{
  "id": 5184394,
  "title": "Jessica Pegula: Tennis Influencers Have Become ‘A Little Too Much’ at US Open",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/jessica-pegula-tennis-influencers-have-become-a-little-too-much-at-us",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-02T21:58:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Front Office Sports",
    "slug": "front-office-sports",
    "url": "https://frontofficesports.com/article/us-open-tennis-influencers-pegula-medvedev-sabalenka-ring-lights-flash/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jessica Pegula, the world No. 3 tennis player, expressed her concern about the behavior of influencers at the US Open this year. Pegula, who is also known for being a prominent player representative on the tour, believes that the behavior of influencers has become \"a little too much\" at the tournament. She stated that while influencers can bring attention to the sport and make it more trendy, they can also disrupt matches, which is disrespectful to the players who are trying to perform and make a living from the sport. Pegula acknowledged that influencers can have a positive impact on the sport by showcasing the US Open experience and attracting new fans, but she draws the line when they interfere with the matches. The US Open has been working to address this issue by reminding attendees to refrain from any activity that can disrupt the action, including using ring lights and flash cameras. Influencer support for tennis has been mixed, with some players like Aryna Sabalenka and former champion Daniil Medvedev expressing their enthusiasm, while others like Patrick McEnroe and Genie Bouchard have reservations, particularly due to rising ticket prices and the potential to price out true tennis fans.",
  "summary": "Pegula said she also can appreciate what influencers can bring to the sport.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}