Paige Spiranac, a prominent golf influencer, has issued a public apology to her fans for what she described as "failing" to capture sufficient content during her attendance at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York. The apology comes amidst a broader discussion regarding the presence and behavior of influencers at major sporting events.
Spiranac, who attended the quarterfinal match between Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva, stated on social media that she was attempting to be "sneaky" with her picture-taking due to the increased scrutiny on influencers at the tournament. "I’m so sorry that I didn’t take a picture of the chicken nuggets. Everyone is yelling at me right now cause I only showed the box," she said, referencing a notable culinary item at the event. "Hand up, my bad, I’m sorry. I let you guys down. I let myself down and I’ll be better next time."
Spiranac attended the U.S. Open as a guest of La Roche-Posay, a French skincare brand. She also attended the previous year's tournament as a guest of Maestro Dobel Tequila.
The U.S. Open organizers issued a public notice concerning flash photography during match play following viral incidents involving influencers filming content. The issue reportedly reached a critical point when a chair umpire had to temporarily halt a first-round match between Naomi Osaka and Anastasia Zakharova due to the actions of a group of influencers in a suite at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Several players have commented on the matter. Coco Gauff, who advanced to the semifinals by defeating Andreeva, stated that her concern was not with influencers themselves but with general tennis etiquette. Gauff was scheduled to face Elena Rybakina in the semifinal.