Few sporting events have managed to blur the line between elite competition and pop culture quite like the US Open. The tournament traces its roots back to the U.S. National Championships in 1881, long before the Open Era began in 1968 and the event eventually settled into its current home at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. Today, the final Grand Slam of the calendar year has grown into one of New York City’s signature late-summer events, with Arthur Ashe Stadium becoming just as much a destination as the court itself.
Over the years, that has turned the Open into a legitimate celebrity spectacle. The location certainly helps — stars already living in or visiting New York can pull up for a night match without making a Wimbledon-style international trip — but the tournament has also leaned into fashion, food, nightlife and entertainment in a way that makes attending feel like an event of its own. This year, roughly 100 influencers and content creators were credentialed for the tournament, another sign of how far the Open’s reach now extends beyond traditional tennis fans.
For Black fans, there has been even more reason to pay attention in 2026 because Black players have been all over the tournament. Coco Gauff, already a US Open champion after her breakthrough title in 2023, cruised into another quarterfinal this year after beating fellow American Iva Jovic in straight sets. Taylor Townsend put together another strong run of her own, upsetting No. 15 seed Diana Shnaider before reaching the fourth round in singles, while also advancing deep into the doubles draw alongside Katerina Siniakova…