Skip to main content
MyTennisNews home

Get the most relevant tennis stories in 5 minutes.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Stars Align with Tennis's Unyielding Drama at Flushing Meadows

ESPN
ESPN Tennis
  • ESPN staffSep 7, 2025, 06:10 PM ET
Sep 06, 2025, 10:07 PM ET

Beneath the glare of New York's hard courts, where every slide tests resolve and spin dictates fate, celebrities converge to absorb the 2025 US Open's blend of strategy and raw emotion.

Stars Align with Tennis's Unyielding Drama at Flushing Meadows
Full screen
The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center thrummed under a late-summer haze, its DecoTurf surfaces demanding relentless adaptation from players carrying the season's scars. As baselines echoed with the sharp thwack of one–two combinations turning defense into attack, a constellation of icons from screen, stage, and sports filtered into the stands, drawn to the psychological tightrope where a single down-the-line winner could shatter or salvage a campaign. Their presence heightened the atmosphere, turning individual battles into shared spectacles of grit and grace.

Stars sense the building pressure

Kevin Hart's sharp banter sliced through the humid pauses, while Usher's rhythmic poise synced with the crowd's building pulse during early-round qualifiers. Lindsay Lohan, BJ Novak, and Mindy Kaling huddled in animated clusters, their exchanges a fleeting respite from the players' solitary grapples with fatigue on the medium-paced hard courts. P!nk infused the air with bold energy, mirroring the aggressive inside-in forehands that pulled opponents off balance, as Bruce Springsteen absorbed the grit of extended rallies where underspin lobs bought precious seconds. Steph Curry, the precision marksman, tracked baseline exchanges with intent, his gaze lingering on volleys that echoed his own clutch finishes, while Martha Stewart noted the meticulous court adjustments amid the unforgiving bounce.

seeing stars this Sunday afternoon. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/X08ggWSQwd

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2025
Emma Roberts animated the sidelines with lively chatter, Jessica Alba exuding a serene focus akin to a seed's pre-serve ritual, and Jamie Foxx igniting the blue carpet with effortless charisma. Naomi Watts observed with measured intensity, Chelsea Handler punctuating game breaks with wry humor, as Retta's warmth drew easy smiles and Saweetie's vibrant edge aligned with the qualifiers' upstart surges. Walton Goggins slouched into the tactical shifts, where crosscourt angles disrupted hard-earned rhythms, and Karen Gillan nodded at a piercing down-the-line backhand that broke through deuce stalemates.

It's a busy blue carpet for the US Open women's singles final 🤩 pic.twitter.com/5pRA8HUBBk

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 6, 2025
Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci shared subtle glances during tiebreaks, where mental slips threatened to unravel months of preparation on the slick surface. Danai Gurira's composed stance reflected the on-court warriors' resolve, Courtney Cox chuckled at a netted shank, and Breanna Stewart dissected footwork tweaks to counter the courts' grip. The hard bounce amplified every unforced error, pulling even favorites into defensive slices that tested their one–two punch under mounting crowd scrutiny.

Icons react to pivotal moments

Hugh Jackman, paired with Anna Wintour, leaned forward as action intensified, his unyielding drive paralleling a fighter's pivot from baseline defense to net dominance in a fifth set. Their enthusiasm captured the shift from containment to conquest, with players varying topspin depths to exploit the surface's predictability.

Anna Wintour and Hugh Jackman get in on the action! pic.twitter.com/ImtiLEbReA

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 5, 2025
Rami Malek offered quiet approval for a Carlos Alcaraz pass, the ball threading inside-out with surgical finesse, easing the weight of expectation in a high-stakes exchange. Jimmy Butler embraced the sport's demands with fierce seriousness, his nod underscoring the discipline behind reading spins and gripping rackets mid-point for clutch returns.

The Carlos Alcaraz pass gets the approval of Rami Malek! pic.twitter.com/lNsZF8iXM4

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 5, 2025

Jimmy Butler is trying to tell y'all.

He takes this tennis thing verryyy seriously. pic.twitter.com/YULWcNQCy5

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 5, 2025
Jon Bon Jovi soaked in the Ashe roar, his legendary presence evoking the blaze required to hold serve amid grueling points where errors echoed louder than aces.

Blaze of Glory on Ashe 🤩

The legendary Jon Bon Jovi is in attendance today! pic.twitter.com/g59jw0uLHt

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 5, 2025
Issa Rae's inventive spark resonated with improvisational slices widening the court, Vera Wang's refined eye appreciating fluid transitions across surfaces. Fred VanVleet valued the defensive underspin that stalled aggressors, Misty Copeland applauded balletic net approaches, as Maggie Rogers and Rosalia infused musical tempo into marathon rally observations. Adam Silver and Bob Iger pondered the spectacle's layers, while Stan Smith and Marjory Gengler recalled eras when pressure forged unbreakable patterns on these very courts. Owen Wilson marveled at the unfolding intensity, his drawl likely capturing the crowd's awe as Ben Stiller wryly noted a double fault's absurdity at set point.

