Coco Gauff Discusses Influencers and Etiquette at the US Open

Coco Gauff addressed the role of influencers at the U.S. Open during a press conference following her victory against Paula Badosa in Round 2. Gauff expressed that she has no issue with influencers attending the event, emphasizing the importance of adhering to tennis etiquette. "I think it’s great to have a different demographic to the sport. I have no problem with influencers. I’ve met some of them and follow some of them online," Gauff, ranked No. 4 in the world, stated on Thursday. She noted that while influencers can help grow the sport, they should respect the etiquette associated with it. "If you’re being invited to a red carpet, you wouldn’t show up in jeans. I think it’s just follow the etiquette of the sport," she added. Gauff highlighted the need for influencers to avoid disruptive behaviors, such as flash photography during matches, which she finds bothersome. "There’s very few times you hear me complain about noise. But the flash, definitely. No flash in the points. Try not to talk too loud," she said. The discussion around influencers gained traction after an incident during a first-round match between Naomi Osaka and Anastasia Zakharova, where the chair umpire had to pause the match due to influencers filming content from a suite. Osaka commented on the situation, noting that the crowd's noise was distracting during her match. "Today, the umpire, she told everyone to be quiet more than I’ve ever heard an umpire tell a crowd to be quiet," Osaka said. She acknowledged the potential for influencers to attract new fans but emphasized the need for them to understand and respect the sport's etiquette. The U.S. Open subsequently issued a public notice reminding attendees to refrain from using flash photography during matches.