Naomi Osaka, Jessica Pegula weigh in on influencers disrupting US Open

As Naomi Osaka was actively competing at the 2026 US Open in a first-round battle against Anastasia Zakharova earlier this week, the chair umpire paused the match to address a group of spectators in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"Guys, please, in the suite behind me ... please take your seat," the chair umpire announced.

Crowd etiquette has become a topic of conversation at the US Open as the fourth and final tennis Grand Slam of the calendar year has attracted a new legion of fans, including some influencers who have gone viral for the wrong reasons. A viral video from Osaka's first-round win showed a group of fans filming an apparent TikTok video during the second set. Another video shows a fan using a selfie light to take pictures during the same match.

Osaka said the exposure that influencers can generate "could be a good thing ... to make the sport of tennis popular," but noted that the distractions have "to be managed a lot better."

“If you come to a sporting event, you have to respect the sport. I feel like it’s common courtesy to read up on the sport," Osaka said on Thursday, Sept. 3 following her 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 victory over Katerina Siniakova. "You want people to continue to grow the sport. I just think it has to be in a way that everyone knows the rules and the etiquette."

Jessica Pegula also weighed the pros and the cons. On one hand, Pegula said she can "appreciate the influencers coming and showcasing the US Open experience," from $100 caviar nuggets to the wildly popular Honey Deuce cocktail that help attract visitors to Flushing Meadows each year.

But, Pegula said, it's getting to a point where it's "a bit disrespectful."

"I do think that it's tough when you see videos like that when they're taking pictures and using the selfie lights," Pegula said. "People are down there trying to perform. It's their career and their job ... So I think it's gotten a little maybe too much it feels like this year. I don't know. I think again, I can appreciate one side of it, but I think when you have the other side literally interrupting matches, it gets a little tough."

Daniil Medvedev said there's "a lot of more upside than downside" to the new tennis fans attending the US Open.

"The more the sport grows, the better it is," Medvedev said. "I trust USTA (United States Tennis Association) with what they're doing. For sure, if it disturbs during the play, like if you see a light or something, well, you always say it to the referee ... maybe one time they do it, then someone tells them not to do it."

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