When asked if her boyfriend, top-ranked American tennis player Taylor Fritz, ever gives her lessons, influencer Morgan Riddle’s answer is a firm “Hell no.” She explains, “I do, like, two lessons, and he’s trying to teach me topspin. I’m like, I can’t even get the ball over the net.“
Riddle, 28, has just arrived with Fritz at the Lotte New York Palace hotel, their base for the US Open. Fritz’s career has been a steady climb, and as the top American player and number four seed, the 27-year-old is under tremendous pressure to make a deep run in the tournament. While he is closer than ever to his first Grand Slam title, the sport’s new titans, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, stand in his path. “These are the most important two weeks of the year for me to perform,” Fritz says.
While the court is Fritz’s domain, nearly everywhere else is Riddle’s. In the five years since they began dating, she has built a significant public profile alongside his ascent. A fixture in his player’s box, her striking style makes her a frequent focus of broadcast cameras. Around the tournament grounds, she engages with fans and hosts free, popular Pilates classes that typically book up in seconds.
Riddle’s work involves creating a constant stream of content for TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube—reviewing hotels, exploring local restaurants, and previewing tournament merchandise. During the Italian Open, she offered her YouTube subscribers a brief history of the papal conclave. Her influence has led to professional partnerships: for the past three years, Wimbledon has contracted her for a fashion video series, and at the US Open, she collaborates with Grey Goose to promote its signature Honey Deuce cocktail.
Consequently, Riddle faces her own professional pressures at every Grand Slam. She has become one of tennis’s most effective ambassadors, connecting with millions of potential fans who are more interested in the lifestyle and fashion of the sport than the intricacies of a tiebreak.
Her high-performance mindset is always on display. Despite an eight-hour flight delay from Los Angeles due to a refueling issue, she shows no signs of travel fatigue. Arriving at their suite, her platinum hair is perfectly styled in a meticulous ponytail, her makeup is flawless, and her navy-and-white checked minidress is wrinkle-free. Settling onto a couch, she maintains a posture straight enough for a Victorian governess and apologizes for a nearly nonexistent mess, having already unpacked. Her first task for the evening: calling reception to request 30 more clothes hangers.
