Naomi Osaka has urged social media influencers flocking to the US Open to familiarise themselves with the conventions of tennis spectatorship, following a series of disruptive incidents during her opening matches at Flushing Meadows.
According to Tennis 365, social media influencers have taken over the US Open and, although Naomi Osaka believes “there are positives”, the former world No 1 urged tennis’ new followers to respect the sport’s “etiquette.”
Several matches have been disrupted at this year’s season-ending Grand Slams with influencers being urged to remain quiet during points and switch off their camera lights, as it was disturbing players.
Osaka’s first-round match at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday, September 1, was a case in point as the chair umpire reprimanded influencers in a corporate box as they held a photo shoot while the 13th seed was serving.
Naomi Osaka slams influencers disruption
Following her three-set win over Katerina Siniakova, the four-time Grand Slam winner admitted the new audience needs to learn more about the sport.
The Japanese star said, “I feel like it’s common courtesy to read up on the sport, especially the etiquette. I feel like it could be a good thing for people to make the sport of tennis popular to their specific audience, but I think it has to be managed a lot better, especially in a situation like [my] first-round match.”
“Overall, I think there are huge positives. You want people to continue to grow the sport. I just think it has to be in a way that everyone knows the rules and the etiquette. I normally just focus on the match and the court, but there was a moment where there were people shouting and stuff, and you could hear it quite clearly. I think it bothered my opponent, too,” she added.
But while social media influence has seen a boom in recent years, the US Open has always attracted a different kind of crowd with Hollywood and sporting stars, as well as politicians paying top dollar to appear at the must-be-seen at social event of the year in New York.
