Morgan Riddle Shares The “Gross” Airplane Habit She Can’t Get On Board With

In Chill Chat, Bustle sits down with stars to talk about all things wellness, from daily routines to hacks for getting a good night’s sleep. Here, influencer Morgan Riddle talks about what she’s learned while traveling for three years, including how to stay well on the road.

When Morgan Riddle, 27, met tennis star Taylor Fritz on Raya in early 2020, she went from corporate girlie to jet-set influencer. After spending two years in New York City as a campaign manager and a media director for companies like MuteSix and Gamers Outreach, she soon found herself in stadiums in London, Paris, Melbourne, and beyond.

Since 2021, the couple has been circling the globe to attend matches, including the U.S. Open and Wimbledon. While Fritz is on the court, Riddle shares snippets of the game with her more than 550,000 TikTok followers. In 2022, she officially left corporate life, shifted into full-time influencing, and now focuses on bringing the world of tennis to a younger generation.

So much of Riddle and Fritz’s lives are spent on planes and in hotel rooms, as the couple constantly switches time zones and touches down in new cities. Riddle says Fritz’s 40-week tennis tour felt like a perpetual vacation at first, but she quickly realized she would need a wellness routine to prevent exhaustion. “You know the feeling when you get home from a trip and you’re like, ‘Oh, my God, I just want to be in bed’? I was feeling that all the time,’” she tells Bustle.

Instead of going out sightseeing during her travels, Riddle eventually decided to prioritize work and rest. When she isn’t taking fashion photos for Instagram, sitting courtside in a cool ’fit, or collaborating with brands, like her recent Heineken 0.0 campaign, she’s likely back in her hotel room getting much-needed sleep.

As for her Heineken 0.0 campaign, it's a partnership that's on-brand for her and her wellness routine. "I love being able to go to the courts and sit with my friends and have the taste of beer, but not have something that will make me feel bad the next day,” she says. "Sitting in the sun drinking alcohol can really take a toll on both your physical and mental health, so it's really great to have [a zero-proof] option."

Below, Riddle shares her best travel tips, her go-to lip gloss, and the one thing she does every morning to feel her best.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I wake up early and try to be quiet because Taylor usually sleeps in much later than me. I’ll tiptoe out and go on my morning walk, then book a Pilates class. Some days I’ll find a coffee shop to work in, so I can edit my videos for YouTube and TikTok. If it’s a match day, I’ll start to get ready a couple of hours beforehand so I have time to film content and take photos at the court.

What’s your favorite type of content to create?

I love doing “Get Ready With Me for a Match” videos. That was the first type of content that blew up for me on TikTok, so I’ve done those videos for a few years at the Australian Open, the U.S. Open, and Wimbledon.

I also like “Travel Days in My Life.” People are always curious to see what it’s like to be on the tennis tour. It takes a lot of work to maintain your physical and mental health when you’re gone for 40 weeks a year, but I’ve finally figured out how to keep my head screwed on straight.

How do you do it?

I prioritize sleep. I can easily sleep for 13 hours. My circadian rhythm is so messed up with all the time zone changes, so resting is the most important way for me to reset. I also meditate and go for walks. If I spend too much time in the hotel room, it can really mess with my mental health.

How do you choose the outfit you’ll wear to a match?

It’s so interesting how much the games have changed! At my first U.S. Open in 2021, people were dressed so casually, but now the outfits are awesome. I started working with stylist Emily Essen this year, who happens to be one of my childhood friends.

For bigger tournaments, like Wimbledon or the U.S. Open, we’ll find brands based in that city. I’ll wear Stella McCartney in London or Thom Browne in New York. I try to dress authentically for the place I’m in.

What’s in your bag for tennis matches?

I always bring my Sony vlog camera with me. I pretty much document my entire life. And I keep a few makeup products in my match bags, like the Fenty touch-up powder and the Heat lip gloss in Hot Cherry.

You spend so much of your life in the air. How do you stay comfortable on planes?

I always pack my own sleep bag. I know a lot of airlines will give you one, but I have my own with an eye mask and high-grade earplugs, so I can’t hear a thing. I’ll also bring essential oils from Saje and I’ll put The Good Patch patches on my wrists to help me relax. Then I’ll sleep the entire time. I don’t watch movies on flights anymore. And I never do my skin care. I think that’s gross and don’t know why people do that. I just do my routine before the flight.

You’ve recently gotten into tennis, too. How’s that going?

When I met Taylor, I’d never picked up a racket. I did speech, debate, and musical theater in high school, so I wasn’t an athletic kid. I wouldn’t say I’m good by any means but I can get the ball over the net — and it’s just a fun pastime. Taylor’s also given me lessons. He’s helped my forehand a lot.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.