Lights. Camera. “Quiet please,” a phrase that rings true at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, where a squad of 100 influencers—a figure double the previous year—made a splash this year’s US Open.
Unfamiliar to some, these creators are learning that the sport’s unwritten rules run deep: apologising after a point won from a net cord, honest line calls, handshakes after matches, and the quiet that keeps rallies in focus. They pose a new challenge: can the sport’s etiquette adapt to the demands of a generation that thrives behind the lens?
Coco Gauff, world number four, said, “I definitely think it’s cool to have a new demographic and I definitely think it helps grow the sport,” but added, “If you’re invited to a red carpet, you wouldn’t show up in jeans. I think it’s just follow the etiquette of the sport.”
Osaka's first‑round match was interrupted by a group of influencers who turned on a portable ring light while she served. The chair umpire had to repeatedly ask the crowd to stay quiet, a scene that turned viral and prompted Osaka to say, “The umpire told everyone to be quiet more than I’ve ever heard an umpire tell a crowd to be quiet.”
Other players echoed mixed feelings. Jessica Pegula felt the behaviour was “disrespectful” when “people are down there trying to perform. It seems a bit disrespectful.” Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev and Frances Tiafoe welcomed the expanded fan experience, seeing it as a way to grow the sport’s appeal.
The United States Tennis Association responded with updated fan‑movement rules, a 15‑day tournament extension, and a “Fan Week” featuring exhibition matches and mixed‑doubles bouts. Organiser Craig Tiley aimed for a “tennis Disneyland” while reminding audiences that “refrain from any activity that could disrupt the game, including noise levels, flash photography and ring lights.”
