Roger Federer, Frances Tiafoe, Miami Open
Mar 25, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Roger Federer of Switzerland (L) shakes hands with Frances Tiafoe of the United States (R) after their match on day five of the 2017 Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center. Federer won 7-6(2), 6-3. USA TODAY Sports/Geoff Burke

Roger Federer, the 18-time Grand Slam champion, reckons American teenager Frances Tiafoe is "going to be really good" in coming years. The Swiss master showered praise on the 19-year-old following his 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 opening round victory in the ongoing Miami Open.

Tiafoe, ranked No. 101 in the world, pushed the red-hot Federer to a first-set tie breaker before losing the second set in a hurry. Tiafoe wowed the home crowd in Key Biscayne, Florida, with his powerful service game and hard ground strokes. Federer said he knew a thing or two about Tiafoe's power-packed game after hitting balls with the American during previous Grand Slam events.

"I've hit with Frances maybe twice before: once at the French and once at the US Open. There he surprised me. I'm not going to get the surprise really a second time around because I saw the power he had, the explosiveness he had. You know, how he easily can generate pace. So I think he's going to be really good, like most of the NextGen campaign, if you like, are going to be good players. Plus they're pushing each other up right now. They have a good dynamic. They are quite friendly also with one another yet they have good rivalry," said the 35-year-old who after Saturday's win took his 2017 record to 14 wins and one loss.

Roger Federer likes Frances Tiafoe's fearlessness

Federer cited Tiafoe's intangibles such as fearlessness as a reason for tipping the young American for future greatness. "I think the question was always how he was going to come out. It's the question also for any player. Also for me. How can you start a match? Seemed to be fearless, no problem, good serving, taking the ball early, making the plays. That's what I like to see, when a younger player comes out, that he really feels he has nothing to lose and he's only got stuff to gain," Federer told reporters, via ASAP Sports.

Over the last few years, Federer has often taken interest in the development of younger players on the ATP circuit. "I hope he's going to learn a lot from a match like this just because playing on a centre court with a lot of people, under pressure, saving break points, making break points, playing breakers - that's what it's about. And it should feed a player like him with a lot of energy moving forward hopefully," added Federer, who could rise to No. 4 in the ATP world rankings with a victory in the Miami Open.