NEW YORK — Frances Tiafoe's parents left war-torn Sierra Leone for a better life in the United States. His mother, Alphina, was a nurse and often worked two jobs. Frances Sr. became a day laborer on a crew building the Junior Tennis Champions Center, a training complex and school in College Park, Md. His diligence won him a full-time place as the center's custodian.
With that job came a spare room where he could nap between shifts. He'd bring his twin sons, Frances and Franklin, to sleep there when Alphina worked nights. Both boys played tennis because they were surrounded by it, but young Frances lived and breathed it from the beginning.
It's good to be reminded that the American dream isn't a faded myth. It's alive and well and will be represented in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open thanks to young Frances, now 24. His commanding 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 upset of 22-time Grand Slam singles champion and No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal on Monday was the high point of the family's hopes, and there could be even better to come.
