US Open

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UK television coverage of the 2026 US Open focused on the behaviour of social media influencers invited to the tournament. The US Tennis Association accredited around 100 influencers, double the number from the previous year, as part of an effort to grow the sport's audience. During matches, some influencers were noisy, used bright lights for photos, and staged photo shoots. Two-time champion Naomi Osaka said that influencers needed to respect tennis etiquette and that it was common courtesy to learn the sport's rules. The umpire had to ask for quiet on multiple occasions. Tournament organisers put up signs reminding attendees to be courteous. Some commentators suggested that brands sponsoring influencers could provide more guidance on proper conduct. The coverage presented a debate between attracting new fans and preserving traditional standards of behaviour at tennis events.

Key Claims by Channel

Claim
Reported by all 2 channels
Umpire asked for quiet three times during Naomi Osaka's second round win.		Reported by ITV
Around 100 influencers were accredited at the US Open, double last year's number.
Naomi Osaka said influencers need to respect tennis etiquette and that it is common courtesy to read up on the sport.	Reported by BBC One	Reported by ITV
US Open organisers put up signs reminding people to be courteous and said they need to ensure the action is not interfered with.	Reported by BBC One
Only on one channel
Tournament organisers said they welcome new fans but they need to know the rules.		Not reported by ITV
Some believe that brands promoting influencers should give them more guidance on tennis etiquette.	Reported by BBC One	Not reported by ITV
The US Open has always been known as the liveliest tennis major.	Not reported by BBC One	Reported by ITV

This is a cross-channel consensus summary, not an objective account. Consensus can be uniformly wrong, or omit what only one channel covered.