The Paige Lorenze Guide to Being a Tennis WAG

“Behind every great man is a great woman,” the saying goes. In the case of Tommy Paul, the 27-year-old boy-next-door of American men’s tennis, that would be Paige Lorenze, who can often be found sitting in her boyfriend’s courtside box, cheering him on in the kinds of outfits one might more often expect to see on runways than at tennis matches. At Wimbledon earlier this summer, it was a graceful tweed number befitting of the hallowed All England Lawn Tennis Club. But the US Open isn’t quite so debonair. So when we tracked down Lorenze—an in-demand influencer and founder of the lifestyle brand Dairy Boy—on the grounds in Flushing Meadows this week, she was channeling all-American it-girl in a Tommy Hilfiger t-shirt bearing her man’s name.

Tommy, for his part, is enjoying the most successful season of his young career: now ranked number 14 in the world, the North Carolina native won the prestigious grass-court tournament at Queen’s Club in June before falling to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon quarterfinals (and besides, who isn’t losing to Alcaraz these days?) Now, he finds himself back at his home Slam, one amongst a cabal of hungry young Americans—including Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and Taylor Fritz—looking to win their first Grand Slam title. But before her boyfriend kicked off his US Open campaign with a late-night, four-set victory, Lorenze needed a Honey Deuce to calm her nerves. “Lemonade with Grenadine and vodka,” she said as we found a seat outside Arthur Ashe Stadium. “It does not get better than that.” As the buzz settled, Lorenze showed us how a true tennis WAG navigates the commotion of the Open.

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PAIGE LORENZE: Are we recording?

JAKE NEVINS: We’re recording. I’m at the US Open with Paige. A lot of people come here and get very overwhelmed. Sensory overload vibes. As the sport’s foremost WAG, what would you say is the key to a good a day at the US Open?

LORENZE: The first step to a non-stressful US Open is figuring out your parking situation. I would recommend Ubering, to be honest. And then I love meeting at this bar here, right in the center. This is where I meet all my friends and my family each year, because you can take it all in. Have you been to Indian Wells?

NEVINS: I have not. It’s a goal of mine. 

LORENZE: The fan experience at Indian Wells is probably one of the best on tour. The US Open’s always been known for its fan experience, too. The aura around it is one of the best, maybe even better than Wimbledon. And you see lots of families, which I think is really sweet.

NEVINS: Honestly, I’m dying to go to the French Open.

LORENZE: Do you like clay court tennis?

NEVINS: I do. It’s bruising and messy and the fans seem really boisterous.

LORENZE: I mean, it’s really sexy. But I think they all have their own charm. Every slam really leans into their city, as they should. Wimbledon’s not pretending to be anything other than what it is. Wimbledon just is Wimbledon, right? It’s very posh.

NEVINS: You turned it out in your Wimbledon tweed this year. I mean, you’re definitely not wearing a red windbreaker to Wimbledon. But you can wear a red windbreaker to the Open.

LORENZE: I like tweed. I think tweed likes me. But this is more me. And I got to a point where I was sort of like, “I’m here for Tommy.” I love fashion, but I want to be comfortable at his matches. And Tommy comes first—before fashion statements.

NEVINS: That’s nice of you. Also, the men play three out of five sets. You’ve got to be comfortable in that box.

LORENZE: No, absolutely. It could be literally five hours.

NEVINS: Let’s talk about something Wimbledon doesn’t have, which is the vaunted Honey Deuce. Why is the Honey Deuce the best cocktail in tennis? And why is it $23 this year?

LORENZE: Okay, I’ll start with number one. It’s really refreshing. So I’m a Shirley Temple girl—

NEVINS: Oh, wow. I haven’t had a Shirley Temple since I was like, eight years old.

LORENZE: When I order them at restaurants people are like, “Are you okay?” Honestly, I love a Shirley Temple. And the Honey Deuce is in the same family.

NEVINS: It’s the Grenadine.

LORENZE: Lemonade with Grenadine and vodka. It does not get better than that.

NEVINS: Don’t forget the melons. When you’re done, you take a bite of these melons that have just been soaking in alcohol and you get absolutely wasted.

LORENZE: This, to me, represents the US Open.

NEVINS: Forget Arthur Ashe. It’s all about the Honey Deuce.

LORENZE: It’s the Honey Deuce for me: a little overpriced, served in a good, old plastic cup. It never changes and everyone wants one. I was literally grinning ear to ear ordering this drink.

NEVINS: I saw a tweet this morning that said that the revenue earned from just the sales of Honey Deuces is something like $9 million.

LORENZE: No way. I wonder if Tommy’s tried one.

NEVINS: Well, he’s usually here on business.

LORENZE: But you know what? Sometimes they deserve a Honey Deuce too.

NEVINS: You come to most of the Slams with Tommy. You’ve got your own things going on. What does he need from you over these two weeks in the way of support?

