Frances Tiafoe isn’t holding back when it comes to teasing longtime friend and fellow American tennis star Madison Keys.
As the two gear up to team up for the revamped mixed doubles event at the 2025 US Open, Tiafoe cheekily called out Keys on social media for turning on him.
Frances Tiafoe and Madison Keys Enter $1 Million Mixed Doubles
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is bringing serious energy to this year’s Fan Week with a flashy new $1 million prize pool and a lineup packed with tennis superstars. The exhibition-style mixed doubles tournament is set to take place during Fan Week on August 19 and 20 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
With 16 ATP-WTA pairings, including marquee names like Naomi Osaka/Nick Kyrgios, Emma Raducanu/Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Świątek/Casper Ruud, Elena Rybakina/Taylor Fritz, Emma Navarro/Jannik Sinner, and Olga Danilović/Novak Djokovic, the event has quickly become one of the most anticipated spectacles of the summer.
In a promotional video shared by the US Open’s official Instagram account, the two opened up about their dynamic. Keys joked about the challenges of playing alongside someone as high-profile as Tiafoe. “It’ll be kind of tough to have to deal with Frances’ celebrity level,” she said, with a laugh. “I always tell him he is the most famous person that I know.”
Tiafoe, in turn, spoke warmly about their bond, recalling their early days on tour. “I’ve stayed in the same apartment building as hers. I used to ask her all kinds of questions, doing laundry and all that sort of stuff, cooking meals,” he said. “We’ve been close for a really long time.”
Keys didn’t miss a chance to poke fun at Tiafoe’s courtside habits either. Referring to Tiafoe’s reputation for chaos during matches, she quipped, “Having sat behind Frances at United Cup, mostly it’s just like, anytime he changes his shirt, I’m gonna have to put the umbrella up. We might have to clean that up. I’m pretty OCD. I like a neat and tidy space.”
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The 27-year-old ATP standout reshared a lighthearted promo video featuring the duo and wrote, “It be yo own people,” poking fun at Keys’ hilarious on-camera comments about his on-court habits.
New Format Adds Drama to US Open Mixed Doubles Showdown
The format will use best-of-three sets, with each set played to four games, using no-ad scoring and a tiebreak at 4-4. If a third set is needed, it will be decided by a 10-point tiebreak.
For the final, sets will be extended to six games but will still follow the no-ad and 10-point tiebreak rules if split.
