By Chris Oddo | Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Frances Tiafoe became the first tennis player to sign with Jay-Z's Roc Nation agency, turning pro at 17.
Photo Source: Getty
Highly touted and wildly talented 17-year-old American Frances Tiafoe announced on Monday that he’s turning pro and signing with Wajid Syed of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation agency.
Roc Nation represents several big names across sports, including NFL star Ndamukong Suh, NBA star Kevin Durant, and MLB pitcher CC Sabathia, but Tiafoe is the first tennis player the company has chosen to represent.
Tiafoe, a College Park, Maryland resident, is currently ranked 520 in the world. He made his decision after reaching back-to-back finals on the Futures circuit, tennis’s equivalent to single A baseball. He has reached three Futures finals this season, but has still yet to win an ATP-level match.
In 2013, Tiafoe made history when he became the youngest male to ever win the prestigious Orange Bowl championship, winning the 18-and-under division as a 15-year-old to become the youngest champion in the tournament’s 69-year history.