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Kevin Durant hails Frances Tiafoe: 'He's representing right'

The NBA star was on hand at the Mubadala Citi DC Open to watch his fellow D.C.-area native win his opening match.

ByBaseline Staff

Published Aug 02, 2023

WATCH: Frances Tiafoe made a winning start at his home tournament on Tuesday night against Aslan Karatsev.

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Count NBA superstar Kevin Durant as a card-carrying member of the Big Foe Fan Club.

The Phoenix Suns forward was among the throngs of fans who came out to watch Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday night at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, where Tiafoe kicked off his week at his home tournament with a bang by beating Aslan Karatsev in a pair of tiebreaks.

The two shared an embrace on court after Tiafoe's win, and the NBA All-Star joined his fellow Prince George's County, Md. native for his on-court interview with tournament emcee Rennae Stubbs.

"It means the world to me," Tiafoe said. "This was the first time I ever saw pro tennis live ... and now, I'm coming out here and I'm packing this stadium. It's truly unbelievable."

Durant wasn't the only NBA player in the house. He was joined by Denver Nuggets player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Tiafoe shouted out the pair, as well as his fellow D.C. native Hailey Baptiste—who was a first-round winner over Karolina Pliskova earlier Tuesday—in the post-match interview.

"There was a lot of energy in the building tonight," Durant added. "It was exciting, I’m glad he got the win.”

Tiafoe is the No. 2 seed at the ATP 500 event in Rock Creek Park this week, a tournament that he admitted he snuck into as a child to get a closer look at the top-level tennis on offer.

But the tennis that Tiafoe plays isn't all that's impressed Durant. Last week, Tiafoe was on court at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Md., where he first stepped on the tennis court, to announce his eponymous charity fund through the USTA Foundation, which will go to support the tennis and education endeavors of kids in need.

“He’s representing right, so we’re all proud of him," Durant added.

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Abd while Durant might admire Tiafoe's flashy forehands and backhands, don't expect the two to share the tennis court any time soon.

"What were your thoughts on his tennis tonight, and what's your tennis game like?" Stubbs asked.

"Mine is nonexistent," Durant replied. But who'd win between the two friends on the basketball court?

"I do," Durant said, as the perfect mic drop.

Tiafoe will next face 18-year-old Chinese qualifier Shang Juncheng in the third round.