The US Open is having a moment
The 2024 US Open is in full swing, which means the best tennis players in the world have gathered in Queens, New York, to compete for a chance at a Grand Slam.
While the athletes battle it out on the court, celebrities, influencers, and fans watch from the stands. Some are sipping Honey Deuce cocktails from collectible Grey Goose cups, while others drink Moët & Chandon champagne in their best tenniscore looks.
With nearly one million people attending the tournament in 2023, the US Open has long been popular. But the 2024 tournament has become more than just a sporting event.
Now, it’s the go-to place for celebrities, influencers, and brands to stand out as summer ends.
The US Open is New York’s event of the season
The US Open has been a celebrity hot spot for years. Still, in 2024, it seems like anyone who is anyone has appeared at the tournament, from performers and influencers to athletes and business icons.
For instance, Tony Goldwyn — fresh off his DNC appearance — and other members of the “Shondaland” cinematic universe, like Ellen Pompeo and Shonda Rhimes, appeared on September 1.
Chris Ivery, Tony Goldwyn, Bellamy Young, and Shonda Rhimes attend the US Open in August 2024.
Vera Wang and Anna Wintour were also spotted together, while Serena Williams watched from the stands with Alicia Keys.
Meanwhile, influencers have amassed hundreds of thousands of views from US Open content, sharing everything from “get ready with me” videos of their outfits to vlogs of their experiences attending.
Speaking to BI at the US Open, first-time attendee Calum Beedling, 32, said he thinks the event is more accessible to “casual” tennis fans than other major tournaments, which is part of what makes it so popular.
“It has a certain je ne sais quoi with the night matches that no other tournament can really offer, especially at this stage,” Beedling said, adding that “when there’s an American player in it, it makes tennis feel like more of a party” than usual.
“I’m an avid tennis fan and player, and I think a lot of people get hung up on etiquette around it, and it might feel inaccessible for that reason,” he said. “But I think the US Open feels like even if you’re a casual fan, it’s really rewarding.”
Brands are buying into the US Open
The US Open has an array of high-end sponsors, from Tiffany & Co., which makes the tournament’s trophies, to Grey Goose, the maker of the signature cocktail, the Honey Deuce.
The cocktail — which features vodka, lemonade, Chambord, and honeydew melon cut to look like tennis balls for a garnish — brought in nearly $10 million in revenue for the tournament in 2023. And the $23 drink continues to be popular at this year’s event thanks to TikTok creators and celebrities. Williams, wearing makeup from her brand, even recorded herself trying it for the first time.
Nick Mautone, who created the drink in 2006, told Business Insider that he’s “flabbergasted” by how many Honey Deuces are sold at the event. Mautone said he scaled back his original recipe so the cocktails were easier to make en masse, but he ensured they still stood out.
“The honeydew melon balls were the nonnegotiable,” he said.
Moët & Chandon also serves as the tournament’s official champagne this year.
Phoebe Dynevor and Cameron Fuller at the 2024 US Open.
Celebrities such as Carmelo Anthony, Jessica Biel, and Phoebe Dynevor have been spotted in Moët’s clubhouse throughout the tournament.
The champagne brand’s presence adds an extra layer of glossiness to the event, as the US head of Moët & Chandon, Enzo Gouedar, told BI.
“The tournament is a cultural experience, where offerings such as Moët & Chandon champagne play an essential role in creating shared moments that go beyond the matches themselves,” Gouedar said.
Questlove and Jessica Biel at the 2024 US Open.
Aperol is also among the 2024 US Open sponsors. The brand’s suite features a bar decked out in orange decor, similar to the color of an Aperol Spritz. Like Moët, Aperol invited celebrities and influencers to sit in its suite this year.
Andrea Sengara, Campari America’s vice president of marketing, told BI that Aperol “consistently shows up during major cultural moments,” and the US Open is no exception.
“The culmination of having beloved brands like Aperol at an iconic event like the US Open makes the experience a ‘can’t miss’ event for the summer season, and it only gets more exciting every year we are there,” Sengara added.
Tennis is having a moment
Though the US Open feels like a new level of cool for tennis, the sport has been gaining cultural capital for some time now.
More and more stars have been attending Wimbledon in recent years, often using it as a PR platform. For instance, Ariana Grande attended in 2023 without her wedding ring, and the news that she and Dalton Gomez were getting divorced broke the next day.
The release of “Challengers” in April also helped to build buzz around the sport, especially because the film made tennis seem sexy.
And Tenniscore has been in vogue as people add tennis skirts and exercise dresses, which they can pair with sweaters and high-end jewelry, to their wardrobes over traditional athleisure. There’s been no shortage of luxe, tenniscore looks in the US Open stands this year.
The court has also become a place for some athletes to express their style. Though she was knocked out of the tournament, Naomi Osaka made a splash early on at the US Open in custom Nike ensembles designed by Yoon Ahn and inspired by her Japanese roots.
Naomi Osaka competes at the 2024 US Open.
The New York Times reported that the 2024 US Open has already broken attendance records, with an average of over 75,000 fans attending each day if you combine day and night attendees.
With tennis shifting from a sport only for country clubgoers to a hobby for the young and hot, it’s no wonder the US Open is more popular than ever.
