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Tennis Star Rocks Knicks Jersey During US Open

Frances Tiafoe's latest New York Knicks jersey was jokingly chided by a Boston Celtics fan in the announcers' booth.

Geoff Magliocchetti

Aug 30, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; Frances Tiafoe of the United States celebrates after defeating Ben Shelton of the United States on day five of the 2024 U.S. Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 30, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; Frances Tiafoe of the United States celebrates after defeating Ben Shelton of the United States on day five of the 2024 U.S. Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports / Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
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Will Frances Tiafoe get the New York Knicks back to the "finals" before Jalen Brunson?

It's playfully possible, as Tiafoe is moving onto the US Open's quarterfinal round after a thrilling 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 6-3 victory over Australian Alexei Popyrin on Sunday night in Queens. Tiafoe continues to employ the Knicks as a de facto talisman: earlier in the day, ESPN cameras caught him warming up in yet another New York basketball jersey, with Julius Randle becoming the next surname to grace his back.

That drew humorous offense from 2022 Wimbledon finalist and commentator Nick Kyrgios, who couldn't bear to see Tiafoe continue to rep Manhattan's finest.

"I know I'm in New York but come on man. Randle, really?" Kyrgios, an Australian fan of the defending champion Boston Celtics said, suggesting that Tiafoe would look better donned in jerseys of his own favorite team (h/t New York Basketball on X). "I might accept (Jalen) Brunson. Come on, where's an Al Horford jersey? ... A Luke Kornet jersey would look better. Get that guy some green right now. He's a Washington Wizards fan, anyway!"

Asking Tiafoe to wear a Kornet jersey is actually an inspired choice from Kyrgios: the fringe bench man was one of several former Knicks to earn a Larry O'Brien Trophy hoist with last year's Celtics, the group that also included ex-franchise face Kristaps Porzingis and head coach-turned-consultant Jeff Van Gundy.

While Tiafoe, a Maryland native, has admitted to pulling for the Wizards of the nation's capital, he has endeared himself to the Queens crowds by donning the jerseys of the city's hardwood heroes and heroines.

The unofficial tradition began when he wore then-Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley's No. 5 last season and he has since repped Brunson and Breanna Stewart during the 2024 edition. Tiafoe was also warmly greeted by new Knick Mikal Bridges after he imitated the former Brooklyn Net's three-point celebration when he battled Alexander Shevchenko in the second round last week. After the match, Tiafoe labeled Brunson, the newly-minted Knicks captain as "damn near bigger than Jay-Z" when it came to New York popularity.

New York hoops fans thus have a little someone to root for as the US Open hits its final stages: Tiafoe is one step closer to his first Grand Slam victory after previously reaching the semifinals of the 2022 edition. He's set to face Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov in quarterfinal play later this week.

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Geoff Magliocchetti

GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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