Rachel Stuhlmann, The World's No. 1 Tennis Influencer, Influences The U.S. Open

Tennis influencer Rachel Stuhlmann IS BACK for another U.S. Open and everything is right in the world, but it hasn't been the easiest year for the world's No. 1 ranked tennis influencer, as voted on by the OutKick Culture Department. 

On Monday, Stuhlmann kicked off Day 1 of the U.S. Open by releasing a photoshoot she did at Grand Central Station's secret 4th floor tennis court last week while on a media blitz to drum up support for the last major of the 2024 season. 

Based on where Stuhlmann was at nearly a year ago, it was a miracle to see her serving as the biggest name in tennis influencing. 

In December 2023, Stuhlmann shocked the Internet when she popped up on Instagram wearing a neckbrace and announcing "brace yourself" to her followers. The former Missouri tennis player then announced that she had been in a car wreck and there were problems. 

"I underwent anterior cervical disc replacement surgery to remove the C5-C6 disc in my neck and replace it with an artificial disc. I’m extremely thankful to my surgeon @drkimspinemd and the entire New York City @hspecialsurgery staff for taking the best care of me and making this process as successful as possible," Stuhlmann wrote to her fans. 

It wasn't an easy winter for Rachel. There was a recovery period and it meant her influencing took a major hit. 

By March, she was back out on the road and doing what she's always done best: promoting tennis and now she's dabbling in pickleball. 

"After a long few months of recovering from neck surgery, it felt amazing to be back traveling to tournaments. What an outstanding Sunshine Double month! I definitely feel an extra sense of gratitude, perspective, and motivation to be able to do what I love alongside so many amazing people," she wrote on Instagram in April. 

Stuhlmann takes her influencing game to the next level with AI tennis simulator project

By August, Rachel's summer was cooking. She was shooting video footage with the Tennis Social AI team, which is supposed to be used to create the "first AI tennis simulator." 

Rachel seems pumped over where simulator tennis is headed. 

"We just reached a significant milestone—our very first simulator was featured in our first Tennis Social AI commercial shoot! Our gamified and instructional simulator is set to transform how people experience and learn tennis, making it more accessible and appealing to newcomers," she wrote on Instagram.

While that AI project is cooking along, it's time for Stuhlmann's Super Bowl where she does her best influencing: the U.S. Open. 

Last week, Rachel was rubbing elbows with Andre Agassi. She walked a red carpet with Aryna Sabalenka, the No. 2 ranked women's tennis player in the world, and even played against her in Wii Tennis. 

Less than a year ago, none of this looked possible when Stuhlmann was in a neck brace. Now here we are with one of the greats of the industry back at it and representing her sport. 

You gotta love to see it.