On the Road With Frances Tiafoe, Who Will Try Kangaroo Before He Eats an Oyster

I don’t know how to say this, humbly speaking, but most places I go I feel a lot of love. People gravitate toward me a little bit. But there are things you’ll do in a certain city or town, you know classic Americans. We’re loud and obnoxious. At a dinner or something, you can feel the energy. What you on right now, bro? I get that often. But I’m gonna be me regardless.

What do the foreign players on tour usually say about America?

They all complain about the food. They say it’s too processed and the portions are too big. They also think a lot of American tournaments are cheap when it comes to the venue, the stands, the organization, whatever, and they complain that they prioritize Americans too much as far as putting Americans on bigger courts than them.

The ATP Tour has these big, famous tournaments in London, Paris, New York, but there’s also a fairly notable tournament outside Cincinnati. What’s your experience been like in Mason, Ohio?

[laughing] You know what’s so funny about that? A lot of years, my girl’s birthday is that week. So I never ask her to go to Cincy. But it’s what you make it. This year in Cincy, I brought two of my boys there. I went downtown to eat a couple times, I went to an MLS game—one of my good friends plays for the team. Jeff Ruby’s is a great restaurant there. Shout out Tony’s Steak and Seafood. It’s kind of a vibe!

I stayed a little more in the city. I stayed at the Summit, and not at the Marriott Northeast that’s right there [near the venue]. I actually love Cincy now! I’m not going to lie to you. It’s the calm before the US Open. Obviously, it helped that I made the final [in 2024], but the joy I had all week with the homies, playing video games in the room, it was chillin’. If you come in with that I ain’t tryna go to Cincy mindset—which I did for many years—it kind of changes how you feel about it. Cincy is dope!

[laughing] That’s a staple, man! You put that on your wings and it’s like crack. Mumbo sauce is a real thing. I really don’t know the history of it, I just know that growing up, I always had to get it. It’s really part of the culture. You have it at every little hole-in-the-wall spot. It’s just so good, bro. You go to DC, you gotta do that and you gotta get crab cakes.

Do you like to try the local cuisine when you’re in other countries?

I’ve tried some, but I’m pretty bad at it. I eat the same things every day. I love sushi. I love fish. Salmon, trout, cod, things like that. And I love steak. So I just kind of spin that around. But I try.

I had some kangaroo. It’s actually crazy good. But it took me a while to do that, last year was the first time. You want to say you did it once, you know what I mean? I’m not trying to make it a routine.

Was the kangaroo served like a steak?

Yeah, but they cut it into smaller pieces at the restaurant I went to. It was chewy as hell, but it was really good. A lot of times I’m like, Hell no. But then I was like, “Let me see what this is like. Everyone says it’s crazy good.”

Is there anything you won’t eat? Like an immediate no go?

A lot of things. I hate eating greens, but I get yelled at now. I won’t ever eat oysters. Horrible to me. Like, super bad. I had it once and decided never, ever again.

They’re an acquired taste, for sure.

It hasn’t come to me yet.