Frances Tiafoe has shared his thoughts on the hate directed towards Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark in her rookie year in the WNBA, suggesting that the animosity stems from the more established players wanting to be recognized as much as she is. The American also expressed his fondness for Clark’s games against Chicago Sky star Angel Reese.
Competing at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, Tiafoe kicked off his campaign with a challenging clash against Matteo Arnaldi. The 26-year-old fought back from a two-set deficit to beat Arnaldi 6-7(5), 2-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3, booking his place in the second round of the grasscourt Major.
Following his victory, Frances Tiafoe, an avid basketball fan, made an appearance on the Tennis Channel, where he was asked for his thoughts on the “hate” Caitlin Clark has been subjected to in the WNBA.
The American asserted that the league has been making immense progress in recent years, and Clark’s arrival has only added to the momentum. However, he suggested that with the 22-year-old being seen as the face of the league, well-established stars like A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart want their efforts to be given due recognition as well.
“Obviously, WNBA’s been going in the right direction for a long time now. With her, she’s only pushed it. As competitors, these other girls are like, ‘Look, I’ve been doing it too,'” he said.
“People like A’ja, people like Sabrina. Breanna Stewart. There are so many quality tough girls who’ve also been pushing the game forward. Taurasi who’s still playing. They want their flowers too,” he added.
The World No. 29 also voiced his support for women’s sports, expressing his enjoyment of witnessing Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese go toe to toe. He praised the WNBA for its continued growth, as evidenced by the league’s move to play in NBA arenas and Clark’s influence in the WNBA providing charter flights for teams.
“At the same time, as I’m a big fan of pushing women’s sports, I love where it’s going. I love the Angel Reese and Caitlin matchups. That’s all over social media. Whatever goes down, win or lose, is almost irrelevant,” Frances Tiafoe said.
“All the franchises are going up in revenue. They’re playing in NBA arenas. That’s what you want to see. They’re traveling in much better situations. Ultimately I think it’s a great thing,” he added.
“The chosen one” – Frances Tiafoe rejoices over ‘dope’ meeting with ‘GOAT’ Caitlin Clark
Frances Tiafoe (Source: Getty)© Provided by Sportskeeda Tennis
In February, Frances Tiafoe indulged his love for basketball by attending Caitlin Clark and Iowa Hawkeyes’ NCAA game against Maryland Terrapins. After witnessing Clark lead her team to a 93-85 victory with an impressive 38-point tally, Tiafoe had the opportunity to meet the 22-year-old in the locker room.
The duo posed for pictures together, with the World No. 29 hailing Clark as the “real GOAT.” They also had a hilarious interaction about how Caitlin Clark’s tennis career was cut short after she got kicked out of a tennis class.
“I used to be a tennis player back in the day,” Clark said.
“Oh you actually play?” Frances Tiafoe asked.
“I got kicked out of tennis class and that was the end of my tennis career,” she responded.
Frances Tiafoe reshared a clip of their “dope” meeting on social media, dubbing Clark “the chosen one.”
“This is sooo tufff…. Dope meeting you yesterday @caitlinclark22 #thechosenone,” he posted on his Instagram story.
As Tiafoe continues his Wimbledon campaign, he will square off against Borna Coric in the second round. If he triumps over Coric, the American will likely face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the third round of the grasscourt Major.