Naomi Osaka has urged influencers attending the US Open to familiarize themselves with tennis etiquette after her first-round match was interrupted by a noisy group inside one of Arthur Ashe Stadium’s luxury suites.
The four-time Grand Slam winner was getting ready to serve when the chair umpire stepped in, admonishing guests who appeared to be staging an impromptu photoshoot with portable lighting.
“Guys, please, in the suite behind me, please thank you guys, please take your seat,” the umpire said over the stadium speakers, as television cameras showed several people moving around in the premium seating area, chatting and taking photos.
Osaka said she had not been fully aware of every detail at the time, with her focus fixed on beating Anastasia Zakharova. But when asked about the disruption two days later, she made clear she believes more should be done to protect players from distractions during live play.
“I think obviously, if you come to a sporting event, you have to respect the sport,” Osaka said after defeating Katerina Siniakova on the same court. “And 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 the situation like first-round match.
Naomi Osaka said newcomers to tennis should understand the sport’s etiquette after influencers disrupted her US Open match
“Overall I think there is huge positives,” she added when discussing the broader role of influencers at tennis events. “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.”
Etiquette largely dictates that fans should save conversation and movement for changeovers or set breaks, when the players are at the chairs. But in 2024, the US Open switched to a policy of ‘free fan movement’, which allows spectators to move during points regardless of on-court action.
Of the incident itself, Osaka said that she had been more bothered by the noise inside the stadium during both her matches – a constant chatter which complements the endless movement – than the flash lights themselves.
‘I was going to say today the umpire, she told everyone to be quiet more than I’ve ever heard an umpire tell a crowd to be quiet,’ she continued.
‘I do think in my first match, I wasn’t really paying attention. I tell people I normally just focus on the match and the court, but there was a moment where there was, like, people shouting, and you could hear it quite clearly. I think it bothered my opponent, too.
‘Maybe that’s what you were talking about, but I’ve heard some people say, like, the lights or whatever. I don’t really see the lights, because obviously, when you are serving, you’re looking at the sun or you’re looking at the night lights. It was more the noise.’
Daily Mail Sport contacted the tournament for comment on after Osaka’s press conference, with US Open head of communications Brendan McIntyre sharing the following statement: ‘The USTA is always striving to grow tennis in this country and bring new audiences into the sport. The US Open is our greatest opportunity to do so, and we welcome newcomers to our event.
‘We want all of our fans and guests to have an incredible time when they attend, but we also need to ensure they do not interfere with the action and competition on the court. We are continually looking for ways to ensure fans in the stands know what is permitted and what is prohibited.
‘As a result, we have increased signage on the grounds and in stadium, and messaged ticket and suite holders to remind everyone to refrain from any activity that could disrupt the game, including noise levels, flash photography and ring lights. The chair umpire also has the ability to address the crowd if and when necessary.’
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