Umpire halts US Open match as influencers distract Naomi Osaka

The tournament wanted influencers and spectacle. Players and fans are discovering what happens when they get them

The tournament wanted influencers and spectacle. Players and fans are discovering what happens when they get them

Those lacking tennis etiquette are not credentialed content creators -- but influencers and fans. And their presence signals a growing audience.

The ongoing dialogue around crowd etiquette and influencer culture at the US Open reached a fever pitch Friday when the UTSA revoked credentials.

The U.S. Open nearly doubled its creator credentials to close to 100 this year. A halted Osaka match and viral ring-light clips show the cost of reach without onboarding.

Naomi Osaka called for spectators at the US Open to respect tennis etiquette after social media influencers sparked debate by disrupting her first-round match. Around 100 influencers and content creators have been accredited for this year’s tournament in New York, twice as many as last year, as organizers seek to reach new audiences.

A number of players have noticed distractions from influencers in the crowd at the US Open, with some using portable lights to take pictures during play, prompting discussion about etiquette at the Grand Slam

The behaviour of influencers and content creators has become a major talking point at this year's US Open amid incidents of matches being disrupted.

The behaviour of influencers and content creators has become a major talking point at this year's US Open amid incidents of matches being disrupted.

The U.S. Open has long been a "see and be seen" destination for fashion, business and Hollywood. Now, a growing class of content creators is joining the crowd — and getting schooled in tennis etiquette in real time.

The U.S. Open had an unusual disruption Tuesday when influencers were reportedly warned for staging a photoshoot with lights during Naomi Osaka's first-round match.

Footage of selfie lights interrupting Naomi Osaka’s match on Monday went viral as frustrated tennis fans complain about the influx of oblivious creators.

See how influencer filming at the US Open disrupted Naomi Osaka’s match, drawing umpire intervention and fan criticism.

With the game locked at deuce in the second set of the fourth game of her first-round match at the 2026 US Open, Naomi Osaka had to hold her serve upon an instruction from the umpire. You would think that having to stop the action at such a crucial stage of the game was because of an injury or a controversial call.

A huge discussion around tennis etiquette has been sparked at the US Open due to the disruption caused by a growing number of content creators and influencers at Flushing Meadows.