Frances Tiafoe cracked the Top 10 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time Monday after winning a thrilling final against Jan-Lennard Struff at the BOSS OPEN in Stuttgart. The American, at a career-high World No. 10, is the first player to break into the elite group this season.

“Super emotional. Super emotional for a guy like me with my story and everything,” Tiafoe said. “[I am] a guy who shouldn’t even really be here doing half the things he’s doing. And now when you say his name, you can say he’s Top 10 in the world. So [that is] something that no one can take from you and I’m going to remember that forever. And hopefully, I can ride that for a long time.”

Tiafoe’s background story, which will be detailed in Netflix’s hit tennis docuseries Break Point, is fit for Hollywood. His parents are both from Sierra Leone. Frances’ mother, Alphina, worked two jobs and his father, Frances Sr., was a maintenance worker at a tennis club in College Park, Maryland.

Tiafoe would often spend time at the facility, where he would hit a ball against the wall whenever possible. Sometimes Frances and twin brother Franklin would sleep in their father’s office. A career in professional tennis seemed far away.

But with a love for the sport and plenty of determination, Tiafoe became one of the world’s most promising juniors, winning the prestigious Orange Bowl aged 15. He eventually climbed to junior World No. 2 and broke into the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in October 2016 at the age of 18.

#BigFoeOnTheComeUp became a part of the tennis world’s lexicon as the American surged towards the top of the sport. In 2018 at Delray Beach, he became an ATP Tour champion for the first time. The following January, he cracked the Top 30.

But Tiafoe struggled to make progress from there. Athleticism, speed and defensive skills helped him reach that point, but there were still improvements to make. A rising star with an infectious smile and energy, he thrilled crowds throughout the world, but was unable to consistently put his game together for long enough stretches.

Just before the Covid-19 pandemic flipped the world upside down in early 2020, South African Wayne Ferreira became the coach of Tiafoe, who was World No. 81 at the time.

“You cannot teach that and you don’t want to take that personality away from him. His personality is very, very special,” Ferreira wrote of Tiafoe’s personality in September 2020. “But a personality like that is sometimes difficult to convert into focus and intensity. It has pros and cons. He enjoys his tennis. He loves what he does for a living, but there are also more difficulties in keeping focussed. It’s good and bad.

“We know that if Frances can maintain his best level, he can do great things.”

Tiafoe’s focus became the centre of Ferreira’s attention. The former World No. 6 tried every trick to help his charge perform more consistently for longer periods of time. Physical training no longer featured phone use, for example.

Slowly, with improved focus and upgrades to his forehand and serve, the results began to show. The biggest payoff came at last year’s US Open, where Tiafoe broke into the mainstream.

The home favourite upset Rafael Nadal en route to the semi-finals of the season’s final major. In doing so, he found the perfect mix of harnessing the crowd’s energy and sticking to his aggressive gameplan.

Despite falling short in a five-set thriller against eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, Tiafoe showed what he is capable of on the world’s biggest stages. He earned the support of plenty of celebrities, from NBA icon LeBron James to Michelle Obama, who was in the stands for the Alcaraz match.

Earlier this year, Tiafoe participated in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game for the first time. With his growing profile, the American has been determined to use his growing influence to help inspire future generations.

In 2020, Tiafoe earned the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award. He wrote in a piece for ATPTour.com about why setting a good example is important.

“It’s about more than just setting up my family for life. What about those kids? I want to help them write their stories right the first time,” Tiafoe wrote. “If there are kids out there who do not think they can achieve their dreams, I want to change that. I really believe success is in everyone. I want to paint a picture for them that they did not know was possible. I want to help them make that a reality.”

Tiafoe on Monday became the third African-American man to reach the Top 10, joining Ashe and James Blake. Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz are the first American pair in the Top 10 since Mardy Fish and John Isner the week of 7 May 2012.

The 25-year-old, who helped the United States win the inaugural United Cup title to begin the 2023 season, is also 12th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin. Tiafoe is trying to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time.

Regardless of what his future holds, Tiafoe’s journey to this point has been one to remember.

“I think it’s a great message for anybody really that you can end up achieving greatness from where you are coming,” Ferreira said during last year’s US Open. “Frances has been lucky in some ways of having great help from people along the way. But it’s a great story. Hopefully there will be a movie about it one day.”

Despite playing his first tournament in 20 months, Kei Nishikori produced a high level this week to lift the trophy at the ATP Challenger Tour 75 event in Palmas del Mar, Puerto Rico.

On Sunday, the former World No. 4 defeated American teenager Michael Zheng 6-2, 7-5 in the Caribbean Open final. Nishikori dropped just one set all week en route to the title.

