Frances Tiafoe would trade top ten spot for a Grand Slam win
Frances Tiafoe admits that being a top-ten player is an achievement he is proud of, but he would rather have a lower ranking and have won a Grand Slam.
Half in jest, Tiafoe suggested he would prefer to be world no 19 if he had won a Grand Slam.
Tiafoe came closest to Grand Slam glory at the US Open last year when he reached the semi-finals.
“Ultimately, I want to stay in the top 10,” Tiafoe said, according to Eurosport.
“I want to be No. 8, I want to be No. 7, No. 5, No. 1, obviously.
“But, I mean, flat-out truth, whether No. 10 or No. 5, I just want to win a Slam at this point. I don’t really care if I’m No. 3.
“If I’m No. 3 in the world and never won a Slam, that would be hard for me.
“I could have been No. 19 but I won a Slam. That’s how much winning a Slam would mean to me.
“At this point now, cracking top 10 is great, a huge milestone for me and my family.
“Now it’s about winning Wimbledon. If I do that, I don’t know if you’ll see me again. No, I’m joking but it will be one hell of a day.”
Tiafoe has also set out his stall to do well in his hometown event, the Citi Open.
The William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center is familiar to Tiafoe and he says that outside of the Masters and Grand Slams, his home event is his biggest priority.
Tiafoe said that the tournament’s ATP 500 status doesn’t diminish its importance to him.
“It’s irrelevant [that it’s ATP 500]. Even if it was a 250, honestly,” Tiafoe said, addressing a press conference in Washington, DC.
“This tournament is one of the reasons why I play pro tennis. Being this close to fans. You see a lot of fans here so up close and personal with the players.
“I used to sneak into this thing as a kid. Now I just really want to win this event. Outside of winning Slams and maybe Masters Series, this is definitely up there.
“It would be a very emotional day, I think it would be a great day for the city of D.C.”
No 2 seed Tiafoe will open his Citi Open campaign against Aslan Karatsev in the Round of 32 having enjoyed a bye through the first round.
READ MORE: Who are Frances Tiafoe’s sponsors?
