She makes certain celebrities on the U.S. Open watch tennis in fashion.

There’s Ben Stiller, entrance row for the Taylor Fritz–Novak Djokovic match, watching each level with intent. Beside him, Owen Wilson. A couple of seats down? Elizabeth Banks. And that’s only a sampling from one night time session on the U.S. Open, America’s largest and loudest skilled tennis match. Among the largest names haven’t even touched down in Queens, N.Y., but — however because the match stakes get greater, so does the movie star wattage.

Even non-tennis followers can get swept up within the different sport taking place outdoors of the courts: movie star watching. Behind the velvet ropes and completely chilled champagne, there’s one individual ensuring the celebrities are seated on the proper match, the caviar-topped rooster nuggets are boxed up and the Honey Deuces are flowing.

Enter Amanda Wight, who leads this system. Whereas her crew does “just a little outreach” to safe high-profile names to observe tennis’ largest skills duke it out on the court docket, this yr from Aug. 18 to Sept. 7, she says her inbox is stuffed up with asks — and her telephone doesn’t cease buzzing.

“Principally the requests come on to us — by way of pals of the Open, brokers and even gamers who’ve movie star pals, both different athletes or entertainers,” Wight tells Yahoo.

The star energy would possibly look easy, however it’s the results of considerate planning and behind-the-scenes coordination. In reality, the US Tennis Affiliation (USTA) has a task particularly carved out to handle VIP engagement and movie star expertise. Loads of stars need tickets, however not everybody will get one. Lately, the visitor record has grow to be much more intentional.

The invite record

Whereas the USTA crew plans year-round, the true surge of requests comes in the summertime.

“As soon as it hits the beginning of August, then it’s [fielding] tons of and tons of of requests,” Wight says.

These celebrities aren’t shopping for their very own passes; the essential — and the very, essential — aren’t paying. “The vast majority of them are invited friends,” she says. “We now have only a few celebrities who’re really buying tickets.”

Whereas Wight and her crew have a set quantity for movie star ticket allocation, they are saying it’s “finite.” As soon as they evaluate the requests, it turns into a cautious sport of curation — weighing star energy, cultural relevance and timing to find out who will get in, the place they sit and profit from their look. Particularly for the 2 largest days of the match.

“We all know everybody desires to attend the ladies’s and males’s finals,” Wight says, which will likely be happening on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7, respectively. “We actually concentrate on the highest-profile names — from leisure and sports activities, to trend and tech — and we prioritize those that align with what the U.S. Open represents on a worldwide stage. … We attempt to maintain it on the highest degree that we will.”

These folks sit on the high of the invite hierarchy. And the larger the identify, the later their attendance tends to get confirmed.

In 2024, that included Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, who determined to attend the boys’s ultimate simply 36 hours earlier than the occasion. They joined Patrick and Brittany Mahomes within the ESPN suite — setting off a flurry of calls, approvals and safety walk-throughs. “We attempt to maintain it below wraps, however nonetheless plan pictures of their arrival and seating,” Wight says. “We all know the place everyone seems to be seated in order that broadcasters and photographers can seize them.”

The Open expertise, movie star fashion

For these invited or accepted with one of many USTA’s allotted tickets, the expertise begins lengthy earlier than the primary serve. Transportation is commonly organized — from black vehicles choosing up expertise round Manhattan to extra high-touch service for friends arriving by personal jet or helicopter.

“We’ll do pickups at LaGuardia’s personal terminal,” Wight says.

As soon as on-site at Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Middle, VVIPs are sometimes positioned in both the President’s Suite or the Emirates Suite, two of essentially the most unique hospitality areas in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The President’s Suite is a two-story, invite-only house with its personal personal entrance, top-shelf open bar and personal ballroom for intimate dinners. Common friends embrace Anna Wintour, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Alec Baldwin and Vera Wang.

“[It] may be most aligned to the Royal Field [at Wimbledon]. Clearly, we now have just a little bit extra wiggle room as a result of we don’t have royals in our President’s Suite,” Wight says. “There’s a proper dinner each night that friends can attend, there’s allotted seating. That one’s just a little bit extra buttoned up.”

Emirates’ hospitality suite spans almost 1,400 sq. toes and provides direct sightlines to heart court docket, unique cocktails and elevated bites. It’s one of many largest within the stadium — primarily the dimensions of 4 normal suites mixed.

