"Surprised Morgan Riddle let him out the door" - Serena Williams' ex-coach 'disappointed' by Taylor Fritz's look for 'terrible' ATP Finals photoshoot
Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs has delivered her scathing verdict on Taylor Fritz's outfit for the official photoshoot at the 2024 ATP Finals. Stubbs also expressed disbelief that Fritz's girlfriend Morgan Riddle, who is a social media influencer known for her fashion sense, hadn't intervened to change his look.
The year-end championships in Turin are poised thrillingly, with all players having completed two group-stage matches. As the battle for the four coveted spots in the semifinals heats up, the likes of Fritz, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and others will all look to triumph in their final round-robin clashes.
Before their respective campaigns, the ATP Finals stars gathered at the Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento for the official photoshoot, dressing up for the occasion in formal suits.
However, the photoshoot failed to impress fans, with many finding it "boring," especially in comparison to the stylish WTA Finals photocall. Rennae Stubbs, who coached Serena Williams in the final tournament of her career at the 2022 US Open, and her podcast co-host Caitlin Thompson echoed similar sentiments about the fashion choices on display.
Speaking on the latest episode of the 'Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast,' Thompson called out the "tacky" double-breasted suits worn by players like Sinner, Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Alex de Minaur and Andrey Rublev.
"I want to use this tangent to introduce the men. Which, their photoshoot, they took a picture. The general aesthetic is fine. Everyone wore tacky double-breasted suits," Thompson said.
However, Stubbs pointed out that Taylor Fritz didn't opt for the same style, feeling let down by his beige jacket and khaki pants, especially given his Boss sponsorship.
"Taylor Fritz didn’t have it double-breasted. I was very disappointed in that. He’s sponsored by Boss. Like, come on dude. Where is the beautiful?" Stubbs said.
"And he was wearing khakhis," Thompson interjected.
The Australian emphasized how "handsome" Fritz was, disclosing that she had even informed the 27-year-old that he had a backup career as a model after a recent photoshoot.
As such, Stubbs was particularly dismayed by his unfashionable appearance in Turin, humorously remarking that she couldn't believe his girlfriend Morgan Riddle had allowed him to go out looking like that.
"I think he’s very handsome. He did that model fashion shoot. I was like, 'Damn!’ I wrote him like, 'You have a second career bro.' He looked like a guy that had no idea about fashion and I know Morgan, his girlfriend, I’m surprised she let him out the door looking like that," she said.
Rennae Stubbs further criticized the "terrible" styling for all the players, while Caitlin Thompson quipped that they resembled a "high school debate team."
"They looked terrible," Stubbs said.
"They looked like a high school debate team," Thompson chimed in.
"Taylor Fritz's inability to come forward and volley is costing him against players like Jannik Sinner" - Rennae Stubbs after American's ATP Finals loss to Italian
Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs recently also identified a glaring weakness in Taylor Fritz's game. Fritz kicked off his ATP Finals campaign by beating Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-3, positioning himself strongly in the Ilie Nastase Group. However, Jannik Sinner dented the American's chances, claiming a 6-4, 6-4 victory in a rematch of this year's US Open final.
Following the World No. 5's loss, Stubbs suggested that Fritz's inability to approach the net and volley effectively was holding him back against players like Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
"Taylor Fritz inability to come forward and volley is costing him dealing against players like Sinner. I really believe Taylor is good enough to win a major IF he improves that area of his game. Sinner is SOOOO much better at the net, as is Carlos. This to me is the only thing stopping him getting those wins," Stubbs posted on Threads.
Taylor Fritz will take on Alex de Minaur in his final group-stage match at the year-end championships. De Minaur enters the contest with a 5-3 lead in their head-to-head record, having claimed a 6-4, 6-2 victory in their latest meeting at the 2024 United Cup.