Here Are All The Black Celebrities Spotted At The 2026 US Open

Few sporting events have managed to blur the line between elite competition and pop culture quite like the US Open. The tournament traces its roots back to the U.S. National Championships in 1881, long before the Open Era began in 1968 and the event eventually settled into its current home at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. Today, the final Grand Slam of the calendar year has grown into one of New York City’s signature late-summer events, with Arthur Ashe Stadium becoming just as much a destination as the court itself.

Over the years, that has turned the Open into a legitimate celebrity spectacle. The location certainly helps — stars already living in or visiting New York can pull up for a night match without making a Wimbledon-style international trip — but the tournament has also leaned into fashion, food, nightlife and entertainment in a way that makes attending feel like an event of its own. This year, roughly 100 influencers and content creators were credentialed for the tournament, another sign of how far the Open’s reach now extends beyond traditional tennis fans.

For Black fans, there has been even more reason to pay attention in 2026 because Black players have been all over the tournament. Coco Gauff, already a US Open champion after her breakthrough title in 2023, cruised into another quarterfinal this year after beating fellow American Iva Jovic in straight sets. Taylor Townsend put together another strong run of her own, upsetting No. 15 seed Diana Shnaider before reaching the fourth round in singles, while also advancing deep into the doubles draw alongside Katerina Siniakova.

The men’s side has produced an even bigger moment. Frances Tiafoe came back from two sets down against Alex Michelsen in an instant classic to reach his third US Open semifinal, while Ben Shelton stunned defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set quarterfinal that didn’t finish until 3:33 a.m. The result sets up an all-Black, all-American semifinal between Shelton and Tiafoe, guaranteeing an American man a spot in the US Open final and putting one of them within a victory of ending the country’s men’s singles drought that dates back to Andy Roddick in 2003.

There have been other reminders of Black tennis’ depth too. Naomi Osaka battled through a leg issue to make the fourth round before falling to Elena Rybakina, while the tournament even featured the return of Serena and Venus Williams as a doubles team. Put all of that together and there has been plenty of Black excellence to support in Flushing Meadows — both from the sport’s established legends and the generation currently trying to make some history of its own.

Naturally, plenty of familiar faces have been watching from the stands. Actors, musicians, athletes, media personalities and fashion figures have poured into Queens throughout the tournament, with the US Open’s own daily celebrity galleries confirming a pretty deep roster of Black stars. Here are some of the Black celebrities who have been spotted at the 2026 US Open so far:

Queen Latifah & Eboni Nichols