US Open pulls credentials for two influencers as etiquette dialogue heats up

The ongoing dialogue around crowd etiquette and influencer culture at the 2026 US Open reached a fever pitch Friday, Sept. 4 when the U.S. Tennis Association (UTSA) revoked two content creators' credentials.

New York-based influencers Meg Radice and Audrey Jongens, who run the lifestyle brand The VIP List, which boasts more than 600K followers across Instagram and TikTok, claimed their credentials were revoked after posting a photo of their credentials online. Although posting credentials online is strictly prohibited by many organizations, the UTSA said that's not the reason the influencers' access to the tournament was withdrawn.

"These individuals were not credentialed as media or content creators," a spokesperson from the USTA said in a statement to USA TODAY Friday. "They were improperly submitted for credentials on a staff list provided by a food vendor."

Radice and Jongens claimed they partnered with one of their favorite restaurants at the US Open, with plans to create content over the next two weeks.

"When we identified that these individuals had been improperly credentialed, their access was revoked and vendors were reminded of our policy," the UTSA added.

The fourth and final tennis Grand Slam of the calendar year has attracted a new legion…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/sports/