Frances Tiafoe will face Valentin Vacherot in the third round of the 2026 US Open, with the match scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT at Louis Armstrong Stadium. As Tiafoe looks to make another deep run at his home Grand Slam, he will have a familiar group of people supporting him from the player box.
Supporting Tiafoe throughout his US Open campaign is a group that includes his longtime girlfriend, his new head coach, a trusted hitting partner and members of his wider performance team.
Frances Tiafoe’s Girlfriend Ayan Broomfield: Tennis, Love and Life Beyond the Court
One of the most familiar faces around Tiafoe is his longtime girlfriend, Ayan Broomfield. The couple began dating in 2015 after meeting through the elite junior tennis circuit and eventually went Instagram official in 2018. Despite speculation surrounding a possible engagement, the two are not officially engaged and continue to maintain a strong relationship.
Broomfield is also a former tennis player herself. She won the 2019 NCAA women’s doubles national championship with UCLA and later gained wider recognition after serving as Venus Williams’ on-court tennis double in the Oscar-winning film King Richard.
She is now a content creator, fashion influencer and host of the tennis lifestyle podcast Nice Talk, while also running Ayan’s Aces, a charitable initiative focused on making tennis more accessible to children from underserved communities.
Who Is Coaching Tiafoe? Meet Dr. Mark Kovacs and Brian Kubik
Another key figure in Tiafoe’s team is Dr. Mark Kovacs, who took over as his head coach ahead of the 2026 season. Tiafoe made significant changes to his team after a frustrating 2025 campaign, parting ways with David Witt and bringing in Kovacs.
Kovacs brings a different background to the role. A sports scientist, performance physiologist and biomechanics expert, he has known Tiafoe since the American was 12, when Kovacs was involved with the USTA’s sports science program. His work with Tiafoe has focused heavily on improving the biomechanics of his game, particularly his serve, while also making changes to his physical preparation and daily training routine.
Brian Kubik is another important member of Tiafoe’s team, serving as a hitting partner and assistant coach. Kubik, formerly known as Brian Cernoch, was a standout collegiate player at the University of North Carolina. After college, he was coaching and giving private lessons in Wilmington, North Carolina, before an exhibition match against Tiafoe changed the course of his career.
Tiafoe was impressed by Kubik’s heavy hitting and smooth pace and eventually brought him into his traveling team. He now works closely with the American during tournaments, helping him prepare for matches and providing another voice around the court.
Tiafoe also has access to a wider group of fitness and medical professionals through his management setup. He is represented by Evolve Artists Agency, which provides a specialized team of physical therapists and sports science professionals as part of its athlete-management services.
With Tiafoe back on the big stage at his home Grand Slam, these are the people helping him navigate another demanding US Open campaign- both on and off the court.
2026 US Open Essentials
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- Novak Djokovic Dealt Bad News After First Round Exit
- Carlos Alcaraz Wrist Injury: How One Mistake Risked His Chances
- Top 25 Highest-Paid Tennis Players by Career Earnings
