Frances Tiafoe & Paige Bueckers Link Up at DC Open

Frances Tiafoe and Paige Bueckers showed respect to each other at the DC Open.

Frances Tiafoe and Paige Bueckers meet for the first time. / @mubadalacitidc

It has been an exciting week for UConn Huskies basketball star Paige Bueckers. Multiple media outlets have reported that Nike is giving Bueckers a player-exclusive colorway of a shoe for next basketball season.

Even better for tennis fans, Bueckers attended her first-ever tennis match and loved it. The 22-year-old was in our nation's capital to watch Frances Tiafoe take on Andrey Rublev in the DC Open quarterfinals.

🤝 pic.twitter.com/umYW5VCc0x

— Mubadala Citi DC Open (@mubadalacitidc) August 3, 2024

Tiafoe defeated Rublev in straight sets: 6-4, 7-6. Bueckers was spotted standing up and cheering on Tiafoe throughout the match. Afterwards, the two superstars showed respect and admiration with a quick meeting off the court.

Bueckers posted on social media, "My first tennis match ever… LOVED IT. Had to support my guy & watch him get the dub @FTiafoe (heart emoji).

Tiafoe quoted Bueckers' post and said, "Sooo dope to have you in the building." We love to see athletes from different sports coming together to support each other and learn more about each other's craft.

Sooo dope to have you in the building https://t.co/xg9pcOQK3Q

— Frances Tiafoe (@FTiafoe) August 3, 2024

Tiafoe is scheduled to play Sebastian Korda in the DC Open Semifinals at 8:20 p.m. EST on Saturday night. The two players have faced each other five times, with Tiafoe leading 3-2.

Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport and beyond.

Further Reading: Emma Raducanu let a final-set lead slip away to Paula Badosa.