'Wowwww, how about this game?'

-Owen Wilson, probably. pic.twitter.com/M56xyfQH1u

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 3, 2025
Gunna maintained cool amid heated exchanges, Laurie Hernandez mirrored dives for drop shots, and Justine Skye with Carolina Daur added youthful vigor to the mix. Elizabeth Banks cheered resilient comebacks, Gina Torres projected power like a booming forehand, and Ella Mai eased tensions with soulful poise. Emily Ratajkowski watched with elegant detachment, as Anna Wintour and Rami Malek dissected the blend of style and strategy in prolonged points. Jason Biggs laughed off miscues, Sami Khedira analyzed like a tactical midfielder, and Jeremy Allen White emerged as matches simmered, his edge fitting the pressure of tight scores where one–two rushes broke deadlocks.

This match is cooking, so they brought out Jeremy Allen White. pic.twitter.com/eOOKqg5Dro

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 1, 2025
Gerrit Cole appreciated serve angles from his pitching vantage, Kal Penn injected levity, and Russell Wilson alongside Ciara rooted for tenacious returns that mirrored quarterback poise under duress. Stephen Colbert, Evelyn McGee Colbert, and Brooks Nader bantered through breaks, Lindsay Lohan rekindled her zest, while H.E.R. harmonized with volley rhythms and Joe Mazzulla strategized in silence. The 'Abbott Elementary' cast swapped classroom dynamics for courtside insights, bridging everyday strains to elite performances on the hard courts.

From the teacher's lounge to the tennis court for @AbbottElemABC 👇 pic.twitter.com/P4AFdWjbOv

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 31, 2025
Justin Theroux and Nicole Brydon Bloom shared nuanced reactions, LL Cool J grooved to baseline cadences, and Steve Schirripa with Andy Dalton bonded over athletic parallels. Steve Carell's arrival steadied the frenzy, Donovan Mitchell eyed explosive bursts, as Ben Stiller amplified his disbelief and Tina Fey mentally scripted comeback arcs.

OMG IT'S HAPPENING!

Everybody stay calm, Steve Carell is here. pic.twitter.com/bVmbhXqAUq

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 29, 2025
Seal's enigmatic grin met aces, Katie Holmes empathized quietly, Fat Joe amplified crowd surges, and Skyler Gisondo absorbed perseverance lessons. Simone Biles grasped the mental somersaults, Candace Parker drew WNBA-tennis links, and Queen Latifah approved with regal poise. Livvy Dunne brought collegiate spark, Lin-Manuel Miranda rhymed rally flows, Christopher Meloni matched serve ferocity, and John Mulaney with Olivia Munn traded quips on the drama. Sarah Sherman giggled through grunts, Shonda Rhimes traced set narratives, Sabrina Ionescu layered in shooting metaphors, and Jeff Goldblum with Uzo Aduba savored the improvisational jazz. Lisa Leslie loomed appreciatively, Michael Imperioli channeled building tension, and Maria Sharapova offered champion's insight on slice backhands salvaging games. Justin Tuck, CC Sabathia, and Jimmy Rollins connected gridiron and diamond to tennis's lattice, Charlie Cox added heroic layers, as Rory McIlroy felt the major's familiar burden in every point.

Stardom amplifies the season's climax

Throughout the fortnight, these observers wove admiration into the players' odyssey, from qualifier nerves to final fortitude on courts that punished flat shots without margin. The influx of energy fueled internal fires, with crosscourt probes opening inside-out opportunities that turned potential heartbreaks into triumphs. As the tournament crested, Flushing Meadows affirmed tennis's essence—a soul-deep serve where glamour meets grind, propelling athletes toward whatever catharsis awaits in the next swing.
Back to articles

Latest stories

View all
ESPN TennisYesterday

Turin's closing rally: Alcaraz and Sinner lead the charge

As the Pala Alpitour braces for the ATP Finals starting Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner carry the weight of a dominant season, while Novak Djokovic's potential arrival stirs the pot in a tournament brimming with stakes and surprises.

ATP TourYesterday

Alcaraz Chases Supremacy as Finals Dawn in Turin

Under the Inalpi Arena's lights, Carlos Alcaraz opens the Nitto ATP Finals with a bid for year-end No. 1, while Jannik Sinner waits in the wings to defend his crown amid lingering uncertainties from Athens.

ATP TourYesterday

Turin's Fans Fuel the Fire for ATP Finals Stars

With the Nitto ATP Finals just two days away, six top players draw vital energy from roaring crowds in Italy's historic heart, as the tight year-end No. 1 chase and a pivotal Athens matchup sharpen the tournament's edge.