Frances Tiafoe welcomes UK efforts to tackle tennis elitism

US tennis star Frances Tiafoe has thrown his support behind efforts to make tennis more accessible in the UK, praising grassroots initiatives that aim to break down the sport’s longstanding reputation as elitist.

Speaking at an event in London to mark one year of the Barclays Free Park tennis scheme, Tiafoe highlighted the importance of removing barriers that have traditionally kept many young people, particularly those from less affluent backgrounds, away from the game.

"Tennis you need rackets and strings and shoes, it becomes very upper echelon," said the current world number 12. "This way everyone will be able to do it. That’s what means a lot to me.".

The Free Park tennis programme offers free coaching, equipment, and access to facilities, aiming to open up the sport to new demographics. While around 3.6 million UK children play tennis at least once a year, according to a 2024 LTA report, ongoing issues with affordability and limited court availability have kept participation levels lower compared to other popular sports.

Tiafoe, whose family immigrated to the US from Sierra Leone in the 1990s, recounted how his own path to tennis was a rare opportunity. "Had my dad not worked as a janitor at a tennis centre in Maryland, I believe I never would have picked up the sport," he said. His story exemplifies how access can be a game-changer.

"You give a chance to people in inner cities, people who wouldn’t be able to do a particular sport,” Tiafoe added. "In America, that’s why everyone’s so quick to play basketball — all you need is a ball and a hoop. Same as football over here.".

Tiafoe, a two-time US Open semi-finalist, will next be competing at Wimbledon, where he hopes to improve on his previous best of reaching the fourth round. He is drawn against Dane Elmer Moller in the first round and could face Brit Cameron Norrie or the wily Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the second.

Looking ahead, he expressed hope that more young players from backgrounds like his own will find a path into tennis thanks to initiatives such as Free Park. "There’d be three or four of me sitting here if we had these schemes in the US,” he said. “That’s why I’m so passionate about these types of things.".

BBC Sport presenter Ian Wright, who also spoke at the event, reflected on his own upbringing on a council estate in south London. He explained that football was the default sport for him and his peers because tennis courts in his neighbourhood were often empty and unwelcoming.

"When we were younger, the tennis courts near where I lived in Brockley were always empty," Wight recalled. "I didn’t see anyone on there — white, black, nobody. Football was easy — just a ball, and everyone could play. I’m sure some of those kids would have played tennis if they’d had access to these kinds of facilities.".

As tennis continues to work toward greater inclusivity, voices like Tiafoe’s and initiatives like Free Park Tennis offer hope that the sport can shed its image as an elite pastime and become a truly accessible game for all.