Overview:

In this report from the San Antonio Observer explores how the U.S. Open’s expanding influencer experiment created unexpected friction on Arthur Ashe Stadium. As viral match disruptions trigger warnings from tournament organizers, Black tennis icons Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff weigh in on welcoming new digital audiences without sacrificing the traditions of the game.

Tournament expands creator access as viral disruptions prompt new reminders about tennis etiquette

The U.S. Open’s effort to bring more social media creators into one of tennis’ biggest events is generating plenty of attention, just not always for what is happening on the court.

The tournament nearly doubled its official content creator program this year, growing from 54 creators in 2025 to roughly 100 in 2026. But viral videos showing guests filming content, posing for photos, and using bright lights during matches have triggered criticism from longtime tennis fans and prompted organizers to reinforce rules against disruptive behavior.

The debate has also drawn responses from two of the sport’s most recognizable Black stars, Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff, who say creators can help tennis reach new audiences, as long as they respect the game’s traditions.

Viral videos put U.S. Open influencers under scrutiny

One of the biggest controversies erupted during Osaka’s first-round match against Anastasia Zakharova at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Play was briefly interrupted by a disturbance in a luxury suite, where women recorded content during live play. Video of the incident quickly spread across social media. Another viral clip showed a woman posing for photographs inside Arthur Ashe Stadium while Madison Keys competed against Alina Korneeva below. A bright light was being used as play continued.

@katticuspfinch

Tennis etiquette is that you don’t even GET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF A POINT but now at @US Open apparently it’s ring lights and photo shoots everywhere in the MIDDLE OF A POINT. Listen, I love bringing new people to the open and I’m all for getting more people into tennis because it’s such a fun sport to watch but if you’re going to disrespect the players, you shouldn’t come to the match. And I LOVE content creators bringing tennis to everyone on social media but if you’re not going to be respectful of the game being played thats NOT OKAY. Yyou can see ring lights from all over the stadium and the umpire and players made it very clear that it’s a HUGE DISTRACTION and it’s now impacting the players ability to play the game we are all here to see. And apparently the us open and USTA are just fine with it because their staff is helping it happen. @influencersinthewild @Tennis Channel #nyccontentcreator #naomiosaka #usopen #tennistiktok #usopentennis

♬ original sound – There I Ruined It

The incidents fueled complaints that content creation was beginning to interfere with a sport where spectators traditionally remain quiet during points and avoid flash photography.

Not everyone caught up in the controversy was part of the tournament’s official creator program. The women filmed in the suite during Osaka’s match, for example, were guests rather than officially credentialed U.S. Open influencers.

Creators Meg Radice and Audrey Jongens also made headlines after losing their tournament access. The pair initially said they believed their credentials had been revoked after they posted photographs of their passes online. The USTA later said they had actually been improperly placed on a food vendor’s staff credential list and that vendors are not authorized to credential media members or content creators.

Osaka and Gauff see opportunity — with some rules

Despite the backlash, Osaka said social media creators could help introduce tennis to people who otherwise might not follow the sport.

“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,” Osaka said. “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.”

Gauff offered a similar assessment, saying she welcomes creators and the new audiences they can bring.

“I think it’s great to have a different demographic come to the sport,” Gauff said, adding that many of the creators she follows already understand tennis etiquette.

She also said that brands inviting guests to major tournaments have some responsibility to ensure newcomers understand what is expected.

“With anything, any venue you go to, like if you’re being invited to red carpet, you wouldn’t show up in jeans,” Gauff said. “So I think it’s just follow the etiquette of the sport.”

Gauff’s comments reflect a broader tension for the tournament: tennis organizations want the visibility influencers can provide, particularly among younger audiences, without allowing content creation to interfere with competition.

That outreach comes as Black players continue to hold an increasingly visible place in American tennis. Gauff, Osaka, Madison Keys, Taylor Townsend and Frances Tiafoe are among the sport’s most recognizable names, while participation among Black Americans has also been growing.

The USTA reported that about 3.7 million Black Americans played tennis in 2025, an increase of more than 450,000 from the previous year.

For the U.S. Open, the lesson emerging from this year’s influencer experiment may be less about whether creators belong at tennis tournaments and more about making sure everyone who enters Arthur Ashe Stadium understands the same basic rule: create the content, but don’t become part of the match.

This article appeared first in the San Antonio Observer. For the original, visit https://saobserver.com/u-s-open-influencers-spark-backlash-over-ring-lights-filming-as-gauff-and-osaka-speak-out/

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