The sacred lawns of Wimbledon roared back to life as the 2025 Championships kicked off with drama, heat, and heart. One of the brightest sparks? Last year’s US Open semifinalist, Frances Tiafoe, the American powerhouse, blazed through Court 12 to become the first men’s winner of this year’s SW19. But as the joy settled, Tiafoe was reminded of a recent viral jab, a lighthearted moment where Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, and other countrymen joked about not listing him as their “emergency contact,” not at all! But in classic Big Foe fashion, the American fired back with a grin, naming Taylor Fritz as the last guy he’d call in a crisis.
Frances Tiafoe launched his 2025 SW19 campaign in style, storming past Denmark’s Elmer Moller in straight sets: 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to punch his ticket to the 2nd round. On Court 12, the American crowd favorite brought the heat and the flair, firing 7 aces to Moller’s 2 and committing just 4 double faults to the Dane’s staggering thirteen.
With a 54% first-serve percentage, Tiafoe won an impressive 88% of those points and added another 59% on 2nd serves. Though Moller managed a respectable 71% on his 1st and 69% on his 2nd, he simply couldn’t keep up. Big Foe converted five of eleven break points and won more points overall, 90 to 70, dominating both on serve (56) and return (34).
But the action didn’t end with the match point. During his post-match chat with Tennis Channel, Tiafoe was reminded of a hilarious moment from just a week prior, one that saw his name hilariously thrown under the bus by some of his closest colleagues. And true to form, Tiafoe met the moment with honesty and humor.
“I really don’t know. I mean, I think I’m pretty good at answering my phone,” Tiafoe said with a laugh, addressing the viral clip on IG. “I mean, those guys, I definitely make big situations lighthearted. But if they feel that way, they feel that way. But it was pretty funny, man. I really enjoyed it and I thought it was a great clip.”
Tennis: Wimbledon Jul 5, 2024 London,United Kingdom Frances Tiafoe of the United States reacts to a point during his match against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain not shown on day five of The Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. London All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club ENTER STATE United Kingdom, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xSusanxMullanex 20240705_cec_au2_059
He even singled out one of his closest friends, 6-foot-11 Reilly Opelka, for some playful confusion. “I don’t know why Reilly was saying I’d never answer his call because I call Reilly all the time,” Tiafoe said. Then came the classic Big Foe charm: “So like, all the guys were pretty funny about it and I love all those guys so it’s all good.”
However, when pressed to name the one guy he wouldn’t call in an emergency, Big Foe didn’t hesitate to throw a cheeky jab at his 2024 US Open opponent, Taylor Fritz. “I don’t even know all the guys that did it. I mean, I’m definitely going to go. Fritz, probably. I would not call Fritz, really. I just wouldn’t call Fritz. I can feel like it’s dumb and dumber, like what are we going to get done so I guess I definitely going to say Fritz for sure,” he laughed.
So, what was the video that sparked all the laughter? Well, let’s rewind to the HSBC Championship, where the BBC’s IG account posted a lighthearted segment featuring top ATP stars. The players were asked who they’d never call in a serious emergency. The overwhelming and unanimous answer? Frances Tiafoe.
Reilly Opelka didn’t sugarcoat it: “He wouldn’t answer. He wouldn’t find me. He wouldn’t know what to do.” Even 4th seed Taylor Fritz, a close friend of Tiafoe’s, chimed in with brutal honesty: “I love Frances, by the way, but I would never trust him with something serious.” Jack Draper echoed the same sentiment, saying, “I don’t think he’s serious about getting the job done. Whatever we needed, he’d be having a laugh… We wouldn’t be able to look at each other without laughing.”
The punchline came from Ben Shelton, who joked, “Unless I mention that I’m in DC or going to DC, then he might respond, so you could probably trick him into getting a response.” Tiafoe, of course, appeared in the video as well, laughing at the verdict and calling the whole scenario “crazy.” Later, he reposted it on IG stories with a string of laughing emojis, clearly loving the playful roast.
And as Wimbledon unfolds, where American players made a bright start, Big Foe continues to embrace every moment, on and off the court. For instance, he recently crashed the reigning AO champion’s press conference with the same joyful energy that’s made him one of the sport’s most beloved personalities.
Frances Tiafoe crashes 2025 US Open partner’s Wimbledon presser
Ahead of Wimbledon 2025, the spotlight has burned a little brighter on Madison Keys. Fresh off her AO triumph in January, the American enters the grass-court major as the 6th seed, and with it, a new weight of expectation. In her pre-tournament press conference, the usual serious tone took a light-hearted turn, thanks to a surprise guest.
In true Big Foe style, Frances Tiafoe barged into Keys’ media session with a grin and swagger a couple of days ago. “The champs are here!” he announced, drawing laughter across the room. Then came the jab, “Is she telling you about how she’s going to get Slam number two here?” Keys, ever quick-witted, shot back, “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
Even before Tiafoe’s comedic crash, Keys had already joked about teaming up with her star-powered partner in the upcoming US Open mixed doubles. “It’s going to be, it’ll be kind of tough to have to, like, deal with Frances’s celebrity level,” she said with a straight face. “I always tell him he is the most famous person that I know. So it’ll be a lot of pressure to be on the court with him. But I’ll try to rise to the occasion.”
With both Keys and Tiafoe storming through their opening-day matches, momentum is on their side. The question now is: Can this dynamic duo turn their individual fire and shared flair into something historic at SW19?
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