Frances Tiafoe began his return to home soil with a win at the Citi Open in Washington D.C., highlighting that the courts this year feel much faster than in previous editions. After his unexpected second-round exit at Wimbledon, Tiafoe expressed excitement to play in front of his supportive home fans while focusing on the hard court season.
Tiafoe Notes Increased Speed of Washington Courts in 2025
Coming off an early departure at Wimbledon, Frances Tiafoe had additional time to prepare for the North American hard court swing, a part of the season he values highly. Entering the Citi Open, he faced a strong challenge from fellow American Aleksandar Kovacevic but managed to secure a three-set victory, keeping his streak of reaching the Washington quarter-finals alive for a potential fourth consecutive year.
During the 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 match, Tiafoe won an impressive 87% of his first-serve points. After the win, he shared observations about the speed of the courts, describing the conditions as notably faster than in previous tournaments.
“I really didn’t think the match had much in it. Not many rallies. Courts are really fast this year. I got in a great serving rhythm there towards the end,”
Tiafoe said.
He added that returning was especially difficult due to the speed, acknowledging the serving skills of both players during the match.
“I caught him there at the end. Served really well at the end. He served well, man. Yeah, it wasn’t great tennis, but happy to win. Had flashes of pretty good stuff. Just happy to win those.”
Tiafoe Looks Ahead to His Second ATP Encounter With Flavio Cobolli
Advancing to the quarter-finals depends on Tiafoe’s upcoming match against Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, marking their second ATP Tour meeting. Cobolli reached this round after a win over Yoshihito Nishioka, with scores of 6-2, 7-6, showing strong form fresh off his first Wimbledon quarter-final appearance.
The 23-year-old Cobolli last faced Tiafoe at the 2024 Delray Beach Open, where he lost in straight sets and won only six games. However, since that encounter, Cobolli’s level has risen significantly, and he will be determined to upset the home favorite on the fast courts of Washington.
This match is expected to be intensely competitive as Tiafoe aims to sustain his successful run at his home event, while Cobolli seeks to continue his upward trajectory in the tour.