itching for that breakthrough moment on his favorite surface and in his favorite city. “I come out here, it’s do or die. I have that mindset,” Frances Tiafoe declared, hungry for his first Washington crown. “I snuck into this event. I have no more motivation than to want to see my name on the stadium.” The tournament field is stacked this year, drawing a powerful lineup now that it no longer overlaps with the Paris Olympics—making this edition the fiercest in recent memory.

Now, Frances is feeling the fire from the home crowds as he battles Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in the Round of 16. Tiafoe holds a 1-0 advantage in their head-to-head, notching his win in straight sets at last year’s Delray Beach quarters. With momentum from last season’s semifinal showing and the energy of his hometown behind him, could he push even further this year? Let us hear your thoughts in the comments!