The US Open has accredited around 100 influencers and content creators for the tournament in New York, double the number from last year, and their presence has sparked debate over how to attract a new audience while respecting the sport’s etiquette.
Tennis has many unwritten rules, from apologising after winning a point off a net cord to honesty over line calls, double bounces and double-hits. One of the most common courtesies for spectators is not disturbing players during points.
Coco Gauff, the world number four, said she welcomed the new audience. “I definitely think it’s cool to have a new demographic and I definitely think it helps grow the sport,” she said. “But if you’re being invited to a red carpet, you wouldn’t show up in jeans. I think it’s just follow the etiquette of the sport. That’s all.”
Disruption during Osaka’s match
The clearest flashpoint came during Naomi Osaka‘s first-round match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, the tournament’s main arena with a capacity above 23,000. One group held a photo shoot in their hospitality suite while play was underway, and turned on a portable ring light while Osaka was serving. The umpire reprimanded them.
When Osaka returned on Thursday, the umpire had to remind the crowd several times to be quiet. In a viral video from her first match on Tuesday, a group can be seen speaking loudly as they filmed themselves, prompting the chair umpire to call for them to stop.
“Today the umpire told everyone to be quiet more than I’ve ever heard an umpire tell a crowd to be quiet,” Osaka said. “I tell people I normally just focus on the match and the court, but there was a moment where there was people shouting and you could hear it quite clearly.”
The two-time champion added: “I think obviously if you come to a sporting event, you have to respect the sport. I feel like it’s common courtesy to read up on the sport, especially the etiquette.”
She acknowledged the upside of the change. “It could be a good thing for people to make the sport of tennis popular to their specific audience, but I think it has to be managed a lot better, especially in the situation like my first-round match. Overall, I think there are huge positives. You want people to continue to grow the sport. I just think it has to be in a way that everyone knows the rules and the etiquette.”
Mixed views among the players
Daniil Medvedev, the men’s seventh seed, who has had a difficult relationship with New York crowds in the past, backed the approach. “I think the more we try to raise awareness about tennis, the better it is, the more popular the sport is,” the Russian said. “I trust USTA with what they are doing. I think [there is] a lot more upside than downside, so go for it.”
Frances Tiafoe, the American 11th seed, praised the mix of people in the stands. “I think the Open is great because you get all types of people that want to come and watch tennis,” he said. “I have no problem with anybody doing anything, coming to watch the tennis.”
American world number three Jessica Pegula was more critical, describing some of the behaviour as “disrespectful”. “I can appreciate the influencers coming and showcasing the US Open experience,” she said. “But I do think that it’s tough when you see videos when they’re taking pictures and using the selfie lights. People are down there trying to perform. It’s their career and their job. I think it’s become a little too much this year.”
Tournament growth and response
The US Open introduced free fan movement in 2024, so spectators no longer have to wait to take their seats during changeovers. A year later, the tournament expanded to 15 days, and the week before the singles draw is now marketed as ‘Fan Week’. Tournament chief executive Craig Tiley hopes the event will become “the tennis Disneyland”.
Tiley defended the influencer accreditation. “We need to find ways of reaching new audiences, reaching people in a way that they connect with media today,” he said. “The creation of the creator credential has been a key part of that because it’s enabled us to talk to people in a way that they’re listening.”
Since the incident in Osaka’s first match, screens around the grounds have carried messages asking people to “refrain from any activity that could disrupt the game, including noise levels, flash photography and ring lights”. The USTA said it “is always striving to grow tennis in this country and bring new audiences into the sport”, adding: “We also need to ensure they do not interfere with the action and competition on the court. We are continually looking for ways to ensure fans in the stands know what is permitted and what is prohibited.”