Tiafoe wants a basketball-style atmosphere in tennis: “Fans should be able to move around and talk during matches”

The American says that outside of Wimbledon, which has its tradition, tennis can do more for fans

March 23, 2023

Shorter matches, four-game sets and a tiebreak at 4-all have all been mentioned as ways to get a new generation interested in tennis. Frances Tiafoe has another option in mind and it concerns the spectators.

“I think fans should be able to come and go and move around and speak during matches,” Tiafoe told Forbes in an interview. “Imagine going to a basketball game and not saying anything.”

Tiafoe said some events should retain tradition, such as Wimbledon, but “outside that, let’s start to change things to bring younger fans to the game.”

The 25-year-old is a big fan of the NBA and is therefore largely inspired by the culture of the sport. This year he took part in the personality game during the All-Star Game of the American basketball league.

Frances Tiafoe's intro (by Ben Affleck!) at the #NBAAllStar Celebrity Game last night 🔥 pic.twitter.com/p2Z7sixsSk
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) February 18, 2023

Frances Tiafoe, the showman

“I’ll still be out there playing with a smile on my face, engaging the audience and making them feel like they’re part of this crazy journey we call life,” he said. “I think they really appreciate that. I don’t put myself out there for people, that’s who I am. I like people to be happy.”

“I am always going to be out there competing hard with a smile on my face,” he said, “bringing the crowd into it and making them feel a part of this crazy journey we call life. I think they are really enjoying that. I’m not putting that on for people, that is who I am. I love people being happy.

“I am getting pumped up and I want the crowd [to get pumped up],” he says. “They spent hard-earned money to watch entertainment. I’m just doing me, just being me. I’m going to do me and do what helps me play my best.”

The American is never more comfortable than when on home soil surrounded by his fans. After reaching the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time at the 2022 US Open, he also reached the last four at the Indian Wells Masters 1000 in early 2023.

This recent excellent form has taken him to his highest career ranking of 14th in the world. He hopes to follow this up in Miami, where he will face the winner of Paire – Watanuki in the second round.