American tennis influencer Rachel Stuhlmann found herself in an unexpected predicament during the 2025 Italian Open.
While juggling her coaching duties and media commitments in Rome, the former NCAA athlete shared a hilarious and slightly alarming moment where she got locked inside a bathroom for 10 minutes, nearly passing out before making it to her scheduled Tennis Channel appearance.
Rachel Stuhlmann Recalls Nearly Passing Out After Bathroom Lock-In
Stuhlmann, once dubbed the “World’s No. 1 tennis influencer” by Maxim, was in Rome to coach Varvara Lepchenko, who is currently ranked No. 119 in singles. No stranger to high-level tennis, Stuhlmann previously worked with Lepchenko during the 2025 Australian Open and has steadily built her reputation not just as a glamorous social media figure but also as a certified USPTA professional coach.
While supporting Lepchenko, who opened her Italian Open campaign with a straight-sets win over Erika Andreeva before falling to Katie Volynets in the second qualifying round, Stuhlmann found herself in a less-than-glamorous situation. In a candid Instagram story, she revealed that she accidentally got stuck inside a bathroom at the tournament site for about 10 minutes.
“Funny story, I got locked in a bathroom onsite yesterday,” she wrote, alongside a photo of the locked door. “Was stuck for like 10 min. I almost passed out and was almost late for my Tennis Channel spot.”
Stuhlmann Discussed Building a Unique Personal Brand
Stuhlmann played Division I tennis at the University of Missouri and has become a popular figure online thanks to her unique mix of tennis knowledge, broadcasting, and fashionable court-side appearances.
In a 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit feature, she said her brand grew when she embraced authenticity and stopped following traditional rules. Stuhlmann shared that her success took off once she leaned into her own style and began inspiring a new generation of tennis fans.
“I really want to be myself in this industry. I’m going to post what I want, I’m going to wear what I want. Whatever I wear does not change my knowledge of the sport, that I can strategically talk about the sport, that I can play the sport really well. So posting in my own style, that’s when my brand really took off when I just really started being authentically myself,” Stuhlmann said.
“My goal in tennis has always been to make the sport more mainstream, relatable and accessible. I want to bring attention to this sport in a positive way, draw people to the sport and get people excited about it,” she added.
