Frances Tiafoe opens up about being inspired by watching Venus and Serena Williams dominate a "predominantly white" sport
Frances Tiafoe recently shared how Serena Williams and Venus Williams inspired his tennis aspirations and touched upon the legacy he wants to leave behind.
The American captured everyone's attention this year when he advanced to the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in his career at the US Open. He became the first American man to reach the semifinals at Flushing Meadows since Andy Roddick in 2006, and the first black American man since Arthur Ashe in 1972.
Speaking on an episode of The Old Man And The Three podcast, Tiafoe revealed that he wants his legacy to be remembered in the same way as Serena and Venus Williams.
“If Serena and Venus weren’t playing tennis, even with the come up I had like, I’m you know, seven eight years ago watching them play against each other in the Wimbledon final, in a predominantly white sport, I’m looking at my dad, that’s iconic. I’m not saying, I want to be them because they’re one of ones. But I want to be remembered like that. And I think, and when you create that, it’s you know, it’s insane. I mean, it’s it you know you’re forever remembered and that’s what I want,” said Frances Tiafoe.
The 24-year-old also stated that he wants to make tennis more accessible to people of color and show them how much fun it is.
“I want when I’m playing, fans who don’t even know how to keep score or like who just would never watch tennis, but they’re there to watch Frances Tiafoe. I want more people of color to play the game of tennis, obviously. So, make it more accessible and let people know that it is fun. It is fun to go play tennis. So, yeah, that’s a, it’s always emotional topic for me and it’s something really want to, I really want my legacy to be,” he added.
.@FTiafoe shares how watching @serenawilliams and @Venuseswilliams influenced his tennis dreams and what kind of legacy he hopes to leave one day https://t.co/hfYoqG62ga
"As a black person, I want to receive the respect that Serena had" - Frances Tiafoe on Serena Williams
Frances Tiafoe earlier noted that the Williams sisters are great sporting icons and stated that as a black person, he aspires to be treated with the same respect as Serena Williams and to leave a lasting legacy.
"Serena means everything to me and to many people. She and her sister are true icons of the sport. She is the real reason I believed I could be someone in the world of tennis," he said.
"As a black person, I want to receive the respect that Serena had. When I finish my career, if many kids who look like me are playing tennis, then I will feel like I have won. That is my biggest goal," he added.