5 times tennis players' partners got into controversy ft. Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian, Taylor Fritz' girlfriend Morgan Riddle
Given tennis' popularity all over the world, players who make it big are some of the most recognizable faces on the planet. As they set the tour on fire with their results, fans become eager to know more and more about them.
This interest also extends to their romantic lives, and players' popularity also thrusts their significant others into the limelight as well. If two tennis players get together, like Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi, then their popularity knows no bounds.
A lot of well-known tennis pros are in a relationship these days, though most of their partners aren't from the same world. Nevertheless, they've become quite popular, and with the advent of social media, it is easy to keep track of their antics as well.
On that note, here's a look at five instances when a tennis player's partner found themselves in the middle of a controversy this year:
#5 - Tommy Paul's girlfriend Paige Lorenze faces accusations of overshadowing her partner during the trophy ceremony
Tommy Paul won the biggest title of his career at the Cinch Championships, and his first on grass, in the lead-up to Wimbledon. His girlfriend, Paige Lorenze, was there to support him throughout the week. When she joined him to celebrate his triumph during the trophy presentation, her actions were criticized by fans.
Lorenze was accused of taking over the spotlight from Paul as she constantly kept on directing him during the photoshoot. However, neither of them were too affected by this, and later even posted a video making light of the situation. Given how some celebrities are quick to fly off the handle at the slightest criticism, this was a refreshing change.
#4 - Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian hits out at detractors over Gabby Thomas' participation in a rival event
Serena Williams' husband, entrepreneur and businessman Alexis Ohanian, is no stranger to controversy. He has been in the public eye for long enough, and has endured quite a few storms over his varied ventures.
Ohanian was the brains behind Athlos, a track-and-field event exclusively for female athletes. It was held in September this year at the Icahn Stadium in New York. Gabby Thomas was branded as the face of the event, which featured other prominent names such as Brittany Brown, Faith Kipyegon, among others.
Thomas was recently asked to be a part of another event, and one user on X (formerly Twitter) questioned Ohanian on how he could allow her to do that. This didn't sit well with him, and he stated that neither he nor Athlos "owned" Thomas for him to prohibit her from taking part in other events.
"I'm so happy for all the people who have followed us @athlos and started investing in the sport! @itsgabbyt deserves everything and more. Weird behavior from you to think anyone would "own" an athlete tbh....," Ohanian stated in a response to the critic.
Ohanian's outspoken ways have gotten him in trouble in the past. However, he's not the one to mince his words, and is very clear about his vision.
#3 - Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend Georgios Frangulis' alleged support of Donald Trump puts him in the hot seat
Aryna Sabalenka started dating her new boyfriend Georgios Frangulis earlier this year. He is the founder of the superfood brand Oakberry. He has since become a regular fixture in her player's box, and their posts on social media has further boosted their popularity.
However, Frangulis' perceived backing of President-elect Donald Trump kicked up a storm. He liked a post on social media celebrating the latter's win when the results of the presidential election were declared last month. Given Trump's status as a polarizing figure, Frangulis' alleged support for him sparked a heated discussion online.
#2 - Marta Kostyuk's husband Heorhii's shade towards Coco Gauff didn't go unnoticed by the American
Marta Kostyuk's husband, Heorhii, found himself in hot waters after his slight towards Coco Gauff. The two tennis pros faced off in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in their second career meeting.
Kostyuk's husband was in the stands cheering for her, and dissed Gauff at the same time. He wore a baseball cap with the phrase, "Shake your Cocos", with a picture of a coconut snapped in half. This was considered as a sneaky diss to his wife's opponent.
However, Gauff won the match in three tough sets. She later came across a picture of him wearing the cap, and took to Instagram to post a cheeky response. She posted a video of the match point celebrating her win over Kostyuk, with the caption, "shakey shake", indicating that she had the last laugh in the end.
#1 - Taylor Fritz's girlfriend Morgan Riddle brings up Alexander Zverev's past while celebrating her partner's victory
Taylor Fritz's girlfriend Morgan Riddle has quickly established herself as a media darling. She frequently posts updates and insights about her partner's daily grind, and is always spotted at his matches.
When Fritz and Alexander Zverev met at this year's Wimbledon, the head-to-head was 5-3 in the German's favor. He was the favorite to win their fourth-round contest but the American edged past him in five tough sets to advance further.
Riddle took to social media to celebrate Fritz's win, and brought up Zverev's history of alleged domestic abuse as well. The German was accused by his former girlfriends Brenda Patea and Olga Sharypova of domestic violence in the past.
"Cheer loud ladies. When ur man wins 4 the girls," the social media influencer wrote in a now deleted story.
Riddle was quick to take down the post, and issued a clarification as well. She stated that the whole thing was taken out of context, and had no reference to any off-court incidents.
"Regarding my stories yesterday... I took them down as soon as I realized the misunderstanding and how blown out of proportion they had become by the media. they were not about anything that's happened off the tennis court & there's no bad blood between anyone," Morgan Riddle wrote in her Instagram story.
Fritz and Zverev's rivalry continued with three more meetings following their Wimbledon encounter. The American won all of them to take the lead in their rivalry for the first time in his career.