By Margo Washburne
From the courts to the stands, the fashion and drama at the 2024 US Open was almost as captivating as the games. This year, the tournament which ran from August 26- September 2, can be seen as a way of closing out the summer in New York City.
Although tennis has always been popular, the sport has seen an uptick in the media recently. This summer, the movie “Challengers” broke the internet and the box office. The film focuses on three professional tennis players over different phases of their careers. Additionally, the second season of Netflix’s show “Breakpoint” was released this past year and garnered over 20 million viewers. The show follows professional tennis players on the ATP tour “Breakpoint” but also focuses on the people in their lives… their wives. The show’s dynamic is paralleled in the real life by influencers Morgan Riddle and Paige Lorenze. Morgan Riddle’s boyfriend is top five ATP singles player Taylor Fritz and Paige Lorenze is dating three-time ATP singles champion. Both women are among the most notable tennis WAG’s and are well renowned for their style and content.
“Paige Lorenze and Morgan Riddle definitely spiked my interest in tennis, specifically going to the US Open and cheering for Fritz and Paul,” said Mary Palmer Roberts, an SMU alumni who attended the tournament this year.
Riddle dominates the TikTok game with more followers than Lorenze, while Lorenze is more popular on Instagram. Although traveling to the same tournaments globally, they are never spotted together. Also, the two do not follow each other on social media like they once did.
Riddle has over 556K followers on TikTok, garnering millions of views on her tennis-related videos, which is how she grew her following. Riddle is known for giving outside viewers an inside look at what life is like on the professional tour. Her boyfriend, Taylor Fritz, is ranked the number one American tennis player and number seven in the world. He played in the US Open finals on September 8th.
On Instagram, Riddle is seen in the stands of the US Open wearing a white With Jéan dress. She often wears white to Fritz’s matches and is a big supporter of “Tennis Core.” Riddle is also a massive fan of the tournament’s signature drink, the Honey Deuce, which went viral on TikTok this year.
When her boyfriend made it to the finals, she rocked another white dress, this time from Nadine Merabi. She keeps her style classy and simple, often being the blueprint for many attendees’ outfits.
“I think both Lorenze and Riddle influenced me and others to wear a more elevated and chic outfit to the open,” Roberts said.
On the other hand, Paige Lorenze can be seen in the stands experimenting with more color and accessories. She takes a slightly more bold approach to attendee style versus Riddle.
Lorenze has over 700K followers on Instagram and is dating tennis player Tommy Paul. Whereas Riddle gained her following on her tennis and travel content surrounding her boyfriend, Lorenze had a following before she entered the tennis world. Lorenze has gained an even broader audience with the launch of her popular lifestyle brand, Dairy Boy, in 2021. Although her boyfriend did not make it as far in the tournament, she was still able to show off some of her outfits.
In one post on social media, Lorenze is spotted sporting a red windbreaker and Tommy Hilfiger t-shirt reading “Tommy,” her boyfriend’s name. She also rocks very sporty looks. Her style tends to lean more laid-back and relaxed as compared to Riddle.
Although never officially confirmed, internet sleuths and fans of the tennis girlfriends can sense a form of tension between the two influencers. The rumor is that Lorenze accused Riddle of copying her, causing a split in their friendship. This summer, the two had to briefly join the same team. Fritz and Paul were doubles partners for Team USA at the Paris Olympics. In the battle between Riddle and Lorenze, it really comes down to a few things. TikTok vs. Instagram, dressed-up vs. sporty, and Taylor Fritz vs. Tommy Paul.
To gauge what SMU students think about the battle between these tennis WAGs, the SMU Look Instagram held a poll on its Instagram story. The results came out to 74% voting for Paige Lorenze and only 26% for Morgan Riddle.
Over many sightings of outfits, honey deuces, and celebrities, at the end of the day, the US Open comes down to tennis. Neither Taylor Fritz nor Tommy Paul won. This leads to another year with no American winner and no progress in declaring who is the most elite tennis WAG.