The 12-time tour-level titlist was in vintage form throughout the hard-court event, displaying all-court coverage and clean ball-striking to capture his first trophy at any level since 2018, when he won the ATP 250 event in Brisbane.

Despite serving for the Palmas del Mar title at 5-2, Nishikori dropped serve twice before later closing the match after one hour, 41 minutes. After hitting a volley winner to seal his perfect return to competition, the Japanese star lifted his hands in the air in celebration.

The 33-year-old, who underwent arthroscopic left hip surgery last year, was playing in his first tournament since the BNP Paribas Open in October 2021. Following his dream run in Puerto Rico, Nishikori moves to No. 492 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

Tallon Griekspoor fed off strong home support to complete a stirring championship-match comeback Sunday at the Libema Open in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

The sixth seed clawed past Jordan Thompson 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-3 for an emotional victory at the grass-court ATP 250 in the Netherlands. Griekspoor held his nerve in the second-set tie-break before claiming the only break of serve in the decider in the sixth game to wrap a two-hour, 35-minute victory and claim his second ATP Tour title.

“[I want to] thank the crowd for getting me through today,” said Griekspoor. “In finals it’s so tough to play your best tennis. I had so many nerves today, I felt so tight today. I wanted it so badly. He was playing great. I had to try and focus on my own game and try and hang in there.

“Somehow I won the second-set tie-break and got it my way in the third, so [I have] no words for this one.”

Griekspoor is the second consecutive home champion in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, after Tim van Rijthoven lifted the trophy in 2022. He is the eighth Dutch player in the Open Era to win multiple tour-level titles, having also triumphed in Pune in January.

With his run in his homeland, Griekspoor has risen nine spots to No. 29 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, with the Dutchman set to rise to a new career-high when the latest Pepperstone ATP Rankings are published on Monday.

It is the second time Thompson has fallen just short of the title in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, having also reached the final in 2019. Despite his championship-match disappointment, the 29-year-old Australian has risen 27 spots to No. 76 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings after reaching his second tour-level final.

Frances Tiafoe overcame Jan-Lennard Struff in a thrilling final at the BOSS OPEN on Sunday to lift his third tour-level title. The American saved one championship point to defeat the 33-year-old German 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(8).

In a heavy-hitting encounter at the ATP 250 event, Tiafoe and Struff exchanged blows for two hours and 12 minutes. Struff struck 56 winners to 36 from Tiafoe and saved all three break points he faced. However he fell agonisingly short of a maiden tour-level crown, with Tiafoe sealing victory in a dramatic third-set tie-break with a stretched volley winner.

The third seed, who saved the championship point at 6/7 in the third-set tie-break, will break into the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time on Monday following his 27th win of the season.

With countryman Taylor Fritz No. 8, it will be the first time two Americans have been in the Top 10 since May 2012, when Mardy Fish and John Isner were No. 9 and No. 10, respectively.

The 25-year-old Tiafoe has now earned three tour-level trophies, having also triumphed in Houston earlier this year. It is the first time he has won a title on grass.

Struff, up three spots to No. 21 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, now holds a 0-3 record in tour-level finals. The 33-year-old advanced to the championship match in Munich in 2021 and Madrid in May.

Refreshed after his Roland Garros semi-final defeat against Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz is excited to compete on grass this week at the Cinch Championships, where he will make his debut.

The Spaniard arrived in London on Saturday and quickly took to court in an attempt to adjust from the Parisian clay to the lawns of west London.

“I arrived in London Saturday morning and I had my first practice on grass yesterday,” Alcaraz said during his pre-tournament press conference on Sunday. “I was not able to practise too much at home as we have no grass courts. I need to adapt my movement and shots on the grass, but I am really happy with the practice I have had here.”

Alcaraz is making just his third tour-level appearance at a grass-court event this week at the ATP 500, having advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon last year. The top seed, who revealed he rested for four days following his defeat in Paris, has lifted 10 tour-level titles in his career, with seven coming on clay and three on hard courts.

Determined to make his mark on grass, Alcaraz shared his thoughts on the surface.

“The most difficult part is to move well on grass. You need to be more careful than other surfaces, so for me to move on grass is the most difficult,” Alcaraz said. “The most comfortable is going to the net and playing aggressively all the time. For me it is similar to other surfaces with my style. Playing that style is comfortable and I like it.

“There are a lot of players who slice on grass. I am not one of them, so I have to think about the movement. I have to be focused on every movement and shot. For me it is more tiring when you are moving on grass. It is totally different, so you have to be really specific.”

World No. 2 Alcaraz will begin the quest for his fifth tour-level title of the season against French qualifier Arthur Fils. The 20-year-old will be working alongside Samuel Lopez in London, with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero taking the week off to spend time with his family. The Spaniard will return to Alcaraz’s team next week ahead of Wimbledon.