Frances Tiafoe Narrowly Survives First Round at Wimbledon

Frances Tiafoe came from two sets down to defeat Matteo Arnaldi.

Frances Tiafoe won in the first round of Wimbledon. / Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

It has been a rough stretch for Frances Tiafoe as of late. The American tennis player retired from the Queen's Club Championships due to an MCL strain.

While fans and media members were not even sure if he would play Wimbledon, the 26-year-old just advanced to the second round of the iconic Grand Slam tournament.

Tiafoe's toughness and resilience were on full display during the first day of Wimbledon. Tiafoe came from two sets down to defeat Matteo Arnaldi. The first-round match went 6-7 (5), 2-6, 6-1, 6-3, and 6-3 in favor of Tiafoe.

Big Foe comes back from two sets down to win for the first time in his career 👏#Wimbledon | @FTiafoe pic.twitter.com/pzLuvZhrBx

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 1, 2024

It was the first time in Tiafoe's career that he came from two sets down to win. Tiafoe ranked as high as tenth last year, but his ranking has rapidly plummeted to the current World No. 29 player.

Tiafoe will face Borna Coric on Wednesday. The winner will likely face Carlos Alcaraz in the third round of Wimbledon. Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

Related News: Aryna Sabalenka withdrawals from Wimbledon due to a rare shoulder injury.