“There’s a chef making ready meals for everybody and so they’re waited on for his or her beverage providers,” Wight says. “It’s very comfy and a enjoyable vibe, after all, significantly within the night session.”

Neither suite is obtainable to the general public for buy. As a substitute, they’re used to host celebrities, dignitaries and choose friends from the USTA and its companions.

Wight says friends are inclined to arrive early earlier than the match begins for a cocktail or keep after it ends to mingle — however all the pieces is managed quietly and discreetly.

Not each movie star leads to a field and never each seat comes from the USTA. Nevertheless, Wight and her crew work intently with their company sponsors to verify if a star is coming by way of, they get the blue carpet therapy.

“Courtside is usually sponsor-based,” Wight says. “Emirates has a few seats. Typically we will flip folks in and [out of the suite] relying on who’s coming and who we wish to have courtside.”

That’s why you would possibly spot stars like Rory McIlroy, Tom Brady, John Mulaney or Olivia Munn sitting only a few toes from the baseline — as they’ve throughout this match. Some come by way of sponsors. Others are invited by gamers. And generally, if there’s room and the identify is sufficiently big, Wight’s crew finds them a seat.

“It’s a combination,” she says. “Gamers will attain out and say, ‘Hey, I’m coming — can I get a seat within the participant space? Can I heat up with so-and-so? Can I cease by the lounge?’ And we attempt to make it occur. They’re their pals, in spite of everything.”

Incorporating influencers

It’s not simply Hollywood A-listers and iconic athletes filling up the Open’s visitor record. Lately, the USTA has additionally been increasing its attain by incorporating influencers — from magnificence creators and trend TikTokers to sports activities personalities with huge on-line followings. In line with the USTA, extra invitations have gone to digital creators within the years because the COVID pandemic, because the match appears to be like to broaden its cultural footprint.

Some nonetheless roll their eyes at influencers getting A-list therapy, however that’s simply how the sport is performed now. The objective is straightforward: attain new audiences within the locations they’re already scrolling.

Influencer friends may not land within the President’s Suite or present up in a broadcast cutaway subsequent to Gigi and Bella Hadid, however their influence remains to be measurable. Blue carpet images, courtside selfies and Get Prepared With Me-style vlogs rack up tens of millions of impressions — and assist place the U.S. Open as a related, fashionable and aspirational cultural second, not only a sporting occasion.

The USTA desires folks with massive on-line followings on the stadium, like Giggly Squad podcast hosts Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo, who each attended this yr.

On the opposite finish of the affect spectrum are the WAGs — like Dairy Boy founder Paige Lorenze and Morgan Riddle, who each have huge on-line followings and critical courtside presence. Riddle, dubbed “essentially the most well-known girl in males’s tennis,” is courting Taylor Fritz; Lorenze is engaged to Tommy Paul. Technically, they’re “throughout the tennis household,” Wight says — however their means to drive buzz (and rack up views) places them proper within the influencer combine.

“We actually wish to attempt to lean into that as a result of they do entice new audiences that we’re attempting to develop,” she says.

You would possibly anticipate the influencer crowd to by chance disrupt play — snapping selfies with the flash on or filming throughout factors — however Wight says etiquette has by no means been a difficulty.

“They’re all fairly nicely behaved, to be trustworthy,” she says.

Greater than a match

For all of the glitz and glamour, the U.S. Open remains to be, at its core, a tennis match. However in 2025, movie star tradition doesn’t simply orbit the game; it elevates it. Whether or not it’s a set cameo from a pop icon or a TikTok creator capturing the right tennis skirt twirl, the off-court visibility amplifies what occurs on it.

Let’s not overlook, the celebrities within the stands aren’t simply there to be seen — they’re typically exhibiting as much as see somebody particular. With gamers like Jannik Sinner, Naomi Osakaand Carlos Alcaraz competing, many celebrities are superfans of particular person athletes and time their visits accordingly. “That simply provides to the cachet,” says Cankham.

At a significant sporting occasion the place luxurious hospitality and influencer technique now play alongside world-class tennis, one factor is evident: the U.S. Open is not only a match. It’s a seen-and-be-seen expertise.