The U.S. Open is officially underway, and tennis fanatics are holding their breath to see how the chaos unfolds in Flushing Meadows. Late last night under the bright lights of Louis Armstrong Stadium, Frances Tiafoe was the last man standing, battling back in a grueling five-set thriller against fellow American Martin Damm to lock in his spot in the second round.
It was a gritty performance, coming just weeks after his massive run to the finals at the Cincinnati Open and shortly after having a cyst removed from his right hand. When we caught up with the world number 11 just last week, he admitted the hand was finally feeling good again, but recovery was as much of a mental battle as a physical one.
Battling Back From Injury
“It’s one of those deals where you don’t want to rush it, but you also can’t let it mess with your mind,” he says. “Once I got into matches, I felt like I could trust it and just play my game. Making that run in Cincinnati gave me a lot of confidence. I didn’t have a ton of matches under my belt, but I was able to compete with some really good guys and put myself in a position to win.”
That is the biggest takeaway from runs like that, he explains. It isn’t about getting lucky, it’s about finding a way to push through the discomfort. You don’t always have to feel 100 percent to finish strong, and finding a way to compete while your body is still healing is a great sign that you’re doing something right.
Still, dealing with a lingering physical issue forces a player to be far more strategic on the court. It means constantly adapting your approach and subtle stroke mechanics to protect your body without sacrificing power.
CLIFF
“I’ve definitely had to be smart with it,” he says. “The biggest thing was not trying to do too much too soon and really trusting what my body was telling me. I’m still trying to play aggressive and use my forehand and serve the way I normally do, but there are moments where you have to pick your spots and not make every ball a war.”
For him, playing smart means refusing to overthink. He relies heavily on his instincts and the endless hours of practice he’s put in over the years, knowing that playing scared is the ultimate distraction on a big stage.
Feeding Off New York Energy
And there is no stage quite like New York. Any top player will tell you that stepping out in front of more than 23,000 screaming fans inside Arthur Ashe Stadium is a completely different beast. The energy is electric, the crowd is wild, and Tiafoe says the atmosphere feels like it’s buzzing before you even step foot on the hard court.
His goal is to lock in immediately, transforming that raw stadium energy into sharp focus rather than letting it turn into nerves.
“I try to remind myself: it’s the same sport, same job, just bigger lights,” he says. “I channel the emotion into tactics. Like, okay, how do I create time? How do I make them move? Where do I want the ball? If I’m locked into my plan, the crowd becomes part of the background instead of something that takes over my head. And honestly, that’s when I play my best, when I’ve got a plan, and I let the energy fuel me, not distract me.”
Keeping his physical energy up is just as crucial. Even with adrenaline coursing through his veins, the notoriously unpredictable Open schedule and marathon three-hour matches in the humid late-summer heat can drain anyone fast.
“I really try to focus on a balanced diet and giving my body the right fuel to maintain energy levels,” he says. “That’s why I fuel with CLIF Bars for a combo of carbs and protein to keep me going through hard workouts and matches, especially where there can be rain delays or times where your match ends up later or longer than you anticipate.”
Whether he’s reaching for a CLIF White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bar or grabbing a bag of Cookies & Creme Energy Bites, quick nutrition keeps mid-match lulls at bay and ensures he never runs on empty when the pressure heats up.
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Author: Madison Freeman
