US Open 2026: Anger Over Influencers, “The US Open Has an Influencer Problem, and It’s Getting Worse”

The US Open is bringing social-media influencers into the tournament in unprecedented numbers, and not everyone is pleased. The stars film themselves during matches and gather in a dedicated suite as organizers try to attract a new audience.

The approach has triggered a blunt criticism: “The US Open has an influencer problem, and it’s getting worse.” The complaint reflects concern that online personalities are becoming increasingly visible around the tournament and may be changing how the sport is experienced and presented.

The tournament’s use of influencers points to a broader effort to connect professional tennis with social-media audiences. Their presence offers a different kind of access and spectacle, centered not only on the matches but also on the personalities documenting them.

That strategy is now under scrutiny. The question is whether the push for a new audience can coexist with the traditional focus on the competition, or whether the influencers themselves are becoming the story.

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The US Open has an influencer problem, and it’s getting worse.