Rachel Stuhlmann Talks Making Transition From Tennis Player to Top Influencer (Exclusive)
Rachel Stuhlmann is on the rise. The St. Louis native made a name for herself in 2022 with her posts on social media as well as her reporting on tennis. Media outlets began taking notice, leading to Outkick naming her the "World's No.1 tennis influencer." PopCulture.com spoke exclusively to Stuhlmann, who explained her transition from tennis player to tennis influencer.
"It kind of just happened! I have worked so many jobs in professional tennis (media, broadcasting, writing, tournament partnerships and sponsorships, marketing, sales, events, and much more) and always just kind of posted along the way," Stuhlmann exclusively told PopCulture in an email interview. "With every tournament I went to, and every job I worked, I really wanted to showcase how special tennis/each tournament is. There are so many cool things about the sport that I see, and I wanted other people to see and be excited about it as well."
Stuhlmann played tennis at the University of Missouri and was also ranked on the United States Tennis Association's Junior Circuit. She now travels all over the world covering tennis tournaments and working as a digital media host, tournament host, ambassador, published writer, and sports talk radio host. And along with that, Stuhlmann is a USPTA-certified tennis coach.
Stuhlmann was asked about her favorite tournament to cover in 2022, and she said every tournament was great for different reasons. "Like I always say, each tournament has its own unique personality and aesthetic," she said. "I think for me, Rolex Paris Masters was my favorite this year. I loved being in Paris in the fall, and I love indoor tournaments. It was such an intimate and unique setting, it almost reminded me of an NBA or NHL game. An all-around well-run, great event and I want to go back next year. But then, of course, I think of my two and a half weeks in NYC for the US Open, which was unbelievable. There was an event or party every night, and the US Open is just…special. I think I am finally recovered from that trip now."
As for her title as the top tennis influencer, Stuhlmann loves being recognized for what she accomplished on social media. "It was pretty funny, all day I kept getting hundreds of new followers across all of my platforms- I was like 'what is going on?'" she explained. "I received some tweets and comments saying stuff like, 'How's it feel to be the world's No. 1 tennis influencer?' And then a friend of mine sent me the article and I read it, it was awesome. Such a fun honor."