Style & Substance: Tiafoe Thrills Home Crowd With Houston Title Triumph

Frances Tiafoe has become a bona fide star on the ATP Tour with his performances over the past year, and the American now has his second tour-level title to underline his undeniable progress.

The fan favourite showed style and substance in his 7-6(1), 7-6(6) victory against Tomas Martin Etcheverry in Sunday’s final at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship to return to the winner’s circle for the first time since his maiden trophy run in 2018 at Delray Beach.

Addressing his Argentine opponent during the trophy ceremony, Tiafoe said: “I don’t know you that well, but I know you real well after today. It was an absolute war and an unbelievable final. I hope you guys [in the crowd] all enjoyed it, because that’s what it’s about.

“My second title, here in Houston on U.S. soil, so thank you!” he continued, sharing that his girlfriend, Canadian tennis player Ayan Broomfield, surprised him by showing up in the stands for the title match.

The top seed at an event for the first time in his career, Tiafoe completed the entirety of his Houston run in two days after persistent rain delayed play for three days during the week. After winning two matches on Saturday, the 25-year-old repeated the feat on Sunday with a semi-final win against Gijs Brouwer before his final victory.

Tiafoe did not lose a set en route to the title at the ATP 250 and dropped serve only once at the event, when a few nervy misses prevented him from serving out the final at 5-4 in the second set. His trophy run will lift him four places to a new career high of No. 11 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday.

Tiafoe thrilled the Houston crowd with spectacular shotmaking throughout the one-hour, 53-minute championship match, producing some of his best points at the most crucial moments.

After the opening set passed by without a break point, Tiafoe broke open the tie-break with a running backhand passing shot that gave him a 5/1 lead. In set two, after aggressive returning brought him to 0/40 at 2-2, the American hit the shot of the match to secure his first and only break — a half-volley from the baseline that left Etcheverry stranded and stunned.

Tiafoe was in attack mode from first ball to last on the red clay, his power tennis matched only by his stylish flair. While his level briefly dipped late in the second set, the American regrouped from 1/3 and 3/5 down in the second-set tie-break, winning lengthy rallies at 5/5 and 6/6 before clinching victory on his second match point with his 12th ace of the match.

His title breakthrough comes after four straight final defeats from 2018-22, including two last season in Estoril and Tokyo. Tiafoe also made waves on the Grand Slam stage last season by reaching the US Open semi-finals.

Argentina’s Etcheverry was seeking his first ATP Tour title after losing the Santiago final to Nicolas Jarry earlier this season. He will also reach a new career high in Monday’s Pepperstone ATP Rankings, which will see him move up 14 places to No. 59.