The 2023 US Open captured audiences’ attention with over 3.4 million viewers tuning in, up 27% from last year’s tournament. In addition to TV viewership, the tournament had its fair share of social media coverage that generated buzz.
Here are a few notable social media moments from this year’s US Open.
The US Open Goes All-In On TikTok
The US Open might be 142 years old, but it established quite the TikTok presence. The institution’s official TikTok account delivered a steady stream of engaging content covering everything from the latest stats on the court, to relevant pop culture moments, to the celebrities in the stands.
Tennis doesn’t have a reputation for being an accessible sport, however, the US Open’s casual, conversational coverage on TikTok made following the tournament fun and approachable for passive fans who may not have tuned in to watch live.
Coco Gauff’s Big Win
America has a new sweetheart: tennis champ Coco Gauff. On Saturday 19-year-old Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka to win the US Open becoming the second-youngest player to do so since Serena Williams’ victory at 17 in 1999.
Immediately after her big win, Gauff’s family was seen wearing matching New Balance t-shirts that read “Call Me Coco Champion.” The placement of the shirts was prominent during post-match interviews while Gauff thanked her family. After the win, fans took to Google to search for terms like: “coco gauff shirt,” “call me coco champion shirt,” and “call me coco new balance.”
New Balance was ready, and quickly got the shirts listed on its site for sale.
In true Gen Z fashion, Gauff quickly took to her own TikTok account sharing a few celebratory posts using trending sounds after her win. Later in the weekend she also took to Instagram Live to chat with fans about her future plans.
How It Started vs. How It’s Going
Speaking of Gauff’s win, a clip went viral over the weekend for showing the ultimate “how it started vs. how it’s going.” The video starts with footage of eight-year-old Gauff dancing in the stands of the 2012 US Open and ends with a clip of her winning shot at this year’s Open.
Not only did the clip get great engagement across all platforms, but it was also an inspiring post for the next generation of tennis players.
With all the buzz surrounding the US Open the past few weeks, tennis may have come out a few points ahead in its infamous rivalry against pickleball.
