Sportspersons and superstitions go hand in hand. Might sound like a bizarre concept to outsiders. However, it is a well-known fact that players like Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams, have specific in-match rituals they always follow to a tee. Hence, it does not come as a shock for fans if a new pattern by a player is noted. But it is not just unique to players; their loved ones also have specific superstitions before and during a match. And that is exactly what Morgan Riddle, girlfriend of tennis star Taylor Fritz, recently talked about.
Though the rise of Taylor Fritz on the ATP circuit is rather fresh in the mind of fans, his girlfriend has already made her name, thanks to her efforts to promoting tennis among American non-tennis fans. She recently revealed the superstitions that even she or Fritz’s team cannot let go of.
Morgan Riddle opens up about superstitions followed by people close to Taylor Fritz
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The American tennis star had an impressive run at the US Open this year. However, he could not get past Novak Djokovic in the quarter-final. This was mainly because of the astounding performance of Djokovic. However, Fritz’s girlfriend wishes to play her part too.
Talking about the tennis superstitions, she confessed that she herself does not believe in a lot in them. In an interview with The Cut, she stated, “I’m not incredibly superstitious.” However, she did not deny the tinge of superstition that she carries along with her.
She stated, “There are other people on his team that are more superstitious than me.” Ousting Fritz’s coach Michael Russell’s wife, she talked about her superstitions. Riddle stated, “Like his coach’s wife, her name is Lily. She always wears black to match us because she’s super superstitious about it.”
Furthermore, she also reminisced about one thing she did differently during his Indian Wells victory against Rafael Nadal. She stated, “I wore his socks during that whole tournament.” This consequently has given her some ideas. She added, “I’ve thought about doing that again.”
Despite his girlfriend’s claims, Fritz revealed that there was more going on during his match against Djokovic that affected his performance in the quarter-finals.
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Fritz complains about the aura of the Arthur Ashe Stadium
Reiterating the same concern of other players, Fritz questioned the decision of the US authorities to close the roof halfway. Before his match, Djokovic had requested the match to be scheduled in the evening or night. However, the authorities denied that.
Eventually, to compensate for that, they closed the roof halfway through the match. Though this definitely cooled down the stadium, the humidity trapped inside it caused a problem for the American player. The player felt drained out and preferred heat over the humidity, which took a toll on his form.
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Do you think Fritz could have performed better had it not been for the humidity? Let us know your views in the comments below.
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