Influencer Circus Hijacks U.S. Open, Proves Tennis Still Values Decorum (Barely)

If you wandered into Arthur Ashe Stadium last Saturday expecting to see world-class tennis, you probably didn’t predict the sideshow: a pack of Instagram influencers treating the U.S. Open like a TikTok content farm. Forget game, set, match—the real contest was who could rack up the most views while ignoring the fact that, you know, a major sporting event was happening.

Let’s set the scene: a woman in Row 12 whips out a ring light mid-match, oblivious to the glares of everyone forced to watch her film a 90-second “get ready with me” reel. Over in the luxury suites, a cluster of self-styled creators made so much noise recording their “behind the scenes” that the umpire paused play to demand silence. Yes, the umpire—whose job is literally to keep the match fair—had to parent a bunch of grown adults with iPhones.

Here’s the rub: Tennis, for all its recent attempts to stay relevant, clings to a vanishing myth of decorum. The U.S. Open’s power brokers crave exposure but still expect influencer types to sit quietly and clap politely. Newsflash: you can’t have it both ways. If you invite people whose entire career involves mainlining attention, don’t act shocked when they treat your event like a selfie backdrop.

Meanwhile, the Elizabeth Holmes doc quietly broke through the noise without a single influencer stunt, and ’60 Minutes’ is busy trying to claw back credibility by, you guessed it, doubling down on old-school reporting. Maybe, just maybe, there’s still room for focus and context in the age of content sludge.

Here’s a radical idea for the rest of this autumn: If you’re going to hand out VIP tickets to “creators,” make them sign an NDA agreeing to respect the match. Or, better yet, let the tennis speak for itself and keep the TikTok ring lights out in Flushing’s parking lot. The sport’s reputation—and your audience’s sanity—will thank you.