DistantNews
Support us
🇱🇹 Lithuania /Sports

Influencer forced umpire to stop match, sparking angry backlash from fans

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Ongoing story
  • An umpire reprimanded spectators in a private box during Naomi Osaka’s match against Anastasia Zakharova after influencers filmed social-media content.
  • The USTA says such incidents are rare, but it has expanded media accreditation for content creators from 54 last year to nearly 100 this year.
  • Jessica Pegula said influencer activity can promote the US Open but becomes disrespectful when it interferes with matches, a view shared by some fans.

Influencers have become nearly as familiar at the US Open as the tournament’s $23 Honey Deuce cocktail, but their presence has drawn anger after filming disrupted play.

Videos circulating online show a woman setting up a bright ring light during a match to record content for social media. Another video shows internet personalities filming in a luxury box while a spectator seated below visibly objects. During Monday’s match between Naomi Osaka and Anastasia Zakharova, umpire Kader Nouni had to reprimand a group in a private box.

We want fans and guests who come to have a great time, but at the same time we must ensure that play on court and the competition itself are not disrupted. Such cases are rare.

· Brendan McIntyreThe USTA spokesman explained its position on influencer-related disruptions.

The United States Tennis Association says such incidents are unusual. USTA spokesman Brendan McIntyre told The Post that spectators and guests should enjoy the event, but not interfere with play or the competition. Officials can discipline disruptive spectators, just as they do when noise begins in the stands.

The organization has nevertheless embraced the reach of content creators. It issued 54 media credentials to creators last year, the first time it had done so. This year, USTA media operations director Jeanmarie Daly told Front Office Sports, the number has risen to almost 100.

It seems a little disrespectful. I think maybe this year it crossed a line.

· Jessica PegulaThe American player criticized filming that distracts from athletes during matches.

Some players welcome the attention. Jessica Pegula said after defeating Sofia Kenin in the second round that influencers can show audiences what people can experience at the US Open. Yet she also questioned the behavior seen earlier in the week. “It seems a little disrespectful,” Pegula said, arguing that athletes dedicate their careers to performing on court. She said the line may have been crossed when filming began to interfere directly with matches.

Some traditional fans are equally hostile. One told The Post that many influencers attend for the atmosphere rather than the tennis, claiming, “They don’t even care about tennis. They just get drunk and make noise.” Caitlin Thompson, founder of the tennis magazine Racquet, told The Post she doubted that many people now attend primarily to watch tennis.

They don’t even care about tennis. They just get drunk and make noise.

· Unnamed spectatorA traditional fan complained that some influencers attend for the atmosphere rather than the matches.
About this summary

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog