Frances Tiafoe recently expressed his gratitude towards Dominic Thiem for accurately predicting the American’s success on clay. In an ATP Tour video, Thiem had expressed his belief that Tiafoe would secure his first clay court title this year due to his consistent performances. Tiafoe proved Thiem right by capturing the 2023 US Men’s Claycourt Championships.
Tiafoe’s victory in Houston
Tiafoe emerged victorious in Houston, defeating opponents such as Jason Kubler and Gijs Bouwer on his way to the finals. He then outperformed Thomas Martin Etcheverry with a 7-6(1), 7-6(6) victory to secure the title. The World No. 11 shared a video featuring Thiem’s prediction and responded to the Austrian’s comments, stating, “Good call bro.”
Thiem’s praise for Tiafoe
In the same video, Thiem also highlighted Tiafoe’s impressive performance at the 2022 Estoril Open, where he finished second. He praised the American as a great competitor and one of the best players on tour. Thiem said in an interview, “Frances Tiafoe, does he have a title or not? If he doesn’t have one yet, I’ll go with him. I think he likes the surface, he played the final in Estoril. I think he’s just a great player in general.”
Both players entering the clay season with momentum
Tiafoe and Thiem both head into the clay court season with positive momentum. Tiafoe has amassed 19 wins from 24 matches in the 2023 season so far, with a title-winning run at the United Cup and a semifinal appearance at Indian Wells. Thiem, meanwhile, has regained form ahead of the clay court Major in May, reaching the quarterfinals in Esrtoril and starting strong at the Monte-Carlo Masters with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Richard Gasquet. Both players will look to continue building momentum for the French Open.
Frances Tiafoe also recently expressed his admiration for his girlfriend Ayan Broomfield, who surprised him by attending his final match in Houston. The American attributed his first ATP title on the main tour since the 2018 Delray Beach Open to her support. In an Instagram post, Tiafoe wrote, “Love this girl sooo damn much. You flew in for the final without me knowing. You didn’t want to miss the moment. Soo thankful for you baby my road dawg for real.”
