Ready, Set, Selfie?

Khalil Santiago• October 28, 2025

For decades, the United States Open Tennis Championships have been the battleground for matches between tennis legends like Arthur Ashe, Serena Williams and Roger Federer. However, in recent years, the U.S. Open has become just as much a cultural spectacle as a sporting event. Viral cocktails, celebrity selfies, country club-inspired lookbooks and influencer guest lists are sharing the spotlight with the sport itself.

In recent times, fans have begun to notice the changes involving the media influence surrounding the Open. The tournament has recently developed a “Coachella-like” vibe, where influencer guest lists and luxury brand activations shape much of the coverage (The Guardian). Guest lists featuring stars such as Usher and Kevin Hart now circulate online nearly as widely as player rankings. Meanwhile, luxury brands like Ralph Lauren and Tiffany & Co. host exclusive lounges, fashion collaborations and eye-catching installations that draw celebrities and influencers to the tournament.

Nothing captures the tournament’s transformation better than the Honey Deuce. Sold in commemorative cups, the aesthetically pleasing, vodka-and-lemonade concoction has become a social media staple of the Open. The United States Tennis Association (USTA), the governing body for tennis in the U.S. and the one responsible for organizing the event, made $17 million from Honey Deuce sales in 2025 alone, with 738,459 cocktails sold over three weeks in New York City — a 32% jump from last year (Sportico). This viral drink has clearly made a statement on TikTok, where the hashtag “#HoneyDeuce” has racked up millions of views, with fans rating the drink, filming “first sip” reactions and showing off the collectible cups as souvenirs. Influencers like Morgan Riddle, known for her behind-the-scenes U.S. Open content, shared her Honey Deuce experience with her hundreds of thousands of followers, while even pro player Jessica Pegula joked about drinking one after a tough loss (Entertainment and Sports Programming Network). However, not all tennis enthusiasts are thrilled with the up-and-coming media craze surrounding the U.S. Open. Brendan Harden, a coach at the Jack Kramer Club- a historic tennis club known for nurturing and developing top players (USTA), worries that the rise of social media trends surrounding the U.S. Open is shifting focus away from the tournament’s competition.

“The sport is starting to feel like it’s taking a back seat to the whole craze [over the tournament],” Harden said. “Young athletes don’t get inspired by a drink going viral, they get inspired by watching players give everything they have to pull through a five-setter. [If it keeps going this way], we might lose sight of the passion that makes tennis special.”

While some fans are skeptical, others recognize that this cultural shift may be part of tennis’s advancement. With a younger generation consuming sports through short clips, aesthetic trends and influencer partnerships, tournaments like the U.S. Open may need to adapt to stay relevant. Social media exposure can make tennis feel more modern and global, appealing to audiences who might otherwise overlook it. Christian Pohoski, a top American junior player who competes in national-level tournaments, views this new environment in a similarly double-sided manner.

“You can’t scroll through Instagram without seeing someone at the Open posting about the Honey Deuce or which celebrity is courtside,” Pohoski said. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not unhappy to see tennis trending online, but sometimes it feels like it gets lost in the mix. It can be frustrating that the social media aspect gets more attention than the tennis. But at the same time, if it helps the game evolve and reach more kids, maybe it’s a good thing.”

His words reflect an era caught between excitement for tennis’s new spotlight and a hope that people still remember why they fell in love with it in the first place. At the same time, the increased exposure has had undeniable benefits for the sport. Viral moments, sponsorships and celebrity appearances help tennis reach audiences who might not otherwise tune in. For a sport like tennis that often competes for attention within a crowded sports media landscape, the viewership gap highlights just how much exposure it still needs compared with other major sports leagues. Nearly 70% of U.S. adults watch the National Football League, about 50% follow the National Basketball Association and close to 45% watch Major League Baseball. By contrast, only about 18% of viewers regularly follow tennis (S&P Global Market Intelligence). This amount of cultural relevance can attract new fans and make the sport feel relevant and exciting for today’s youth. Fans who have grown immersed in the world of tennis have noticed the U.S. Open’s transformation as well. Still, some fans feel that the glamorization and media frenzy of the Open takes away from the appreciation of the sport. Freshman David Young, an avid fan who spends his summers at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, admitted he has mixed feelings about the Open’s new atmosphere.

“When I watch the U.S. Open, what excites me [the] most are the matches themselves, especially seeing players like Taylor Fritz," Young said. “But sometimes it can feel like the tournament is more about celebrities and influencers rather than [about] fans who actually care about the sport. For people who don’t know much about the sport, the parties and social media stuff make it look fun and approachable. But for fans like me, it sometimes feels like tennis isn’t being taken as seriously.”

The U.S. Open currently stands on a fine line between the divide of tradition and exhibition. While its flashy atmosphere and viral moments may draw in fans and bring tennis into the cultural spotlight, they also risk overshadowing the skill, passion and drama that make the sport. It will be the responsibility of tennis fans of the future to make sure the sport remains as the heart of the tournament, even as its spectacle continues to grow.