Frances Tiafoe wants to feed off Knicks energy…
In the hunt to be the first American to end the Grand Slam drought, Frances Tiafoe is hoping to channel the Knicks’ championship energy while he’s in Flushing Meadows.
Tiafoe superior to the third spherical of the U.S. Open, defeating Rei Sakamoto in three units in entrance of famous celeb Knicks fan Ben Stiller on Wednesday evening, and was requested afterward about the noticeable quantity of followers carrying Knicks gear at this yr’s event.
Tiafoe, whose sporting allegiance lies with the Washington, D.C. groups, first pretended not to know who the Knicks have been before suggesting he hoped to use some of their optimistic vibes to help him in this yr’s U.S. Open.
Frances Tiafoe reacts after his straight-set win over Rei Sakamoto during the second spherical of the U.S. Open on Sept. 2, 2026 at Louis Armstrong Stadium. Getty Images
“Hopefully I can go off that Knicks energy, even though I’m a huge DC Sports fan. That was nuts, man. What a run. Happy for them,” Tiafoe said.
He said that he had reached out to Stiller, a fan of Tiafoe’s and has beforehand been noticed at occasions cheering him on, to congratulate him on the Knicks’ victory.
“I texted them to say congrats to them. Yeah, I mean these guys were going to San Antonio and everything, so they were really locked in. It was great, man,” Tiafoe added.
The 28-year-old couldn’t let the second move to make one daring prediction about his Wizards, though.
Actor Ben Stiller in the stands after Frances Tiafoe of the U.S. wins his second-round match against Japan’s Rei Sakamoto on Sept. 2, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via GWN
“But Wizards will win the ‘ship next year, so it’s cool,” Tiafoe said.
Tiafoe is one of a number of American gamers whom tennis followers have pinned their hopes on to win a Grand Slam title in Queens for the first time since Andy Roddick in 2003.
He will face Valentin Vacherot in the third spherical and said that he has not performed him yet in his profession.
The Knicks received the NBA Finals in June to take the crown for the first time since 1973. Charles Wenzelberg / NY Post
In phrases of preparation, his plan is simple.
Watch some tape, be the scholar,” Tiafoe said. “Watching runs, see who he has played, what have you. I’ll know a decent amount in a couple of days.”
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