{
  "id": 3832730,
  "title": "US Open: Serena’s Return, Sky-High Ticket Prices, and Honey Deuces",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/us-open-serenas-return-sky-high-ticket-prices-and-honey-deuces-3832730",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-27T22:27:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Front Office Sports",
    "slug": "front-office-sports",
    "url": "https://frontofficesports.com/us-open-serena-return-sky-high-ticket-prices-honey-deuces/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The 2026 US Open main draw begins on Sunday, featuring several key storylines for the year's final Grand Slam. In a recent mixed doubles match, Serena Williams teamed up with world No. 2-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, who returned to competition after a four-month break. Williams and Alcaraz won their round-of-16 match against Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool, marking Williams's first victory since pairing with Victoria Mboko at the HSBC Championships in June. However, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli. Despite this setback, Williams will return for doubles play, as she received a wild card with her sister Venus. Alcaraz's return, alongside world No. 1 Jannik Sinner's withdrawal, are major storylines for the tournament. Other potential winners include Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, and an American man hoping to break the Grand Slam curse. The US Open announced a record $108 million in total player compensation, which may have prevented a similar media protest as seen at the French Open. While the focus is on the tennis, there are still questions about the new Grand Slam Player Advisory Council. Ticket prices for the tournament have risen by 15% compared to last year, with an average of $280. Despite the higher prices, attendance has remained strong, with 1.14 million attendees last year. The US Open is also known for its off-court activities, particularly the iconic Honey Deuce cocktail, which sold nearly 750,000 units last year, generating $17 million.",
  "summary": "The top tennis stars will not do their coordinated media protest in New York.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "US Open: Serena’s Return, Sky-High Ticket Prices, and Honey Deuces",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/us-open-serenas-return-sky-high-ticket-prices-and-honey-deuces",
        "published": "2026-08-27T22:27:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}