Ayan Broomfield on Supporting Frances Tiafoe and Advocating for Change in Tennis (EXCLUSIVE)
From cheering for Frances Tiafoe to pushing for more diversity in tennis, Ayan Broomfield is making an impact in both her personal life and career
Actress, model, tennis player and girlfriend to tennis star Frances Tiafoe—Ayan Broomfield is juggling it all in her whirlwind life! At 27, she’s making waves in new areas, using her influencer background to champion diversity and even starting her own foundation to provide tennis gear and equipment to underprivileged youth. Keep reading to discover more about her relationship with Tiafoe, her vision for a more inclusive future in tennis and how she plans to step out and step up in 2025!
Ayan Broomfield’s evolving role: from athlete to support system and beyond
Broomfield’s multifaceted career has spanned the competitive intensity of tennis courts to the glamour of red carpets and even the allure of the silver screen.
“It was probably sometime in the middle of college that I learned to just start saying ‘yes’ to everything,” says Broomfield, reflecting on the key decisions that helped her build a diverse and dynamic resume.
The power of ‘yes’ has opened doors to high-profile events like last year’s Cannes Film Festival, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and her role as Venus Williams’ tennis double in King Richard.
While she’s captivated audiences at major events and on film, the Canadian pro tennis player and former UCLA collegiate athlete might actually feel most at home on the court. Though she’s put her own tennis career on pause, you’ll often spot her cheering from the player’s box for her boyfriend, No. 17-ranked Tiafoe.
The two have been together for nearly 10 years and in 2022 Broomfield began traveling with the American star nearly full-time. Their next stop? Miami, where Tiafoe will play in the Miami Open.
“When I played, I took losses very hard. I would allow them to linger,” says Broomfield, reflecting on her role in Tiafoe’s support system. “It would take me a long time to recover from a long, tough match. And once I started traveling with [Tiafoe], it’s just interesting that I felt that carry over.”
Broomfield has learned to cope with the exhausting, loss-after-loss nature of the tennis tour by observing Tiafoe, who demonstrates what she considers a key quality of a top athlete: a short memory.
“That’s the beauty of tennis, the year is long. It’s a good thing and a bad thing. There’s always another tournament. And if you sit and linger on the losses and the harder times, then you’ll never really appreciate the good ones,” Broomfield said. “That’s something that [Tiafoe] has really taught me and that he’s great with.”
Ayan Broomfield’s initiatives in diversifying tennis
Broomfield recently made headlines for her outspoken calls for greater inclusion at tennis tournaments, especially when she pointed out the lack of POC (people of color) attendees at this year’s Australian Open.
Her TikTok on the subject received over 70,000 reactions and more than 1,000 comments, sparking her efforts to bring more representation to both the stands and the court.
When asked about the impact of her video, she explained that it sparked an influx of DMs and comments from people asking how they could get involved in the sport.
“I’ve always been passionate about seeing tennis become a truly inclusive sport. As a young Black player, in that atmosphere, in the sport,” Broomfield explained. “I noticed from a young age that there weren’t a lot of people that looked like me.”
“I think my role is just to partner with people that are looking for diversity in the sport, work with people that can help bring diversity to the sport and then just use my platforms to continue to push it forward.”
One way Broomfield is working to increase diversity is by improving accessibility through the Ayan Broomfield Foundation.
Founded in 2024, her organization leverages Broomfield’s platform and brand partnerships to offer tennis lessons and activations. She is now focusing on transitioning into fundraising to support scholarship programs and provide funding for under-resourced tennis programs worldwide.
“When I started traveling with [Tiafoe], I was also starting my content creation and I realized there was an opportunity for some crossover…a way to inform the community a little bit more and attract new communities to tennis,” says Broomfield.
What’s next for Ayan Broomfield?
Broomfield will join Tiafoe at the Miami Open, starting Wednesday, March 19, 2025. While Tiafoe competes as a top seed in the men’s singles, her schedule includes more than just supporting his matches.
“I am working with a few brands and trying to bring some women of color to the tournament with me,” says Broomfield. “It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a while and it’s something I want to do more—bring more women of color into the tournaments and the tennis space.”
Her plans will give fans a glimpse into a “day in the life” of Broomfield, including several brand activations and attending a match featuring 2023 US Open winner Coco Gauff.
Looking ahead, Broomfield has aspirations beyond the tennis court and hopes to explore opportunities in other sports as a commentator or correspondent.
“I really do love sports, especially women’s sports,” Broomfield shares. “I’m always following them and I love talking about and commenting on sports, so I’m excited to hopefully dive into that as well.”
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