Naomi Osaka’s US Open match against Anastasia Zakharova was briefly interrupted when influencers began a photoshoot in a hospitality suite using bright lights. Chair umpire Kader Nouni asked them to stop and take their seats. Osaka briefly struggled after the disruption but recovered to beat Zakharova in straight sets. The incident sparked debate over influencers at tennis tournaments.

Naomi Osaka’s first-round match at the 2026 US Open was briefly disrupted by an unusual incident involving influencers carrying out a photoshoot during the live contest. The Japanese star was facing Anastasia Zakharova at Arthur Ashe Stadium when activity in a hospitality suite behind the umpire’s chair caught the attention of chair umpire Kader Nouni.

The influencers were reportedly taking photographs while using bright portable lights, with people moving around and posing as Osaka and Zakharova battled on court. The activity became difficult to ignore as the match continued, prompting Nouni to intervene and address the group over the stadium microphone.

“Guys, please, in the suite behind me, thank you guys, please take your seat,” Nouni told the group. His intervention brought the photoshoot to an end and allowed the players to continue without further distraction.

The disruption appeared to briefly unsettle Osaka, who struggled with her ball toss after play resumed and apologised to Zakharova before losing the point. However, she managed to regain her focus and eventually battled past the world No. 101 in a hard-fought straight-sets victory, with both sets decided by tiebreaks.