Tennis influencer Rachel Stuhlmann has revealed that she “melts” at the sound of British accents and hopes she can find someone special to snuggle up with on the sofa with this winter.
The former D1 athlete turned model, 30, has been dubbed the “world’s No.1 tennis influencer” and boasts 250,000 followers on Instagram, after turning heads at this year’s US Open.
Originally from St Louis, Rachel played in the NCAA Division I for the University of Missouri from 2010 to 2014, earning a national ranking in singles and doubles.
She then moved into journalism and modelling, and now uses her online profile to “keep pushing the sport of tennis forwards”.
The six-foot influencer hopes she can achieve for tennis what former golf pro Paige Spiranac, who was recently named ‘Sexiest Woman Alive’ by Maxim, has done for golf.
“I respect what Paige has done for the sport of golf so much!,” Rachel told Jam Press.
“We have similar stories and I aspire to continue to push the sport of tennis forward while being unapologetically me.”
In an exclusive interview, Rachel – who has featured in Maxim herself – reveals that she can’t wait for the cold weather to kick in so she can snuggle down on the sofa and watch lots of films.
She said: “I love cold weather! Winter time is my absolute favourite time of year!
“I love the fall and winter seasons and the holidays.
“My favourite thing is spending time with my family around the holidays.
“I also love the fresh air outside when it’s cold, and fall and winter fashion.
“And I love staying in on a winter night and watching a movie!”
The star is currently single and says she would “for sure” consider dating a Brit.
She said: “I’ve met a few British guys on the tour and they are all so nice and charming!
“I just love the accent. It melts me!”
When she is not busy covering tennis events around the globe or posing for glamorous photoshoots, Rachel enjoys relaxing at home and listening to music.
She said: “When I was little, NSYNC was my favourite band, I still listen to them from time to time, lol. Coming from St. Louis, of course I like Nelly.”
When it comes to Brits in tennis, she’s a fan of Andy Murray, Cameron Norrie and Neal Skupski.
Rachel said: “Of course, I respect what Andy Murray has done in the sport.
“I think Cameron Norrie is probably my favourite.
“He’s been doing really well this year and I love that he played college tennis here in the states.
“I also like Neal Skupski, one of the world’s best doubles players and he also played college tennis.
“Both guys are super nice.”
Rachel recently went back to her alma mater and has plenty on her calendar for coming months, including hosting the All American Cup in San Antonio.
When asked about her own tennis career, Rachel said: “I recently went back to Mizzou [University of Missouri] and it brought back great memories and reminded me of my time competing.
“I loved being an athlete!
“Playing college tennis taught me many qualities, time management, work ethic, and resilience.
“I was super disciplined with my training and workout routines, and once I finished playing in college, I transferred that into my professional career.
“My goal is to make the sport more mainstream and relatable – cool like other sports!
“I love showcasing the beautiful courts at tournaments around the world, and taking pictures on tennis courts.
“For the past few years, I’ve done everything in professional tennis from media, broadcasting, writing, marketing, sales, events, player relations, and much more – all with the goal to enhance the game and bring positive attention and coverage to the sport.
“I will be travelling overseas in October to do some work with the Rolex Paris Masters in Berci, France. I will also be hosting the All American Cup in San Antonio in November, which will feature 10 of the best American men professional players.
“A long-term project I have been working on is bringing a professional tennis tournament to my hometown.
“St Louis has a rich tennis history, and I want to bring professional tennis back there.”
