Winning tough battles feels like standing on top of the world with the crowd roaring in your favor. But losing? That’s when the silence can feel deafening, and the internal battles grow fiercer. In moments like these, sometimes all it takes is one voice, one unwavering cheer from the stands to say, “You’ve got this!” For American tennis star Tristan Boyer, that lifeline of support is none other than his 77-year-old grandfather, William Boyer. Now, as Tristan gears up to battle it out at the Australian Open on Thursday, he’ll be counting on that familiar voice from the stands.

The American rising star turned pro in 2023 and has entered the main draw of a grand slam for the first time in his career. He played a grueling session against Federico Coria in the first round and after a long five-setter match, Boyer emerged victorious 6-3, 6(3)-7, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. Not just that, he fired 10 powerful aces in the match and proved that he had come to Melbourne with a goal. But besides his remarkable win, there was another aspect, more adorable, that captured the attention of the tennis world. 

As soon as Boyer won the deciding set, his Grandpa, Williams got up from his seat, raised his arms, and shouted “Wooo!” at the top of his voice. And the 23-year-old is extremely grateful to have such a strong support system at the Australian Open. Speaking about the same to ATP Tour.com, the American player revealed his true feelings and said, “Many people my age don’t even have grandparents. I have all four of mine, and they’re all really healthy, which is something I’m grateful for all the time.”

Notably, Boyer’s paternal grandparents stay mostly in Florida and the tennis star does not get to meet them quite often. However, her maternal grandparents stay close, which has further boosted his love for his grandpa. “We’re just buddies. We’re close, and he’s just such a good guy. I love having him around. Having him here was great. Having him here in that match calmed me down a little bit.” But how did his presence help Tristan Boyer? Well, the player believes that having someone around not related to the sport helps him a lot and so is the case with his grandfather. 

“I’m so happy he’s healthy. He’s 77, he’s doing great,” Boyer said further. Interestingly, despite his old age, William has not just remained fit, but also competitive. “He’s walking around. He’s competing with my mom about who gets more steps,” Boyer said in the interview. “They’re walking everywhere. We had to move apartments because we didn’t book [the first] one long enough. And so we’re in Docklands now. They walked three miles to the club today to get to the match.” But there is yet another person who is ensuring that Boyer plays his best at the “Happy Slam.” None other than his mother, Shari.

Tristan Boyer opens up on how his mother is helping him in Melbourne

Tristan Boyer is enjoying a good family atmosphere in Australia. With his mother and his grandfather by his side, Boyer is getting additional support, which is further boosting his performance at the tournament, where he has already won four matches including the qualifiers. And besides the support of his grandfather, the American ATP star is also grateful for the efforts of his mother. 

Detailing the same in the interview, he said, “My mom cooked dinner last night because I didn’t want to go out before the match,” Continuing further, he added, “She cooked chicken and potatoes, salad, nice chicken, crispy potatoes. Grandpa was there, coach was there. We had a nice dinner. I packed my stuff to move apartments.” However, the situation at his home back in California is not as soothing. His father Chris Boyer, who is safe, had to evacuate their home in Altadena and move to a friend’s home in Pasadena temporarily. So it would be wrong to say that the Boyer is totally stress-free. 

However, with his grandfather by his side, Tristan Boyer will continuously be reminded of the task he has to fulfill in Melbourne. As he gears up to face Alex de Minaur on Thursday, the challenge is immense. But one thing is certain: his grandpa’s heartfelt cheers will continue to fuel Tristan.