WASHINGTON — In a tournament that features rising stars and decorated Grand Slam champions, including Naomi Osaka and Venus Williams, the eyes of many fans are focused on one player: Frances Tiafoe.

Tiafoe, a Hyattsville native and product of the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, made his 10th appearance at the Mubadala DC Open on Monday. The tournament isn’t like any other for Tiafoe, who enjoys perhaps more crowd support in this venue than anywhere else on tour.

However, Tiafoe’s homecoming came to an unceremonious end in an opening-round loss (6-4, 3-6, 4-6) to Terence Atmane. It is Atmane’s first career victory over Tiafoe and Tiafoe’s earliest loss in Washington since 2021. Atmane will face Alejandro Tabilo, who defeated Tallon Griekspoor, 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4, on Monday morning, in the Round of 16.

“You have a little more edge in this tournament, for sure,” said Tiafoe, the No. 6 seed, on Saturday ahead of his first-round match. “I know everyone so well. All my friends, family are coming to the event. Wanting to put my name around the stadium.

“Knowing the owner of the event, knowing everybody else, it’s a lot. You want to do well. You want to win. It’s great to be here and great to be, quote, unquote, one of the marquee guys coming. Yeah, you get a little nervous, but I mean, it’s part of it, and it’s a great experience.”

Tiafoe talked of his motivation to win the event that he once snuck into as a kid. Entering year 10 at his home event, Tiafoe expressed appreciation for both the tournament’s growth and the immense support he receives each year.

While the fan support was there again this year, Tiafoe’s play didn’t match his expectations.

“I mean, look, I play every year, and I never performed how I have today,” he said. “I was flat. Just wasn’t good enough. You know, give him credit, but I definitely helped him over the line. Very disappointing. Especially for the year that I’ve been having, super disappointing. Honestly, that’s all I can really say. I had a lot of high hopes. Yeah, this one hurts a lot.”

Tiafoe had reached at least the quarterfinals in four straight tournaments and entered Washington enjoying a strong 2026 campaign (31-13). Perfect holding serve in the first set, Tiafoe was broken late in the second and was unable to generate any breaks on Atmane’s serve.

The third set was also neck-and-neck with both players exchanging breaks in the opening four games. All even at 4-4 in the third, Atmane delivered a resounding break at love, and served out the match in the next game.

“I was just really ready to die on that game to win every single point,” Atmane said. “I think that’s what worked for me. As soon as I was up love-40 — I remember the scenario that happened in Miami to get to the quarterfinal when I had also the same love-40 at 4-4 in the final set, and I lost 6-4. In my head it was a little bit like, you know, I cannot do the same mistake twice.”

Before his opening-round match, Tiafoe discussed a mindset shift, highlighting how he was comparatively closed off to years past. Yet, it didn’t lead to the improved results he sought.

Tiafoe’s tournament isn’t completely over, though, as he’ll play doubles alongside Nick Kyrgios on Tuesday night in another marquee night match against JJ Tracy and Francisco Cabral.

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