Frances Tiafoe’s voice cracked as he stood on Fifth Avenue with his mother, staring at his own face on a massive Lululemon advertisement. The 27-year-old American tennis star had dreamed of moments like this growing up, but seeing it become reality alongside the woman who sacrificed everything for his career hit differently.
This wasn’t just another sponsorship milestone – it was proof that a kid from Maryland could make it to the biggest stages in sports and fashion.
How Did Frances Tiafoe’s Partnership With Lululemon Come About?
In January 2025, Tiafoe joined Lululemon as the company’s newest brand ambassador, becoming only the second tennis player to represent the Canadian athletic wear and lifestyle apparel company. The former World No. 10 follows Leylah Fernandez, who was the first tennis professional to sign with the brand.
Recently, Tiafoe shared the emotional moment on social media, posting a video of himself and his mother, Alphina Kamara, walking along Fifth Avenue in New York. They stopped in front of the Lululemon store, where a large display featured Tiafoe modeling the brand’s apparel.
The mother-son duo stood before the advertisement for several minutes, both visibly moved by seeing his image prominently displayed.
“Took moms to 5th avenue @lululemon ,” Tiafoe captioned his Instagram post.
How Has Tiafoe Prepared for the 2025 US Open?
Leading up to the 2025 US Open, Tiafoe participated in three hard-court tournaments to fine-tune his game. At the Citi DC Open, he advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to fellow American Ben Shelton.
The Maryland native then competed in both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open, where he reached the fourth round in each event, losing to Alex de Minaur in Toronto and Holger Rune in Ohio.
These results showed Tiafoe building momentum heading into Flushing Meadows, where he has recent success to draw confidence from. Last year at the US Open, the former World No. 10 put together an impressive run that captured the attention of tennis fans nationwide.
In 2024, Tiafoe defeated a strong field, including Aleksandar Kovacevic, Alexander Shevchenko, Shelton, Alexei Popyrin, and Grigor Dimitrov, before reaching the semifinals. His run ended against eventual runner-up Taylor Fritz.
Additionally, before focusing on his singles campaign, Tiafoe teamed up with compatriot Madison Keys in the mixed doubles event at the 2025 US Open. The American duo faced third-seeded pair Iga Świątek and Casper Ruud in the first round, falling 4-1, 4-2 in a competitive match that served as good preparation for his individual matches.
Who Will Tiafoe Face in His Opening Match?
Tiafoe will begin his singles campaign at the 2025 US Open by taking on Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in the first round. The matchup presents an intriguing clash of styles between the powerful American and the crafty Japanese veteran.
Nishioka’s preparation for the New York Major included competing in five hard-court events, though his results were disappointing across the board. The Japanese player participated in the Citi DC Open, Canadian Open, Cincinnati Open, Serve First Open, and Winston-Salem Open.
He managed just one second-round appearance in Washington, DC, while suffering first-round exits in the other four tournaments.
History favors Tiafoe in this first-round encounter. The two players have met five times on the ATP Tour, with the American holding a 3-2 advantage in their head-to-head record. However, their most recent battle went to Nishioka, who claimed victory in the third round of the 2025 Dallas Open with a three-set comeback win, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
The winner of this opening-round clash will advance to face either qualifier Martin Damm or wild card Darwin Blanch in the second round, setting up what could be an easier path deeper into the tournament for whichever player emerges victorious.