LORENZE: He is the least needy boyfriend, first of all. He’s so supportive of me. He wants me to be doing what makes me happy. And as much as he wants me at every tournament, he totally understands. We just have such good communication. But at the Slams, I think support is more important. The guys are nervous. But we’ve built out a really healthy relationship where he’s not dependent on me. He’s not superstitious. And it’s not an unhealthy sporting relationship where, if I’m not doing something in the box a certain way, he’s going to spiral.

NEVINS: I mean, some of these guys really spiral. “You’re talking too much.” Or, “You’re not cheering enough.”

LORENZE: That’s not Tommy and me at all. It’s really normal and healthy. He doesn’t have that crazy that a lot of tennis players have. He’s just very humble, and I look up to him a lot in that sense. With him, what you see is what you get, and that’s how he is as a partner as well. He’s the best.

NEVINS: What’s the relationship like among girlfriends on tour? Is there a group chat?

LORENZE: Absolutely. It’s funny, there’s actually a European group chat on WhatsApp. But I don’t use WhatsApp. And then there’s…

NEVINS: Are you allowed to partake, as an American?

LORENZE: Oh my god, yeah. I’m friends with a lot of the older European girls, which is really nice.

NEVINS: Like who?

LORENZE: Louise [Jacobi], who is Cam Norrie’s girlfriend. And Nina [Ghaibi], who is Felix [Auger-Aliassime’s] girlfriend.

NEVINS: Cute.

LORENZE: It’s so nice that I can work on the road, and all the girls are really supportive of everything I do. I had a lot of girls come out to my pop-up, which was so nice. The one thing I will say is that we’re here, first and foremost, for our boyfriends. In team sports, all the girlfriends and wives sit in one box. But it’s not like that in tennis.

NEVINS: It’s not giving Taylor Swift in the box with her girl squad at the Chiefs games.

LORENZE: No, but that would be so fun. In tennis, it’s really individual. But we always make an effort.

NEVINS: I want to ask you what other guy on tour you could see yourself dating, but that might upset Tommy. So I’ll say: what other player’s box would you want to sit in?

LORENZE: Oh, I love that question. I would say Big Foe [Frances Tiafoe], probably.

NEVINS: Good choice. His team seems lit.

LORENZE: They’re so excited about tennis. Also, Frances’s parents are awesome.

NEVINS: Did you know I played Frances in juniors? We’re both from Maryland.

LORENZE: Stop.

NEVINS: I was 14. He was 11. He beat me one and one.

LORENZE: That’s so good. I’m dying.

NEVINS: He was already like, a lot taller than me. Anyway, let’s talk Dairy Boy. Would you have started a tennis-inspired lifestyle brand if you weren’t dating a pro tennis player?

LORENZE: It just makes sense, doesn’t it? I’ve been riding horses my whole life. And my mom is a tennis player, so I’ve always loved these recreational, country club activities, but not necessarily in the luxury-leaning way. I think tennis gets this rap sometimes that it’s only for wealthy people or it’s just a country club sport, but it’s so much more than that. I would say most of the top 100 players didn’t grow up playing at a country club. And if we’re being honest, most kids that grew up playing at a country club didn’t make it. In my case, I grew up in Vermont and Connecticut, spent summers in Nantucket, and my grandma was always watching tennis. So Dairy Boy is a lifestyle brand that was born out of this idea of returning back to your roots, literally drinking whole milk again.

NEVINS: Well, you’re milking that cow, babe.

LORENZE: Milk that cow. I love sports, I’m dating a tennis player, so the tennis thing to me was just a no-brainer. But I’m going to keep trying things and see what sticks.

NEVINS: Okay, now we’re walking toward [Louis] Armstrong Stadium. [Daniil] Medvedev is up a break in the fourth set. Paige, do you like five-setters?

LORENZE: I love a five-setter, besides when it’s Tommy. That’s what Grand Slam tennis is about. And I think I also love five-setters because Tommy specifically is such an athlete, and he tends to thrive at Slams because he can always sometimes out-fitness people.

NEVINS: He’s probably one of the fastest guys on tour.

LORENZE: Totally. And as tennis is changing and evolving with all the ball-strikers and big servers, Tommy’s a true all-court player. Again, I don’t like the five-setters when he’s in them. But as a fan, it’s cool to see that level of athleticism. It’s honestly hot.

NEVINS: Now we said it…

LORENZE: What’s the merch giving this year?

NEVINS: The official merch hasn’t been great for a while.

LORENZE: They need to bring back the camo.

NEVINS: What’s really good is the Ralph Lauren stuff. There was a rugby shirt that was too expensive, but the woman was trying her best to sell me on it. She was like, “This will be sold out by tomorrow.” I was like, “I don’t think that’s true.”

LORENZE: I will say, the good hats at Wimbledon always sell out.

NEVINS: Where the US Open really thrives is food. It used to be just hot dogs. But now we’re passing by the Korean fried chicken booth. There’s Pat LaFrieda. There’s Dos Toros.

LORENZE: Honestly, I love a hot dog. I grew up going to Yankees games with my dad. But now there’s real New York restaurants. My take is that the food truck movement has really affected events.

