Frances Tiafoe was introduced to tennis because his father was the head of maintenance at a tennis facility in College Park, Maryland. Now the American is competing on the biggest stages in the world with countless fans watching him.

That journey is not lost on Tiafoe, who is playing in his second consecutive US Open quarter-final on Tuesday evening against countryman Ben Shelton.

“I fell in love with tennis when I understood the one-on-one competition,” Tiafoe said in a love letter to tennis. “I really enjoy competing one on one, I really enjoy the loss [being] on me, the win’s on me. And I like to feel fully in control and not have to worry about any teammate.”

In the below ATP Uncovered video, Tiafoe explains the ups and downs he has gone through to reach this point in his career, why he enjoys putting a smile on fans’ faces and more.

Which match do you think Tiafoe holds closest to his heart? Watch the video to find out.