Keys Shares Hilarious Story of Helping Teenage Tiafoe with Laundry

Madison Keys recalls guiding Frances Tiafoe through the basics of using a washing machine when they were young prospects training together in Florida.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 3:05am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic movement and energy of a tennis match or training session, with sharp geometric shapes and planes in bold, vibrant colors conceptually representing the personal bonds and shared experiences of young professional athletes.A playful, abstract illustration captures the camaraderie and personal growth shared between rising tennis stars Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe during their formative years on tour.Boca Raton Today

Tennis stars Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe have been friends and training partners since their junior days in Boca Raton, Florida. Keys recently shared a hilarious story about having to teach a teenage Tiafoe how to use a washing machine, highlighting the challenges young players face when transitioning to life on the professional tour.

Why it matters

The story provides a lighthearted look at the personal adjustments top athletes must make as they go from junior prodigies to full-time touring professionals. It also underscores the mentorship and camaraderie that can develop between rising stars as they navigate the demands of elite-level tennis.

The details

When Keys and Tiafoe were both training at the USTA facility in Boca Raton as teenagers, they lived in the same apartment building. Keys, who had turned pro at 14, naturally fell into a big sister role, helping the Maryland native Tiafoe with everyday tasks like doing laundry that he had never had to manage on his own before. Tiafoe would frequently call Keys for guidance on 'which buttons to press' when using the washing machine.

  • Keys and Tiafoe were training together at the USTA facility in Boca Raton, Florida as junior prospects.
  • The story Keys shared took place when they were both teenagers living in the same apartment building.

The players

Madison Keys

An American professional tennis player who turned pro at age 14 and has since become an established veteran on the WTA Tour.

Frances Tiafoe

An American professional tennis player who was a highly touted junior prospect training alongside Keys in Boca Raton, Florida before transitioning to the pro ranks.

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What they’re saying

“He just lived in the same apartment building. It just felt like he lived with me because he's Frances. So I would get FaceTimes, and it would just be pointing towards the washing machine and being like, 'Which buttons do I press?'”

— Madison Keys, Professional Tennis Player

What’s next

Both Keys and Tiafoe are currently competing on the spring clay court swing, with Keys advancing to the quarterfinals of the Charleston Open and Tiafoe battling through a tough three-set match at the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston.

The takeaway

The story of Keys helping a young Tiafoe navigate the basic life skills required to be a full-time touring professional tennis player provides a lighthearted glimpse into the personal challenges faced by elite athletes as they transition from junior prodigies to seasoned veterans on the pro circuit.