Frances Tiafoe's girlfriend Ayan reveals why it "hurts" to watch him from the sidelines
Frances Tiafoe’s girlfriend Ayan Broomfield recently touched on how it feels to watch him compete from the sidelines as a fellow tennis player. The Canadian indicated that it “hurts” to be a spectator while he deals with pressure moments on the court.
Tiafoe recently competed at the 2025 Miami Open, where he was the 16th seed. He crashed out of the Masters 1000 event with a loss to Arthur Fils in his second match. The American was accompanied by his girlfriend, Ayan Broomfield, who herself is a tennis player.
Although presently inactive, Broomfield has enjoyed some success as an athlete, winning two ITF doubles titles and clinching the NCAA championship in the same category in 2019. During Frances Tiafoe’s campaign in Miami, she appeared as a guest on the Tennis Channel’s Second Serve, where she opened up about their relationship. Broomfield noted that having a similar sporting background has helped her connect with him on a deeper level.
"Frances is great. He’s an amazing partner; amazing person. Anyone that’s met him has said the same thing. He’s just incredible, and I am really lucky to have him in my life, for sure," she said.
"I think having a tennis background helps a lot because we can understand each other; I understand what he’s going through and we can actually talk about tennis and break down the game," Tiafoe’s girlfriend added.
When asked about whether she can keep her calm while watching her partner battle it out on the tennis court, she said:
"I would say I’m hectic on the inside and hectic on the outside."
The 27-year-old explained that helplessly watching from the stands without being able to provide any inputs is painful. Incidentally, Paula Badosa and her boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas have made similar admissions about attending each other’s matches.
"But it also hurts because I understand the pressures of the situation and sometimes it’ll be like a break point and he’s hitting a ball and I’m like trying to get the top spin from the box over; I’m trying to tell him, okay, slice and stuff," she said.
Frances Tiafoe and Ayan Broomfield made their relationship public in 2018, having met through a mutual friend. The couple have often spoken about how they’ve supported each other in their personal and professional lives, with the American calling her his “rock”.
Frances Tiafoe's girlfriend Ayan Broomfield discloses her competitiveness while hitting together
During the aforementioned appearance, Frances Tiafoe’s girlfriend, Ayan Broomfield, also jokingly revealed that she can’t help but be competitive when she shares the court with him, while he is rather laid-back.
"Frances and I, we will go out and hit a little bit. But I am super competitive, so I’m always ready to play points. He’s like, ‘Ayan, can we just have a chill hit?’" she said about the two-time US Open semifinalist.
The Canadian also proudly claimed that she got the better of him the last time they played.
"Actually, last time I think I got him. I kind of had the game figured out," Broomfield teased.
Besides her contribution to her partner’s success and her social media endeavors, Frances Tiafoe’s girlfriend also actively runs a foundation, providing athletic wear and tennis equipment to underprivileged youngsters.