Latest
Celebrities

Olympic champion Gabby Douglas on watching Tiafoe, first tennis match

Gymnastics legend enjoys 'new experience'
February 04, 2025
Frances Tiafoe and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas catch up Monday evening at the Dallas Open.
Andrew Eichenholz/ATP Tour
Frances Tiafoe and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas catch up Monday evening at the Dallas Open. By Andrew Eichenholz

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas knows plenty about performing under the spotlight. The 29-year-old watched Frances Tiafoe do the same on Monday evening at the Dallas Open, where she watched her first tennis match.

“I was very excited to come. Super honoured. I loved it,” Douglas told ATPTour.com. “There were a lot of highs, there were a lot of downs. But I enjoyed it.”

 

After the match, Douglas caught up with Tiafoe, who had battled past Taro Daniel in three exciting sets.

“It was very, very fun to watch Frances. I have never seen a tennis match. I've never seen him play,” Douglas said. “It was a new experience and I enjoyed it.”

Douglas won two gold medals at the London Olympics and another at the Rio Olympics. She has thrilled fans around the world with her gymnastics performances. A similarity between her competitions and the Dallas Open was the crowd.

“I love the crowd, honestly. Especially as an athlete... the crowd interacting with their favourite athlete,” Douglas said. “And so for me, I've seen it on TV, everyone's heads going back and forth, and I was in the stands kind of doing the same thing. It was a really fun experience.”

It All Adds Up

With the spotlight comes pressure. The same ways everyone was watching to see the shots Tiafoe would be able to come up with, the same was true with Douglas during her routines.

“At times it's very nerve-wracking and [it was] so funny,” Douglas said. “It brought a lot of flashbacks, because I'm like, ‘Man, it's a different sport, but I can definitely feel what Frances is going through’. Being in that spot where everyone's watching you, it was a very fresh situation, but it was very fun too.”

Read More News View All News

View Related Videos View All Videos

DOWNLOAD OFFICIAL ATP WTA LIVE APP

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store

Partners

Premier Partner

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners

Official Ball, Racquet and Tennis Accessory

Official Partners & Suppliers