Tiafoe, the top seed for the first time in his career, completed his run to the championship with four victories in two days without dropping a set to claim the title after unrelenting rain postponed play for a majority of the week.
His first title since 2018 when he won the Delray Beach Open on hard courts, Tiafoe played brilliantly and closed out the match in style with an ace. With his first victory in his third career final on clay, the 25-year-old climbed to a career-high ranking of world #11.
The Hyattsville native has solidified himself as one of the top players on the ATP Tour and has launched his 2023 campaign with a sterling 19-5 record. Tiafoe’s title triumph comes on the heels of his breakthrough Grand Slam performance when the JTCC alumnus upset 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal en route to the 2022 U.S. Open semifinals.
Tiafoe‘s next challenge is the Mutua Madrid Open in Spain beginning on April 24 where he hopes to clinch a world top 10 ranking.
“The Houston title was an impressive result because Frances won four ATP matches in 48 hours which tells you he is physically, mentally, and emotionally one of the top players in the world,” JTCC President Vesa Ponkka said. “His success validates all of the teamwork from JTCC in his development the last 20 years, and that our holistic coaching approach is proven to work. Not only is Frances a great tennis player, but he is a great person. That is what we are most proud of.”
