Getty Frances Tiafoe warms up prior to a U.S. Open match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Frances Tiafoe was one epic training montage away from earning Rocky status on Monday at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Channeling big underdog vibes, the 24-year-old tennis star showed up for his fourth-round matchup versus Rafael Nadal at the U.S. Open wearing a Sixers jersey.
Not just any shirt: a blue No. 21 jersey with the name Joel Embiid stamped on the back. Tiafoe, a Maryland native, shed the Embiid jersey prior to the match but the tone was set. He went out and upset Nadal — No. 2 in the world and arguably the greatest men’s tennis player of all time — in four sets to advance to the U.S. Open quarterfinals. Some were dubbing the win a “signature moment” for American men’s tennis.
FRANCES TIAFOE!!!!!
Tiafoe — the son of Sierra Leonean immigrants — was the talk of the tournament, with Bradley Beal sitting in the stands and LeBron James tweeting out congratulations. Naturally, Embiid saluted the man proudly wearing his jersey prior to the match. The Sixers also applauded his wardrobe choice by writing “we approve this fit.” Tiafoe is officially the newest sensation in men’s tennis.
KEEP GOING!!!!! #StriveForGreatness🚀
“Man, I was losing it in the locker room. Bro, I was going crazy,” Tiafoe said of James’ tweet, via Baseline. “Yeah, I mean, that’s my guy. So to see him post that, I was like, ‘Do I retweet it as soon as he sent it?’ I was like, ‘You know what, I’m going to be cool and act like I didn’t see it and then retweet it three hours later.”
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Tyrese Maxey Spent Labor Day in the Gym
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey admitted that he has never gone on vacation earlier this offseason. Well, he decided Labor Day wasn’t the best time to start a new tradition. Maxey was back in the gym at the team’s practice facility in Camden, New Jersey on Monday (via Ky Carlin). It’s part of his mantra to get “1% percent better every day.”
Tyrese Maxey is spending his Labor Day in the gym #Sixers
Maxey has also been trying to glean insight from some of the GOATs in professional sports. He tweeted out last week that he was “curious” as to what was in the water that LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Serena Williams were drinking. If anyone wants to bottle it, he’ll take a shipment.
What is in the water Bron, Serena, and TB12 drinking!? At this point I’m just curious! 🤣
Sixers Heading to Charleston for Training Camp
The Sixers will indeed be heading to Charleston, South Carolina for training camp at the end of September. Head coach Doc Rivers is looking to shake things up, something he did prior to leading the Boston Celtics to a championship in 2008. The team will practice at McAlister Field House on the campus of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, from September 27-October 2.
The Sixers open their preseason schedule on October 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Brooklyn. They’ll play Cleveland at home (October 5) and away (October 10) before wrapping the exhibition slate up versus Charlotte (October 12) at Wells Fargo Center. The regular-season opener is scheduled for October 18 in Boston.