More than tennis \ud83c\udfbe<\/p>\n
The US Open has long morphed from a simple tennis tournament into a two-week experience in one of the best boroughs in New York.<\/p>\n
With merch drops, celebrities in the stands<\/a>, and viral food items on-site with eye-popping price tags, it’s become the social event of September in New York. This year, which runs til September 13, is no exception, despite the drama at the suite level inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.<\/p>\n Influencers, some of whom are being paid six figures to recap the US Open, have turned the tournament into a high-stakes, high-payout event. On Monday, a few were spotted inside a suite, ring lights in hand, creating content. It disrupted the match between Naomi Osaka and Anastasia Zakharova so much that by Wednesday, a sign had been posted<\/a> on the grounds telling onlookers, “Please refrain from the use of flash photography or other lighting.”<\/p>\n Brendan McIntyre, a spokesperson for the US Open, told me that they’re excited a lot of “new fans” are attending the tennis tournament, but want to remind attendees that they shouldn’t “interfere with the action and competition on the court.”<\/p>\n McIntyre added that despite what you’ve seen on social media, disruptions haven’t happened a lot throughout the Open.<\/p>\n Either way, it hasn’t deterred tennis lovers from making the trek to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in droves. BI was also on-site, detailing the best of what the tournament has to offer \u2014 aside from seeing our favorite players, of course.<\/p>\n We stopped by every single retail store to ask store clerks what the most popular items <\/a>were, and I chose my favorite<\/a>; we stopped by the Heineken suite to see the iconic black and silver outfit<\/a> Serena Williams wore in 2022 on display; we tried the $38 sandwich<\/a> attendees can’t stop ordering; and watched while a billionaire heiress<\/a> volleyed for a chance to win her first US Open.<\/p>\n And the fun continues next week. See ya in Queens!<\/p>\n