American Tennis Star Details Frightening London Airbnb Ordeal
American tennis star Taylor Fritz has provided a chilling account of a terrifying incident that occurred during a holiday in London in October 2024. The world-class athlete and his long-term girlfriend, Morgan Riddle, became victims of an attempted organised break-in at their temporary accommodation.
The Early Morning Intrusion Attempt
The high-profile couple were abruptly awakened at 4am by loud noises outside their rented apartment. Fritz described hearing individuals attempting to enter the property using the digital access code on the front door. Riddle later shared a photograph of the apartment entrance on social media, captioning it with details of the alarming event that disrupted their stay.
"I got an Airbnb…they have a cleaning agency that comes in. The code to the door gets given out because people have to come in," Fritz explained following his first-round victory at the Australian Open this week. "But obviously whoever is in charge changes the codes. But someone pulled up at 4am, being super loud outside, woke us up, and then they were trying to enter the code."
Prepared to Defend with a Tennis Racquet
Fritz, a finalist at the 2024 US Open and currently seeded ninth in Melbourne, revealed he immediately prepared to defend himself and his partner. Believing the intruders thought the property was empty, he positioned himself by the door, clutching his tennis racquet as a potential weapon.
"I was sitting at the door holding my racquet. I mean, realistically I think people made fun of that. But realistically if I hit someone with a racquet, that's going to do some damage," the athlete stated, demonstrating his serious intent to protect their safety.
The intruders reportedly indicated they were armed with a hockey stick, but Fritz, known for his powerful serve reaching 236km/h, expressed confidence in his ability to counteract the threat. "I feel confident swinging a tennis racquet," he remarked, highlighting the practical consideration behind his unusual choice of defensive tool.
Pattern of Safety Concerns with Rental Platforms
Morgan Riddle, who has been in a relationship with Fritz since they met on the exclusive dating app Raya in 2020, disclosed that this was not her first frightening experience with Airbnb properties. She recounted a 2017 incident where she awoke to find a man standing over her while she slept, and another occasion this past summer where she encountered someone robbing a house.
"Airbnb is so unsafe. They are intentionally targeted in many cities. Houses are nice for longer stays but please just stay in a hotel, especially if you are travelling alone or only with girls," Riddle advised, issuing a stark warning about security risks associated with short-term rental platforms.
Focus Returns to Tennis Down Under
Despite the lingering memory of the London incident, Fritz has redirected his attention to his professional commitments at the Australian Open. The ninth seed secured his opening match and is scheduled to face Czechia's Vit Kopriva in the second round. Interestingly, betting markets currently rate Fritz, along with Australian hopeful Alex de Minaur, as a $101 outsider to claim the tournament title, despite his top-ten seeding.
The couple's ordeal underscores broader concerns about the safety and security protocols within the short-term rental industry, particularly for high-profile individuals travelling internationally. Their experience serves as a cautionary tale about the vulnerabilities that can exist even in seemingly secure digital access systems.
