“Absolutely scammed” - Taylor Fritz’s girlfriend Morgan Riddle reveals how she paid $120 for tea in Shanghai

Taylor Fritz's girlfriend Morgan Riddle recently shared a story about how she and Sebastian Korda's girlfriend Ivana Nedved fell victim to a tea house scam in China.

The two ladies were in Shanghai to support their boyfriends, who are competing in the 2023 Shanghai Masters, one of the most prestigious tournaments on the ATP tour. The ATP 1000 event is returning to the calendar after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

The tea house scam is a common trick that targets unsuspecting tourists in China, especially in Beijing and Shanghai. The scam involves a friendly local who approaches a foreigner and invites them to a nearby tea house or cafe for a chat or a cultural exchange.

Once inside, the tourist is served tea or coffee and then presented with an exorbitant bill, sometimes as high as $500 USD. The scammer then disappears or threatens the tourist to pay up.

Morgan shared her experience on her Instagram story on Thursday, October 5.

"Ivana and I just bought tea on the street for $120 USD. ABSOLUTELY SCAMMED," Riddle wrote.

In her next story, she posted a picture of learning how to make tea in their hotel room.

"Learning something new everyday," Riddle wrote.

Taylor Fritz to face Yosuke Watanuki in Shanghai Masters second round

Taylor Fritz will begin his campaign at the 2023 Shanghai Masters with a second-round clash against Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki on Saturday, October 7.

Fritz, the seventh seed in the ATP 1000 tournament, received a bye in the first round. He will be aiming to win his second ATP Masters 1000 title of his career, after triumphing at Indian Wells last year.

Fritz has had a stellar season so far, with a 50-20 win-loss record and a Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance at the US Open, along with two titles in Atlanta and Delray Beach. The 25-year-old has a powerful serve and a solid baseline game, which make him a formidable opponent on hard courts.

Watanuki, on the other hand, is ranked No. 79 in the world and is making his debut at the Shanghai Masters. The 25-year-old advanced to the second round by defeating Chinese wildcard Shang Juncheng in three sets, 7-6(7), 4-6, 6-4.

The Japanese has mainly played on the ATP Challenger tour this year, where he reached the finals in Shanghai, along with semifinal appearances in Canberra, Monterrey, and Stanford. He is known for his aggressive style and his ability to hit winners from both wings.

This will be the first meeting between Taylor Fritz and Yosuke Watanuki on the ATP tour. The winner of the match will face either Jiri Lehecka or Diego Schwartzman in the third round.

About the author

Shashank, a tennis journalist at Sportskeeda, joined the company about a year and a half ago. Despite his background in software engineering, his passion for the sport drove him to switch gears and dive into full-time journalism before which he worked as a tech writer.

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Edited by Nihal