“I love being away from tennis, like, I love, like, being a friend. I feel like I’m a very normal guy,” Frances Tiafoe once said about how hectic tennis can get sometimes. At the time, he was talking about being away for Christmas and needing to compete at the Brisbane International at the start of the 2025 season. But now, four months later, he’s got a lot more on his plate! Back-to-back tours come with brand deals, endorsements, interviews, and more. How does Frances balance it all?
After his match against Alexandre Muller on Tuesday, where he took down the Frenchman in straight sets 6-3, 6-3, Tiafoe spoke with Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj. The 16th seed was asked how he balances tennis life, endorsements, and personal time. The American seems to have hacked it!
He said, “I think it’s good, man. I think I’m getting a pretty good way about it. Sometimes, I kind of need my time to do my thing-maybe go to events, maybe hang out and chill, get away from it a little bit. I’m definitely finding my happy balance.” With so much going on, that’s great news!
Tiafoe’s endorsement portfolio is impressive. He partners with Cadillac (since early 2023, including a sneaker collection benefiting his foundation), CLIF BAR (since September 2023, focusing on charity and products), Evian (since January 2024, promoting healthy hydration), Lululemon (since January 2025, contributing to his on-court wear and promotions), and UKG (since January 2025, highlighting his impact beyond tennis). He added, “I think something it’s easy to go overboard on the other side, especially when it’s so new.”
So, how does he manage it all? He said, “I kind of understand that this still drives everything and nothing moves without tennis. So once you’ve got that kind of your way, you had some few good weeks. Kind of do this for a week and then come back. I think that’s the perfect balance.”
The 2022 US Open was a turning point for Tiafoe. His wins over Rafael Nadal and Andrey Rublev grabbed attention, leading to a valiant semifinal against eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. His performance resonated with New York fans and many from music, film, and sports, who embraced him enthusiastically.
As of April 30, 2025, Tiafoe has played 21 singles matches this season, holding a 12-9 record. He came close to his first title in two years at the Houston Open, falling to Jenson Brooksby in the final. His European clay swing started rough, with early losses to Alexei Popyrin in Monte-Carlo and Jaume Munar in Barcelona.
In Madrid, he advanced to the second round after Luciano Darderi retired, but his dip in form has been a challenge. Now, with momentum building, he’s clearly working hard to keep pace with it all. Coming from the bottom to the top is a tough journey that Frances knows well. He’s had hard times when it got overwhelming and disappointing. But through it all, he found a way to keep going!
Frances reveals how he continues to keep pushing
On April 27, ahead of his second-round match in Madrid, Frances Tiafoe opened up on ‘The Change Over Podcast’ about how he handles tough moments in his career. “Honestly, like when I’m really like in a tough, tough spot, I’m like bro, you just build for this. I like it’s never been easy for you. You came from that. You started from the mud,” he said.
Tiafoe’s roots run deep- he grew up at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland, where his father, Frances Sr., worked as head of maintenance and custodian. His father’s hard work and sacrifice helped Frances and his twin brother Franklin get their start in tennis despite humble beginnings.
Tiafoe credits his longtime girlfriend, Ayan Broomfield, for being a rock through the ups and downs. “She’s been with me for so long, ten years, is a constant source of strength. She’s always going to be there through all those ups and downs,” he shared. Broomfield, a Canadian-born tennis player who played college tennis at Clemson and UCLA, has been by his side since 2015, providing steady support both on and off the court.
Additionally, family and close friends form the rest of his support system. “Twin brother, parents you know, they love me, no matter what. So you know, they are great. I got all my boys back home that I grew up with playing tennis with. I am still super close friends with cousins and stuff. I have people outside the game where I just go and being nice speak about tennis and they just want to make sure that individual Frances Tiafoe is good,” he said.
With this “solid group” behind him, Tiafoe is gearing up for a tough match against Matteo Arnaldi at the Madrid Open. He’s already beaten Arnaldi once at Wimbledon 2024, so can he do it again and push deeper into the tournament? Share your thoughts in the comments.
The post “Easy to Go Overboard”- Frances Tiafoe Reveals One Thing That Keeps Him Grounded in the Spotlight appeared first on EssentiallySports.
