Frances Tiafoe Shocks Top Seed with Electrifying Comeback Win at US Open 2025

Lead-in American fan-favorite Frances Tiafoe keeps grabbing headlines at the 2025 US Open—and not only for his on-court results. The World No. 17 has advanced to the third round in New York, reflected on Black tennis pioneer Althea Gibson, and discovered he now ranks among the ten highest-paid players on the planet. Tiafoe cruises past Martin Damm, sets up clash with Jan-Lennard Struff On Wednesday the two-time US Open semi-finalist used crafty returning, abbreviated backswings and smart court positioning to neutralize 6’8″ left-hander Martin Damm’s 27 aces, winning in four tight sets to reach round three. Next up is big-serving German Jan-Lennard Struff, a matchup many analysts consider a litmus test for Tiafoe’s chances of another deep Flushing Meadows run. Honoring Althea Gibson: “I want to pay it forward” Following his second-round victory, Tiafoe spent part of his press conference praising Althea Gibson, the first Black athlete to win a Grand Slam singles title. “Without her, I wouldn’t be standing here,” he said, pledging to inspire the next generation of minority players. The Maryland native has already funded junior clinics in the Washington, D.C. area and promised more outreach if he captures his maiden Slam. A surprise appearance on the Forbes rich list Tiafoe also learned this week that he cracked Forbes’ top-10 highest-paid tennis players for the first time, with estimated 2024–25 earnings of roughly £11 million (≈ $13.9 million). “I was shocked,” he admitted, noting that he is the only name on the list who has never reached a Grand Slam final. The 27-year-old credits endorsement deals with Nike, Yonex and Beats by Dre for the bulk of his off-court income, alongside appearance fees on the growing exhibition circuit. Diversifying into padel Never shy about new ventures, Tiafoe purchased a roughly 3.3 % stake in the New York Atlantics of the Pro Padel League days before the US Open began, calling the investment “a no-brainer” because the racquet sport mirrors tennis’s global growth trajectory. What’s at stake in New York • Ranking points: A quarter-final run would likely return Tiafoe to the Top 12, keeping him in contention for November’s ATP Finals in Turin. • American history: No U.S. man has lifted the US Open trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003. Tiafoe, Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz are the nation’s best hopes to end the drought. • Cultural impact: A title would make Tiafoe the first African-American men’s singles champion in tournament history, a fact not lost on the charismatic son of Sierra Leonean immigrants. Keys to beating Struff 1. First-serve percentage above 65 % to avoid the German’s blistering forehand returns. 2. Frequent net forays; Tiafoe won 73 % of 39 net points against Damm. 3. Maintain backhand slice depth to keep Struff off balance on baseline exchanges. Bottom line With momentum, mission-driven motivation, and newfound financial clout, Frances Tiafoe enters Labor Day weekend as one of the US Open’s must-watch storylines. A victory over Struff on Saturday could ignite another electrifying Flushing Meadows run—and move Big Foe one step closer to the sporting and social milestones he’s openly chasing.