American tennis players Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, and Ben Shelton recently stirred conversation during the National Bank Open in Toronto when asked to pick favorites among music artists Drake, Justin Bieber, and The Weeknd. Their choices revealed surprising preferences, adding an unexpected off-court moment amid the intense tennis competition.
In a video shared by the Tennis Channel on X, the three athletes played the popular game Dump, Date, Marry involving the three Canadian singers performing at the event. Frances Tiafoe began by selecting Drake to marry, Justin Bieber to date, and reluctantly dumping The Weeknd, who was performing live at that moment.
“That’s tough, man. I gotta marry Drake. Justin, that’s my guy. Date Justin. I gotta dump The Weeknd. Dumping The Weeknd is crazy, though. He’s actually performing right here, right now. Sorry, The Weeknd, but I gotta do it.”
—Francis Tiafoe, American tennis player
Taylor Fritz followed with his picks, revealing his lukewarm feelings about The Weeknd despite the latter’s popularity.
“Some people might be upset with this one, but marry and date Justin Bieber, Drake, and then dump The Weeknd. I’m just not the biggest fan,”
—Taylor Fritz, American tennis player
Ben Shelton ended with a lighthearted approach, warning viewers not to clip his answers while also dumping The Weeknd first.
“I’m gonna dump The Weeknd. Date… this sounds whack. Y’all better not clip this. Justin Bieber next, and Drake on top.”
—Ben Shelton, American tennis player
Performance Updates on Tiafoe, Fritz, and Shelton in the US Open Series
Frances Tiafoe has experienced mixed results in the US Open Series. After advancing to the quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive time at Washington, he was narrowly defeated by Ben Shelton, with a score of 7‑6(2), 6‑4. His recent form shows volatility; although he reached the quarterfinal stage at Roland Garros, he was upset in the second round at Wimbledon by Cameron Norrie. During the National Bank Open, Tiafoe has progressed to the second round and is set to face Aleksandar Vukic next.
Taylor Fritz, ranked World No. 4, demonstrated strong play at the Citi DC Open by securing a 6‑3, 6‑4 victory against Matteo Arnaldi, which advanced him into the quarterfinals. However, he was later upset by Alejandro Fokina in a tightly contested three-set match, 7‑6(3), 3‑6, 7‑5. At the Toronto Masters event, Fritz will compete in the second round against Gabriel Diallo.
Ben Shelton, regarded as one of the promising young talents, started his campaign with a solid opening win over Mackenzie McDonald in Washington. He then triumphed over Tiafoe in the quarterfinals, earning a spot in the semifinals, only to be defeated by Fokina 6-2, 7-5. Shelton’s next challenge at the National Bank Open will be against fellow American Brandon Nakashima in the second round.
Implications for the North American Hard-Court Swing and the US Open
The performances of Fritz, Tiafoe, and Shelton at the National Bank Open provide crucial momentum as they prepare for the upcoming US Open in New York. Their mixed results highlight both their potential and the challenges they face in the competitive North American hard-court season. How they respond in the remaining tournaments will be critical for their confidence and seeding heading into the Grand Slam event.
Taylor Fritz’s somewhat controversial off-court opinions during the music-related game illustrate the personal dynamics beyond the tennis court, while his and his compatriots’ on-court efforts will continue to attract attention from fans and analysts alike as the hard-court swing intensifies.