Young American Frances Tiafoe not only booked his place into his first Challenger final but also assured his Grand Slam main draw debut.
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The 17-year-old Tiafoe advanced into the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger final and earned the Har-Tru USTA Pro Circuit Wild Card into this month's French Open in Paris.
Tiafoe outlasted fellow American Tennys Sandgren 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(1) in a two-hour and 17 minute semifinal on green clay. With that win, Tiafoe earned the French Open wildcard based on cumulative results from recent USTA Pro Circuit events.
The American with the most points won at events in Sarasota, Savannah, and Tallahassee is then awarded a main draw wildcard berth into the French Open. Tiafoe by reaching the final solidified his position at the top of the standings.
Tiafoe, who turned pro in April, is into his first ever Challenger final where he will face No. 5 seed Facundo Arguello.
The son of West African immigrants, Tiafoe grew up in College Park, Maryland where he learned tennis at a tennis training facility where his father worked. Tiafoe went on to become the youngest man ever to win the prestigious junior Orange Bowl event.
Photo Credit: Tallahassee Tennis Challenger Facebook