A group of influencers attending the U.S. Open caused a disruption during a women's singles match, prompting the chair umpire to intervene and ask the group to be seated.
The incident occurred on Tuesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium during the fourth game of the second set as four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka prepared to serve against Anastasia Zakharova. Chair umpire Kader Nouni addressed a suite in which a group described as content creators was causing a disturbance.
One video circulating on social media showed a woman using a bright light to record during Osaka's match. Another video depicted a large group in a suite collectively recording a promotional message and asking their audience, "Did you miss us?"
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has credentialed a significant number of influencers for the tournament. According to USTA director of media operations Jeanmarie Daly, the number of credentialed influencers this year is close to 100, a notable increase from the 54 content creators who received media credentials in 2025.
Daly stated that the USTA's goal for the influencer program is to achieve the broadest possible spectrum of coverage for the tournament, acknowledging that traditional media and content creators reach different audiences through various means.
Osaka ultimately won her opening-round match against Zakharova in straight sets, despite the slight delay caused by the disturbance.