NEVINS: Go on. Make your case.

LORENZE: These vendors are getting it together, they’re mobilizing and figuring out how to serve food on the go.

NEVINS: You can’t be complacent and stick to your brick-and-mortar shop. You need a US Open booth or you’re dead.

LORENZE: You’ve got to get up and out.

NEVINS: Dairy Boy needs a milk station here. 

LORENZE: Immediately. I’m working on that.

NEVINS: Before we go inside the Polo store, let’s talk tennis fashion. Who’s the best-dressed guy on tour?

LORENZE: That’s a really good question. It’s Reilly Opelka, by far.

NEVINS: Really?

LORENZE: I can’t believe I even stuttered.

NEVINS: I was watching him yesterday against Musetti with his cute flat brim hat and his Viking beard.

LORENZE: He’s really into fashion. He’s sitting at fashion shows and walking runways. He’s really into art. He’s become a close friend of mine.

NEVINS: He’s six-foot-ten.

LORENZE: He’s taller than that.

NEVINS: No way.

LORENZE: He’s like, seven-foot-two. He wears Rick Owens, he wears mesh pink shirts. That’s someone that you should interview.

NEVINS: Do you ever consult on Tommy’s looks?

LORENZE: I do, but New Balance is so good that I don’t have to intervene. I know that might sound biased, but they’re really on it. They’re privately owned still, so I think that makes a big difference.

NEVINS: Less cooks in the kitchen. His red shorts at the Olympics were pretty great.

LORENZE: So good. And they also make the shorts short, which I like.

NEVINS: He’s always giving us a little thigh. This shirtless photo of him practicing in Paris went viral. How does it feel when gay guys thirst over your boyfriend?

LORENZE: The amount of texts I got, I loved it. I was eating it up. I told him to post it and he was like, “No.” But that’s Tommy. I’m so glad that everyone’s getting to appreciate him as much as I get to appreciate him.

NEVINS: Well, not quite as much.

LORENZE: Not quite as much, but just enough. But yeah, that was really cute because he was sort of bashful about it, which I thought was sweet. He’s not out here with his shirt off, walking around thinking he’s the man. He’s just Tommy.

NEVINS: And we love a handsome and humble king.

NEVINS: Are you tight with any women’s players?

LORENZE: Honestly, I am closest probably with Coco [Gauff] and Danielle Collins, and those also just happen to be some of my favorite women’s tennis players. Not even because they’re supportive of me, just because I love them as athletes. Coco is everything to me. She’s a New Balance girl as well. 

NEVINS: So like, your sister-in-law?

LORENZE: [Laughs] Yeah. But before I even met her, she knew who I was. What happened was that Tommy posted a reel that I made for him, because I’ll make him some videos on the road.

NEVINS: Like the ones where he’s hurling a medicine ball across the gym?

LORENZE: Yeah, occasionally that’s me. Coco commented on it, and she was like, “How much do you charge?” And I was gagged. I was fan-girling completely. And I came up with a response after three hours of debating what to say. I was like, “Anything for you!” And then I followed her and she followed me. I said to her, “You know what? If you ever want to get a coffee before the tournament starts, I would love to be someone that you can hang with.” It’s hard for those girls. They’re not going to become best friends with their opponents. So I want to offer that friendship to them. Oh my god, it’s my mom.

PAIGE’S MOM: I have a bad back. I’ve been sitting in the car all day.

NEVINS: Wait, is this your actual mom?

LORENZE: This is my actual mother.

NEVINS: Oh, nice to meet you. You must be so proud.

PAIGE’S MOM: I am so proud.

LORENZE: We’re just talking about Coco and how much we love her.

PAIGE’S MOM: We love Coco.

LORENZE: We’re like, super-fans.

NEVINS: How does it feel to be the mother of a successful influencer who’s also dating a top-15 tennis player?

PAIGE’S MOM: It’s surreal. Honestly, I could not be any more proud. She really works hard and she knew what she wanted and she put her mind to it. And I have to say, I was pleased with the choice of a tennis player. I play tennis all the time. So yeah, I may have put in a good plug for him in the beginning, not that he needed it.

NEVINS: Now we’re at Coqodaq, where we just had these little chicken nuggets covered in truffles and caviar. That eased the buzz a little bit. How are you feeling?

LORENZE: Too good. And this wind blowing right now, it’s just too good.

NEVINS: So Tommy’s playing in a couple of hours.

LORENZE: Yes.

NEVINS: Did you give him a little scouting report on his opponent?

LORENZE: I think it’s going to be a good match. I know he’s playing a good Italian player, [Lorenzo] Sonego.

NEVINS: Lorenzo’s good.

LORENZE: He is good, but—

NEVINS: Tommy will be okay.

LORENZE: He’ll be okay. I don’t think it’s going to be a walk in the park, but I think it’ll be a good match.

NEVINS: Let’s hope. Okay, we’re signing off. Go Tommy!

LORENZE: Go Tommy!