IBM is running the technical backbone of the U.S. Open's digital platforms, feeding real-time data and AI analysis into the tournament's app and website. Features like the Serve Quality metric track 21 data points per player 50 times a second, producing over 1.2 billion data points across the tournament, while an AI chatbot answers fan questions about the sport. Engagement has surged, with 14 million unique devices and nearly 47 million visits in 2025, a 19% jump from the prior year.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-11
The Honey Deuce, a vodka-and-lemonade cocktail sold at the US Open since 2007, has become a viral social-media fixture every fall, prompting other beverage brands to try to engineer similarly buzzy signature drinks. Its staying power predates modern platforms like Instagram and TikTok, yet it continues to dominate seasonal online chatter tied to the tennis tournament.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-11
Arthur Ashe Stadium, home of the US Open, has developed a reputation as the loudest Grand Slam venue, with fans talking, moving and cheering throughout points rather than observing the hushed decorum typical of Wimbledon or Roland Garros. Contributing factors include the arena's party-like atmosphere, popular concessions like the Honey Deuce cocktail, and a younger, more casual crowd that treats matches as social events. Tournament organizers and players are now grappling with whether to preserve this energetic vibe or push for stricter etiquette enforcement.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-10
During a match between Naomi Osaka and Anastasia Zakharova, a cluster of influencers in a luxury suite grew loud enough that the umpire halted play to ask them to quiet down, while others sought staff help getting flash photos taken during live points. The USTA says the disruptive creators were not officially credentialed, and separately revoked access for two lifestyle influencers who had posted their badges online after it emerged they were improperly added to a credential list submitted by a food vendor.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-05
The US Open expanded credentials for social media influencers and content creators this year, giving them greater access to matches and players than in previous tournaments. While these creators have driven higher engagement on platforms by sharing behind-the-scenes content, their presence has also drawn complaints from traditional tennis fans and attendees who feel disrupted.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-04
Filipino tennis player Alex Eala, seeded 17th at the U.S. Open, is drawing outsized fan and brand attention even as top contenders like Sabalenka, Gauff, Świątek, Osaka, and Serena Williams dominate headlines on court. Her rising popularity is being framed as a commercial win that could outlast this year's tournament results.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-04
The 2026 US Open Tennis Championships will run from Sunday, August 30 through Sunday, September 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York. The tournament, the year's final Grand Slam, will be broadcast across ESPN, ABC and The Tennis Channel, with the ESPN app offering the most convenient streaming access for fans.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-29
GoKawiil