USTA revokes credentials of two influencers after improper accreditation

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) said influencers Meg Radice and Audrey Jongens, who run the social-media account The VIP List, were never properly credentialed for the US Open and had their access revoked two hours after they posted images of their passes. The pair had obtained the passes through a partnership with a restaurant and intended to create content during a two-week stay at Flushing Meadows.

"These individuals were not credentialed as media or content creators," the USTA said in a statement. "They were improperly submitted for credentials on a staff list provided by a food vendor. Vendors are not permitted to credential media, content creators, or outside individuals as part of their staff. We review credentials throughout the tournament to ensure compliance with all US Open policies. When we identified that these individuals had been improperly credentialed, their access was revoked and vendors were reminded of our policy."

The organization noted that, even without media credentials, the passes prohibit holders from being photographed or having their images shared online. The incident follows other influencer-related controversies at the tournament, including a pause in a first-round match after a group of influencers used floodlights that distracted players. American player Jessica Pegula commented that such behavior can interrupt matches.