Frances Tiafoe has been vacationing since the 2023 tennis season came to an end a few weeks ago and created time to visit one of his favorite local teams competing in the NHL.
Tiafoe was born in Hyattsville, Maryland - a close urban suburb of Washington. And it is not by accident that he is a supporter of the NBA's Washington Wizards. He's also fond of the Washington Capitals, competing in the National Hockey League in the USA.
Even for one of tennis' most agile and athletic players, the ice rink on the hockey venue was quite unfamiliar territory. Tiafoe paid a visit while the Capitals players were set to commence their practice on Tuesday.
He was given a warm welcome by the team and tried to test his hockey skills with the stick. That didn't go down well as he failed to control a pass before he switched it up to a tennis racket, and then he was more at ease.
Tiafoe then finished off his day by meeting Alexander Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals captain, in the locker room, and the two posed for a photo.
Tiafoe gave Ovechkin a signed tennis racket and was gifted a signed hockey stick and jersey in exchange by the Russian player. But that get-together moment sparked fury and outrage on social media because of Ovechkin's close links with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
One fan termed it "shameful" in a comment posted below the picture of Tiafoe and Ovechkin. The 38-year-old Russian has previously declared his public support for Putin, most notably while he sought re-election in 2018.
Another fan, presumably a Ukrainian (spotting Ukrainian flag and name in the bio), wrote, "I had a lot of respect for you on and off the court. Not anymore."
"Who on his team even ALLOWED him to do that," was another reaction from a confused tennis fan. "Shameful, very disappointing," another user wrote.
Tennis star Francis Tiafoe met with Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin who started a movement called PutinTeam in support of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The champion of three ATP tournaments presented the Russian hockey player with a racket.
