Around 100 influencers and content creators have been granted accreditation for the US Open 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 etiquette of the game. Arthur Ashe Stadium, the tournament’s main arena, has a capacity above 23,000.
Tennis has many unwritten rules, from apologising after winning a point off a net cord to being honest about line calls, double bounces and double-hits. Spectators are also expected to avoid disturbing players during points.
A disruptive photo shoot
The concerns became most visible during Naomi Osaka‘s first-round match on Arthur Ashe Stadium. One group held a photo shoot in their hospitality suite while play was under way, and turned on a portable ring light while Osaka was serving. The umpire issued a reprimand. When Osaka returned on Thursday, the umpire had to remind the crowd several times to be quiet.
In a video that has gone viral, a group can be seen speaking loudly as they film themselves during Osaka’s match on Tuesday. The chair umpire then called 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.”
Osaka, a two-time champion who won the US Open in 2018 and 2020, 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 potential benefits. “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 reaction from the players
Coco Gauff, the world number four, welcomed the new audience but stressed the need for good manners. “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.”
Daniil Medvedev, the men’s seventh seed, has had a difficult relationship with New York crowds in the past. He believes anything that brings more eyes to tennis is positive. “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.”
American 11th seed Frances Tiafoe praised the variety of the crowd. “I think the Open is great because you get all types of people that want to come and watch tennis,” he said. “All different walks of life, different types of people, different type of occupations. Personally, I love that. I have no problem with anybody doing anything, coming to watch the tennis.”
American world number three Jessica Pegula took a more critical view, 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. It seems a bit disrespectful.”
Pegula added: “I think it’s become a little too much this year. I can appreciate one side of it, but I think when you have the other side literally interrupting matches, it gets a little tough.”
Growing the event
The tournament introduced free fan movement in 2024, so spectators no longer need to wait to take their seats during changeovers. A year later, the event was expanded to 15 days. The week before the singles draw is now marketed as ‘Fan Week’, featuring the revamped mixed doubles competition and exhibition matches between past and present players.
Tournament chief executive Craig Tiley hopes the event will become “the tennis Disneyland”. Asked about influencers receiving accreditation at a pre-tournament news conference, he said: “We need to find ways of reaching new audiences, reaching people in a way that they connect with media today. 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. That’s been a big focus.”
Since the incident during Osaka’s first match, messages on screens around the grounds have asked people to “refrain from any activity that could disrupt the game, including noise levels, flash photography and ring lights”.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) said in a statement that it “is always striving to grow tennis in this country and bring new audiences into the sport”. It added: “We want all of our fans and guests to have an incredible time when they attend, but 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.”