The rapid influx of content influencers at the US Open 2026 has triggered significant controversy, prompting several tennis players, fans, and officials to criticise the organizers’ management of the event. The US Open authorities have granted influencers unprecedented access to boost the Grand Slam’s appeal among younger audiences. While this strategy has largely succeeded in driving engagement, elite players, including Naomi Osaka, have expressed frustration over the disruptions.
Attendance at the tournament has surged, leading organisers to expand the main draw action to 15 days. Under the new schedule, the mixed doubles competition was moved to a standalone event the week before the singles main draw commenced.
This effort aligns with a broader push by the ATP Tour for greater social media exposure. Earlier this year, the ATP expanded its partnership with TikTok, later reporting a 25% increase in posts under the hashtag #tennis throughout 2025.
Group of influencers branded ‘cringe’ for interrupting U.S. Open match to film an Instagram video.
“Okay guys we’re back, did you miss us?”
The group of influencers were later called out by the umpire for causing a ‘disturbance’ and told to stop. pic.twitter.com/bzHLkUz2st
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) September 2, 2026
However, critics argue that many influencers have failed to respect the sport’s traditions, with their antics interfering with live play. Osaka emphasized the need for attendees to adhere to standard tennis etiquette.
“Obviously, if you come to a sporting event, you have to respect the sport,” Osaka said. “I feel like 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 a situation like my first-round match,” she said.
Osaka noted that both she and her opponent were distracted by noise coming from influencer suites during play:
“I normally just focus on the match and the court, but there was a moment where there were people shouting, and you could hear it quite clearly,” Osaka added. “I think it bothered my opponent, too.”
Naomi Osaka hablo sobre la presencia de influencers en el US Open:
“Si venis a un evento deportivo, tenes que respetarlo. Es de cortesia basica informarse sobre el deporte y su etiqueta”.
“Es genial que traigan nuevos publicos, pero tiene que manejarse mucho mejor.…
— Tiempo De Tenis (@Tiempodetenis1) September 3, 2026
Jessica Pegula, the 2024 US Open runner-up, agreed that some creators crossed the line while generating content:
“I can appreciate the influencers coming and showcasing the US Open experience,” Pegula stated. “But I do think that it’s tough when you see videos of them taking pictures and using selfie lights. People are down there trying to perform, and it’s their career and their job. It seems a bit disrespectful. I think it’s gotten a little too out of hand.”
Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev echoed these concerns, stating that while greater exposure is welcome, it should not come at the expense of player concentration and match integrity.
“The more we try to raise awareness about tennis, the better it is, the more popular the sport is,” Medvedev said.
“For sure, if it disturbs during the play, like if you see the light or something, well, you always say to the referee. It can be sometimes challenging if during the point this happens.”
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