“Locked in”: UConn’s Paige Bueckers joins the hype around Frances Tiafoe's 2024 US Open win
Paige Bueckers was in the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday to cheer for Frances Tiafoe at the US Open. The USA’s tennis sensation battled against Australia's Alexei Popyrin to secure a quarterfinal appearance behind in four sets.
Tiafoe posted a few glimpses of his win on New York's turf on his Instagram account Monday night, including action shots, his celebrations and a locker room catchup with Azzi Fudd, Ellen Pompeo, Shonda Rhimes and others.
One particular image captured Paige Bueckers in a standing ovation and recording the moment on her phone.
As fans congratulated Frances Tiafoe for his win, Bueckers, like a fan herself, commented on his post.
"All the way locked in!" she wrote.
Bueckers was in Connecticut on Sunday afternoon, cheering for her former teammate Nika Muhl during the Sun's game against Seatle Storm. She mounted a quick trip to New York to attend Tiafoe's game.
As Paige Bueckers extended her support to Frances Tiafoe through an Instagram story, her teammate Azzi Fudd, WNBA Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie, Tim Hardaway Jr, Carlos Boozer and other big basketball names also chimed in through their socials. Bueckers was also in the arena last week, supporting Coco Gauff’s win over Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina with Fudd.
Paige Bueckers has had an extensive offseason
As soon as the UConn Huskies season ended on April 6 against the Iowa Hawkeyes, Paige Bueckers mounted a trip to the 2024 WNBA draft. She had the option to battle for the top pick with Caitlin Clark this year but chose to resume her NCAA title hunt for another year.
There onwards, Bueckers visited a Miami Heat playoff game, sparking a series of WNBA appearances. She traveled throughout the women’s big-league circuit to support her former UConn teammates, Nika Muhl, Aaliyah Edwards and others.
There were also personal feats during her ‘World Tour.’ As she mounted partnership ventures with Highsnobiety, Verizon, Meta, Madison Reed and more. Bueckers also attended the ESPYs, winning the Comeback Athlete of the Year award.
During her first-ever WNBA all-star weekend, she spearheaded the traditional youth training camp, cultivated a bond with Diana Taurasi and recorded a podcast with Sue Bird.