Filming incidents at the US Open sparked debate over spectator etiquette
At the US Open tennis tournament in New York, incidents involving spectators filming content during matches sparked a debate about the boundaries of fan behavior and the role of influencers in sport. During Naomi Osaka’s first-round victory, one spectator took photos of herself with a bright ring light switched on, while a group of people in a box actively recorded videos of themselves.
The chair umpire asked the spectators in the box to sit down. After that, organizers strengthened informational warnings urging people not to take actions that could interfere with the course of play, Daily Maverick reports.
Audience growth and etiquette
Osaka said that attracting new audiences to tennis through content creators can be beneficial, but that the process should be better regulated. According to her, people should know the rules and etiquette at tennis competitions.
According to Deloitte Digital, 42% of social media users followed sports and recreation topics on platforms in 2025. An InterDigital study showed that 40% of viewers under the age of 35 watch sports content on social media, while the figure is 13% among people aged 55 and older.
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In tennis, spectators are traditionally expected to remain quiet during a rally, while moving between seats is generally recommended during changeovers or breaks.
Accreditation of content creators
The United States Tennis Association accredited around 100 content creators for the tournament, compared with 54 in 2025. This group included, among others, social media editors from Tennis Channel and the Associated Press. The association explained that it seeks to engage with fans on the platforms where they consume content, while accredited participants were subject to formal access and filming rules.
At the same time, according to ESPN, the people who disrupted Osaka’s match were not officially accredited influencers. Therefore, they were not subject to the obligations and rules established by the USTA for accredited content creators. Social media lawyer Emma Sadleir stressed that rules of conduct for spectators should apply equally regardless of how many followers a person has.
Wimbledon, according to the publication, does not plan to introduce separate accreditation for influencers and will remove items, including ring lights, that could interfere with matches.
