Tiafoe Survives Kovacevic, Opens Bid for DC Title

Frances Tiafoe has long coveted winning the trophy at the Citi Open, the hometown tournament that is placed in Rock Creek Park, not very far from where he grew up and played his formative tennis at the JTCC in College Park, Maryland. 

On Wednesday he took the first step towards that goal with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 win over 66th-ranked Aleksandar Kovacevic, as he weathered a storm of high artillery from the former University of Illinois standout to remain undefeated in opening-round matches in DC. 

“It’s madness,” said No.6-seeded Tiafoe after the win. 

The American was decked out in a special kit from Lululemon, which showcased the colors of the NFL’s Washington Commanders. He even threw footballs into the crowd after the match. 

“It was a little tough because my hands were so sweaty,” he said. 

Tiafoe cracked 35 winners against 26 unforced errors, and got past Kovacevic on the strength of a late break in the third set. He took the final three games to close out the contest in one hour and 53 minutes. 

Credit Kovacevic, last year’s runner-up, for a stellar performance. He cracked 33 winners of his own, including eight off of his majestic one-handed backhand wing. 

“He has an underrated serve,” Tiafoe said of Kovacevic. “I served really well from the end of the second all the way through the third. I didn’t play the best today, but I want to win more matches like that – no excuses, find ways to win.” 

Tiafoe’s road to a dream title won’t get any easier. He’ll face Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in the round of 16. 

“Happy to get this one done tonight,” he said. “It was getting a little fishy there.”