Tennis wives and girlfriends aren’t simply on the sidelines if that’s what you thought! They are raking in some serious cash. Take Paige Lorenze, Morgan Riddle, and Ayan Broomfield, for instance. While the U.S. Open is an important time for their partners, it is just as big for the tennis WAGs. Why?

It is because they have a ton of sponsorship deals coming their way. Let us talk about Ayan Broomfield here. As per Forbes’s estimation, Broomfield, who is dating Frances Tiafoe, will earn between $1 million and $3 million in brand endorsements this year. A similar estimation is applicable to Lorenze and Riddle. But how are they doing this?

When it comes to Broomfield, she started creating content in January with one aim in mind: To fund the Ayan Broomfield Foundation, which supports youth athletic initiatives. Thus, she has been receiving sponsorship deals. She was once an NCAA doubles champion and hence, understands the sports and content landscape quite well. 

Broomfield kicked off her tennis career as a collegiate player at Clemson University and earned two titles. In 2014, the now 27-year-old player made her WTA debut. The following year, she reached her career-high singles ranking (680), leading her to partner with brands like Athleta and Wilson. The Toronto-based player called it quits on tennis as her injuries got worse after COVID but admitted, “One thing about tennis, I don’t think you ever lose it.”

Talking about the turning point in her new career, which came after she acted as a body double in the movie ‘King Richard’, she said, “…I realized I can use tennis to be in the entertainment field.” Things started to change for the Canadian, as she took up acting, modeling, and creating content for tennis-relevant fashion and travel companies. Now, her efforts are yielding a handsome reward! 

For the Canadian, the US Open is like a ‘Met Gala’ event for her to show her fashion sense. “I call the U.S. Open my Met Gala because every single day there are events. This is, for the American girls, this is our time.” But it doesn’t end here. There’s something more interesting. 

While Tiafoe prepares to take on Alexander Shevchenko in the second round of the US Open, he will be endorsing Nike. So will Broomfield also be doing that? Nope! She will promote Wilson’s apparel there. Yes, her main purpose is to support her beau, but while doing so, she also plans to fulfill her brand deals.

Broomfield also shared with Forbes, “I think it’s better that I don’t have the same sponsors as him, to be honest. I think it’s nice to have my own lane, and he has his own lane; it’s not too conflicted.”

With 75.7k Instagram followers, Broomfield partners with many brands now and then. Be it Vogue, Bumble and bumble, Innbeauty Project, she frequently posts about her association with a wide range of brands. “The merge between tennis and fashion right now has never really happened in our social media age,” said Broomfield in June. Elaborating more on her fashion endeavors, Tiafoe’s girlfriend explained how it all helps maintain a “stronger relationship” with her partner.

How tennis wives and girlfriends have changed the business!

Frances Tiafoe’s girlfriend rightly pointed out how tennis has undergone a huge evolution over the years. Broomfield, who is there in New York to support his beau Tiafoe, once confessed how the sport has shaken off the “conservative” beliefs of the past. The 27-year-old, whose schedule is business-focused, does not want to constrict herself to a particular label now. And she has Tiafoe’s complete support.

“We are all accomplished women providing our partners with the help, encouragement, and support that they need before, during, and after match play. They, in turn, provide us with the same for all of our endeavours. It is a beautiful partnership and helps to create an even stronger relationship.”

Tennis WAGs, who are also lifestyle influencers, are able to charge a premium fee, unlike the creators who aren’t associated with professional athletes. On Instagram, brand deals range from $5,000 to $25,000 per post for most creators, but those who are closely associated with the sports world can generate $30,000 to $60,000 per post. And here’s why content creators are so important for tennis:

As per Ashley Villa, founder and CEO of talent management firm Rare Global, creators have helped in pushing the ‘tenniscore’ aesthetic as a fashion trend. Videos like ‘Get Ready With Me’ and ‘A Day In My Life’ don’t only attract brands but also the audience. And that’s why, in early 2023, Villa’s company began working with Morgan Riddle- Taylor Fritz’s girlfriend. Since then, the management company has successfully signed her to long-term deals with brands like Grey Goose, Boss womenswear, David Yurman jewelry, and Ole Henriksen skincare.

It’s a similar story for Lorenze, who has been dating Lorenze since 2022. “I would be lying if I said that tennis hasn’t affected my income; on the brand deals side of things, it’s made my content more valuable. I had a very strong following before tennis, but I think it’s being adjacent to the sport that brands really like,” she told Forbes.

Well, now every time a camera shows a wife or girlfriend on the screen while their partners are busy competing for a win, we might see the WAGs donning sponsored apparel. What do you think?