Ayan Broomfield Has Ambitious Plans for the Future of Tennis—Both On and Off the Court

      "Sometimes, people just view me as a significant other," Ayan Broomfield shares with me prior to the 2026 US Open. "[They] assume that’s the reason I'm part of the tennis scene." If your only exposure to the 29-year-old has been seeing her support her partner, Frances Tiafoe, at the French Open or Wimbledon in a vintage Pucci outfit or a Cult Gaia minidress, it’s understandable why one might think that. "But I’ve actually devoted 20 years to the sport," she clarifies. Broomfield is indeed a spectator and a WAG (the term fans and media use for the wives and girlfriends of professional athletes), but these labels don’t fully capture her essence. A closer look reveals that she is a multifaceted individual with an NCAA doubles title, a minor role in King Richard, and two decades of playing experience. Although she may have retired from professional play, her influence in the tennis world is far from diminished.

      As a lifelong athlete, Broomfield has never regarded tennis as merely a spectator sport; it’s been central to her existence. She began playing in Canada and later took her skills to UCLA, where she won a national championship and made a name for herself as a formidable competitor. However, with the onset of the pandemic and a series of challenging injuries, Broomfield found herself transitioning from the rigorous demands of athletic life to a new path that allows her to view the sport from a different perspective. "I feel like I’ve accomplished everything possible as a tennis player," she reflects on her time in the sport. "Now, I see myself more as a storyteller—sometimes through content, other times through hosting, and by creating communities like Ayan’s Aces. Everything I’m currently involved in, particularly in tennis, focuses on uniting people, and I want to continue expanding that."

      Traditionally, tennis has been a rather conservative sport, but Broomfield believes it is evolving. While her tournament outfits were once focused solely on comfort and practicality, attending matches as a spectator for her partner opened her eyes to the expression of self through fashion. Over time, particularly as fashion has increasingly blended with the sport, she began to showcase her personality through her attire in the stands.

      She now favors bold prints, designer styles, and eye-catching pieces, with Thom Browne, Cult Gaia, and LaQuan Smith among the designers she’s considering for this year’s US Open. "I wanted to lean into the concept of 'bold,'" she reveals, offering a sneak peek at her tournament wardrobe. "Bold silhouettes, tailored cuts, and fun accessories." With this shift in fashion within the sport and having embraced it herself, Broomfield recognized another opportunity: there is significant potential to expand the tennis audience as well.

      Ayan’s Aces was born out of her observations of the lack of diversity at tennis matches and events. "When I started attending as a spectator, I noticed there weren’t many women who resembled me in the stands, especially women of color," she explains. When women expressed that they didn’t feel tennis was "for them," she recognized the need for action.

      What began with five tickets expanded to 10 and ultimately grew into a larger initiative aimed at helping more people enter the tennis world. Brands and tournaments now collaborate with her to offer tickets and suites for a more diverse community to enjoy the sport. Her aim? To encourage more women of color to attend tennis tournaments. "Imagine girls going to Paris for a week—shopping, sightseeing, attending a tennis tournament—just bonding and building community." The initiative has experienced rapid growth, now branching into sports like Formula One and golf. She hopes to take Ayan’s Aces global next.

      For Broomfield, this evolution transcends mere fashion at tennis matches; it revolves around fostering an environment where a wider range of people feels comfortable expressing themselves—whether that means wearing a high-fashion outfit in the stands, a coordinated ensemble on the court, or simply seeing someone who resembles them sitting nearby. "I want to leverage my platform and voice to continue challenging norms in how I present myself so that more individuals feel empowered to wear exactly what they choose rather than conforming to conventional tennis dress codes," she articulates. While tennis may have been traditional during her first two decades on the court, she is committed to changing its perception, making it less formal and more open to individual interpretation.