Alright, let’s talk about this Tiafoe fella and that Shelton boy, you know, the tennis players. Folks call it a “history,” these young’uns playing against each other. Sounds fancy, but it just means they smacked balls at each other a few times.
Tiafoe and Shelton, what’s the big deal? Well, they’re both American, and they’re both good at tennis, I guess. And they’re both, what do you call it, “Black” fellas, playing tennis. People make a fuss about that, saying it’s special, but to me, it’s just two boys playing a game.
I heard tell that Tiafoe, they call him “Big Foe,” is like a teacher to Shelton, showed him the ropes and all that. But on the court, it’s like they ain’t friends no more. Tiafoe, he says he’s “ready for war,” which is a bit much if you ask me. It’s just tennis, ain’t nobody actually fighting.
They played at the US Open, that big tennis thing in New York City. Big city, big fuss. Tiafoe, he won one time when that other fella, Dimitrov or somethin’, got hurt and couldn’t play no more. Lucky for Tiafoe, I say. Then him and that Shelton boy, they played each other, too. Folks was excited about that.
- First time ever, they said, two Black American men playing each other so far in that big tennis thing. Like I said, folks make a fuss about things.
- They hit that ball back and forth, real hard. Back and forth, back and forth. Must be tiring, all that running around.
- Shelton, he won one set, then Tiafoe, he won one. Then Shelton won another, then Tiafoe. Kept going like that. Darn confusing if you ask me.
One time, Shelton, he almost won, but Tiafoe, he got all fired up and won the next set. They call it a “comeback,” I think. Tiafoe, he won in the end, four sets to three, or somethin’ like that. Scores was all over the place, like 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4. Don’t make no sense to me, but that’s how them tennis folks count things.
And they played again another time. Shelton beat Tiafoe the first time, so Tiafoe was tryin’ not to lose again. He worked real hard, runnin’ and hittin’ that ball. And wouldn’t you know it, he won that time, even though Shelton was beatin’ him for a while there. Folks was cheering and hollering. Just a bunch of noise, if you ask me.
So, this “history” between them, it’s just a couple of tennis matches. They hit the ball, they run around, and one of ’em wins. Sometimes it’s Tiafoe, sometimes it’s Shelton. Don’t see what all the fuss is about, but those city folks, they like to make a big deal out of everything.
They say these boys are good at serving, whatever that means. Something about hitting the ball real hard, I guess. And they break each other’s serves, which means the other fella can’t hit it back good. Sounds like a lot of huffing and puffing to me.
What’s it all mean? Well, they’re gonna play each other again, that’s for sure. And folks will make a big fuss about it again. They’ll say it’s a “rivalry,” like they’re enemies or somethin’. But they’re just two boys playing a game, trying to win. Nothin’ more, nothin’ less.
So, that’s the “history” of Tiafoe and Shelton. Not much of a history, if you ask me. Just a couple of young’uns hitting a ball around. But folks seem to like it, so good for them, I guess.
Tags: [Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, Tennis Rivalry, US Open, ATP Tour, Tennis History, American Tennis, Black Tennis Players, Head to Head, Tennis Matches]
