Last Tuesday evening during fan week at the US Open, Roger Federer made a return to Arthur Ashe Stadium for an exhibition match against Andy Roddick.
However, a significant portion of the audience seemed more interested in socializing than watching the legendary player and his renowned skillful play.
A whole suite on the premier level was filled with influencers who chatted loudly throughout the match and stood up sporadically to take selfies.
“It’s like they don’t even care about tennis,” remarked one spectator, pointing out the disruptive noise during Federer’s serve. “They’re just here getting drunk and causing a ruckus.”
The US Open has transformed over the years into a massive party marking the end of summer in New York. If the atmosphere at the Federer-Roddick match is any indication, this year’s tournament promises to be even more lively.
“I don’t want to come off as a prude, because it seems much more energetic than it did 10 or 15 years ago,” noted Caitlin Thompson, founder of a well-known tennis magazine, Racquet. “Still, it feels like not many people are there to watch tennis anymore.”
Anastasia Folorunso, host of the Ground Pass podcast, offered a more upbeat view.
“Wimbledon is for serious focus, but this is New York, baby,” she joked.
The previous year’s Open was memorable for its party atmosphere.
The smell of cannabis was prevalent outside the tournament, with fans vaping and smoking, prompting Norwegian player Casper Rudd to describe it as “the worst thing about New York.”
Last year, fans consumed an astonishing 738,459 Honey Deuce cocktails, and the crowd got so rowdy that Serbian player Novak Djokovic had to ask the chair umpire to intervene at one point.
This year, Danny Zausner, COO of the USTA National Tennis Center, mentioned they are expecting to sell a record-breaking 800,000 Honey Deuce drinks—up from just 5,000 in 2007 when the drink was first introduced.
There will also be a notable increase in influencers present this year. In 2025, the US Open granted 54 “creator accreditation” passes, but that number has more than doubled for 2026.
Local dispensaries are reportedly increasing their delivery services to cater to US Open attendees seeking goods just outside the venue.
“Getting high makes tennis a bit more fun,” said Tre Davidson, who manages a dispensary in Jamaica, Queens, not far from Arthur Ashe. They even offer drop-off right at the venue’s gates.
A participant in 2025, a young consultant at a major accounting firm, shared that he arrived at 10 a.m. and dove straight into the Honey Deuces.
“They go down so smoothly, and honestly, I wasn’t just there for water,” the man said, wishing to remain anonymous as his employer sponsored his attendance. He ended up consuming six Honey Deuces and four beers by the day’s end, witnessing a colleague being escorted out for verbal abuse towards the referee.
The group even stacked up their empty cups to showcase their drinking prowess, a trend that seems to be catching on. By the end, their collection towered over six feet.
“It’s turned into a show-off thing,” said longtime tennis fan Jay Strell, comparing the atmosphere to that of an amusement park.
Some believe that the vibrant party scene is partly due to the increasing difficulty for regular tennis fans—not just corporate attendees and influencers—to obtain tickets.
The ongoing renovations, costing $800 million, are adding more premium seating but at the expense of cheaper options in the stadium’s upper levels.
One elevator operator humorously remarked during Tuesday’s match, “No one seems to know where to go.”
Even those immersed in social media question the direction the US Open has taken.
Ellie Williams, a 27-year-old known for documenting NYC nightlife, reflected on her long history with the Open and expressed a sense of loss for the quieter times.
“It’s honestly kind of sad … it feels like now it’s all about looking good and being seen,” she said. “I wonder who is actually here for the tennis?”
Strell, who is in PR, shares similar feelings, yet both he and Williams still plan to attend the Open.
“At the end of the day,” he concluded, “It’s still a Grand Slam.”
