The world witnessed an impressive performance by American Tennis star Taylor Fritz, securing a 3-1 set victory against Greek tennis sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas. Looking ahead, Fritz is geared up to face the No. 1 ranked Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals scheduled for Tuesday.
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While Fritz was impressive during the game, the cameras kept hunting for his girlfriend and influencer Morgan Riddle. NFL fans have spotted a similarity in this media coverage during games between Riddle and our very own Taylor Swift. Much like Swift, Riddle also gets bashed by fans for the media’s decision to focus coverage on them during games. She further invited the limelight when she claimed she would eat an entire jar of vegemite if Fritz won the game.
During the Australian Open match between Fritz and Tsitsipas, the cameras at the tennis court began focusing on Morgan Riddle each time Taylor Fritz scored points. Riddle, a model, and popular influencer, looked stunning in a red dress as she cheered for her boyfriend from the stands. It’s reminiscent of how Taylor Swift, wearing red Chiefs gear, cheers for her beau Travis Kelce and the cameras consistently capture her reactions.
Fans took notice of it and blamed the partners of the two famous athletes for taking all the attention away from the game.
They turned to social media, highlighting the trend of sports networks attempting to focus more on glitz and glamour than the games itself.
A fan stated,
Another one expressed,
Someone else mentioned,
Recently, Swift made her appearance at the Arrowhead Stadium during the Chiefs Wild Card Round game against the Miami Dolphins. A video of Taylor Swift surfaced where she was seen dancing and enjoying the Chief’s win which also led to similar criticism by sports fans.
Former NFL head coach Tony Dungy was the first to criticize her pointing out the increased focus on entertainment elements rather than the on-field action, which according to him take the essence of the game. However, many including Stephen A. Smith came in support of Tay Tay and criticized Dungy’s statement.
WAGs Redefining Sports’ Global Appeal
Taylor Swift enjoys a worldwide fan following as she is undoubtedly the biggest pop star in the world. So, it pretty much obvious the camera would follow her, wherever she goes. Moreover, with the help of her fan following, she has put the league on the global stage, with new fans pouring in as each day passes.
Well, everyone is well aware of the “Blank Space” singer, but Taylor Fritz’s girlfriend, Morgan Riddle, also has a huge fan base on social media. Riddle who is a constant presence in the tennis games, was even dubbed as the most famous woman in Men’s Tennis as she appeared on the cover of the NYT’s style supplement last year.
She uses her platform to educate fans about tennis, frequently giving glimpses into the stands and games, and says she utilizes her platform to expose Americans to the thrill of tennis, a sport that is no longer as popular in the country.
Her current Instagram following stands at 217K and is steadily growing with each game appearance. Now, as her man reaches the Australian Open quarterfinals, the intriguing question arises: who will steal the spotlight – Fritz, Djokovic, or Riddle?
