Amidst the controversy surrounding the influx of the 2026 US Open tournament, two influencers say they have lost access after having their documents posted on video.
Meg Radice and Audrey Jongens, the two influencers who run a New York restaurant and host the lifestyle program “The VIP List,” had their U.S. Open credentials retracted Thursday just two hours after they were posted on video.
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However, in an Athletic statement on Friday, US open head Brendan McIntyre said Root and Jongens were wrong. McIntyre is also the director of the US Tennis Association (USTA) and the head of content and communications for USA Tennis.
“These individuals were not believers in media or content creators,” McIntyre told The Athletic. “Improperly submitted documents in the list of staff provided by the food vendor.”
In a video posted Thursday on their social media, Radice and Jongens said they are “diehard tennis fans” and called their “dream” come true. They acknowledged the recklessness of the stories about the pressures on the tournament, but said it did not concern them.
“We have to be respectful and follow the rules and have a good time,” Jongens said.
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“And it was removed because we wanted to show how hot we looked in our documents,” Radice added.
The debate was more effective in the speaking tournament this year, due in part to an increase in the credentials offered. Fifty-four content creators for the media in 2025. They believed that number will almost double this year to around 100, according to several reports.
Historically, the US Open has tended to be among the rowdier Grand Slams, with the tournament’s crowd-raising noise standing in stark contrast to the quiet at Wimbledon and Roland-Garros. However, the first match around Naomi Osaka was delayed after several film impressions and photographs led to the play to the point that the judge had to ask the chair to take a seat.
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Several players weighed in on the event, including Osaka, who told reporters on Thursday that she wanted people to “look back with a smile” even if they were new.
“I feel like it’s a common courtesy to read in the game. Especially in the characters. I feel that it can be good for people to make the sport of tennis popular with their specific audience, but I think it should be handled a lot better, especially in something like a first-round match,” Osaka said. “No, I think there are big positives. … People want to grow the game. You just think that it is somehow that everyone knows the rules and character.”
Coco Gauff, who was asked about the event on Thursday, returned Osaka’s thoughts on her talent, although she said she was “one of the softer” players about the noise in the arena.
“I think it’s great for games to have different demographics. I don’t have a problem with the influences. I met some of them and some of them online,” said Gauff. “Not only the players, but the experience of watching who is around. … I definitely think it’s cool to have a new demographic, and I definitely think it helps to grow the smile. But like going to any venue, like if you’re invited to the red carpet, you won’t show up in jeans.”
Earlier this week, Daniil Medvedev told reporters that he was “much more reluctant” to the presence of pressure.
“The more we try to raise awareness about tennis, the better it is. The player is more popular. For sure something is washed away,” he said. “But in general, the more fun it becomes, the better. I trust the USTA with what they’re doing.”