The Garbiñe Muguruz tennis selfie-turned-seduction story is an outlier

Attractive people can get away with things non-thirst-inducing people cannot, and as fucked up as it is to overtly tell anyone that they’re not pretty enough to do something, it’s true. Whether that’s cutting in line, waiting for drinks, wearing crop tops, or turning a selfie with a Wimbledon winner into a fiance, it’s best to know what’s replicable.

So, I’ll put this out there right now: Don’t be weird and expect a photo op to result in a proposal like it did with tennis player Garbiñe Muguruza and her betrothed, male model Arthur Borges. The two met on the streets of New York in 2021 during the US Open when Borges asked for a picture. He then wished Muguruza good luck, and primary among the reasons why the tennis star ever entertained the idea of dating Borges was because, and I’m assuming here, “He’s so handsome.”

Any other fan with a cellphone is going to be treated like a creep if they linger too long or social media stalk, and are more likely to prompt the idolizee to shower than to trade DMs. This is not a precedent; it’s a one-off.

A lot about being successful in life, or with the lady folk, has to do with self-awareness. If you have to ask yourself: Am I attractive? You might be, but definitely aren’t on a Carolina reaper level of heat.

Has anyone ever asked for your dirty socks? Do your Instagram posts routinely garner likes in the thousands? Would a Kardashian be threatened by your cheekbones? Then you might possess the requisite beauty to pick up mates in the wild, and not on dating apps like the rest of us 1s through 7s.

It’s nothing to take personally — even though you should if an asshole judges you solely on your cover. I’ll put it in sports terms because people tend to accept the physical limitations of non-pro athletes. You can’t expect to be a league MVP if you can’t dunk, throw a 30-yard out on a frozen rope, or hit a 100 MPH fastball 500 feet. Winning the genetic lottery is not limited to sports.

Self-acceptance comes with self-awareness, and part of expectations is knowing your limits. Sure, a bank balance, or great personality can help you punch above your weight class, but it takes a certain jawline to be able to walk out of a hotel, and stumble into an engagement with a two-time Grand Slam winner.