As Frances Tiafoe continues his U.S. Open run, many have noticed his player’s box has familiar faces each time he plays at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Notably, his girlfriend Ayan Broomfield is a constant presence, supporting Tiafoe as he aims for the title.
Who is Ayan Broomfield? Here are five things to know about her.
1. She’s from Toronto, Canada.
The daughter of Denise and Paul Broomfield, Ayan was born in August 1997 and grew up in Canada. She has an older sister, Kai, who also played tennis. According to a bio shared by UCLA, “her greatest athletic thrill to date as defeating her sister for the first time.”
2. She played collegiate tennis at UCLA.
As a UCLA Bruin, she was an NCAA doubles champion, ACC Freshman of the Year, and a 6-time UCLA Athletic Director’s Honor Roll member, among other honors. She briefly played professionally before going to college.
In 2020, she graduated with a degree in women’s studies.
3. She portrayed Venus Williams in the tennis scenes in King Richard.
In the biopic about Serena and Venus’s dad, Ayan portrayed Venus, taking over from actress Saniyya Sidney.
She shared a pic with Will Smith on set, writing, “I had so much fun!”
4. Ayan and Frances met through a mutual friend in 2015.
Here they are way back in 2015.
In a post Broomfield made earlier this year celebrating Tiafoe making the top 10, he commented, “Man to think how far we’ve come. 2015 meeting you for the first and also just starting my career. Youve rocked with me thru it all. The good the bad and the standstills. It’s been a ride no one can put into words.”
Reflecting on Tiafoe’s dream run at the 2022 U.S. Open, Broomfield said, “That two-week period completely changed his life, changed my life, changed his whole family’s life. It was magical. I think when people actually understand what it took for him to actually get there financially, and just his story, I think people understand that it was more than just a tennis match. It’s literally a dream come true.”
She added, “I think his story being told in this kind of setting was kind of like a storytelling setting was amazing. And people really got to see Frances for who he actually is and what he brings to the sport.”
5. She’s a big supporter of her boyfriend.
Broomfield cheers for Tiafoe.
She can often be found in his player’s box, and travels with him on the ATP tour. Earlier this year, she even surprised him at a match.
“I also want to thank my girlfriend Ayan, who I see in the crowd at 1-0,” Tiafoe said in his victory speech. “I didn’t even know you were in Houston. I thought you were in L.A.! She surprised me that’s unbelievable you’re here. You see me win my second title, so that’s unbelievable.”
Emily Burack (she/her) is the news writer for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.
