The 2026 US Open has a problem that has very little to do with tennis itself.
As some of the world’s best players battle it out in New York, another group has been attracting plenty of attention around the courts — social media influencers and content creators.
The US Open has increasingly embraced creators as part of its effort to make tennis feel bigger, younger and more connected to online culture. But this year’s tournament has shown just how difficult that balance can be when content creation starts getting in the way of the match.
And that is exactly what has happened this week.
Why Are Influencers Suddenly Such a Big Part of the US Open?
Influencers at the US Open aren’t completely new. Celebrities, creators and online personalities have been part of the tournament’s atmosphere for years.
What has changed is the scale.
According to recent reporting, the USTA gave close to 100 content creators credentials for the 2026 tournament, nearly twice the 54 credentials made available in 2025. Some of those creators are covering tennis, while others are focused on fashion, food, lifestyle and the overall New York experience.
That strategy makes sense from a marketing perspective.
A creator can attend the tournament, post a few videos and potentially put the US Open in front of millions of people who might not normally watch tennis.
The problem starts when the content becomes more important than the tennis happening in front of them.
The Naomi Osaka Match Became the Flashpoint
The controversy really exploded after an incident during Naomi Osaka’s first-round match against Anastasia Zakharova.
A group of people in a hospitality suite were reportedly moving around and filming during play, with one person using a bright ring light. The activity became disruptive enough that chair umpire Kader Nouni stopped play and asked those in the suite to sit down.
Videos of the moment quickly spread online.
And tennis fans were not impressed.
For longtime followers of the sport, the issue wasn’t simply that someone was recording. Everyone knows phones and cameras are everywhere at major sporting events now.
It was the timing and the lack of awareness.
Tennis depends heavily on silence while players are serving and rallying. Even a small distraction can affect a point, which makes a ring-light photoshoot during a match look particularly out of place.
Group of influencers branded ‘cringe’ for interrupting U.S. Open match to film an Instagram video.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) September 2, 2026
“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
Players Are Also Asking for Some Balance
The criticism isn’t coming only from fans.
Jessica Pegula has acknowledged that bringing more people into tennis is a positive thing, but she has also stressed that there needs to be a line between promoting the sport and distracting from it. She described some of the behavior as disrespectful.
Other players, including Daniil Medvedev, have similarly recognized the promotional value of creators while pointing out that their activities shouldn’t interfere with matches.
That distinction is important.
The players aren’t necessarily saying influencers shouldn’t be at the US Open. In fact, many understand that social media can help tennis reach a completely different audience.
The frustration is more about where and when the content is being created.
The US Open Wants to Be More Than Just Tennis
This is probably the bigger story behind the controversy.
The modern US Open isn’t simply selling two weeks of tennis anymore. It has become a huge sports-and-entertainment experience, with food, fashion, celebrities, sponsorship activations and social media all playing a major role.
The tournament has even embraced creators in official promotions. MrBeast, for example, teamed up with Frances Tiafoe for a “Giant Tennis” video at the 2026 US Open, showing how seriously the event is taking creator-driven entertainment.
So the presence of influencers isn’t an accident.
It is part of the tournament’s strategy.
And that is why this year’s backlash feels bigger. The US Open is actively encouraging creators to become part of the event, while fans and players are now asking whether there are enough boundaries around that participation.
Are Influencers Really Ruining the US Open?
That’s probably too simple.
The majority of creators attending the tournament aren’t causing problems. Many are simply making videos, reviewing food, showing fans what the grounds look like or introducing tennis to people who don’t normally follow it.
There is also a legitimate argument that tennis needs this kind of exposure.
But the recent incidents show the downside of turning a sporting event into a constant content studio.
A tennis match isn’t a red carpet. Players aren’t background characters for someone’s TikTok.
The challenge for the US Open now is finding a middle ground — embrace the enormous reach of social media without allowing the pursuit of viral content to interfere with the competition itself.
And after the incidents involving Naomi Osaka and other players, that conversation is no longer something tennis can simply ignore.
