Influencers are infiltrating this year's US Open. It's not stopping tennis lovers.

Garrett Ellwood/USTA via Getty Images More than tennis 🎾The US Open has long morphed from a simple tennis tournament into a two-week experience in one of the best boroughs in New York.With merch drops, celebrities in the stands, and viral food items on-site with eye-popping price tags, it's become the social event of September in New York. This year, which runs til September 13, is no exception, despite the drama at the suite level inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.Influencers, some of whom are being paid six figures to recap the US Open, have turned the tournament into a high-stakes, high-payout event. On Monday, a few were spotted inside a suite, ring lights in hand, creating content. It disrupted the match between Naomi Osaka and Anastasia Zakharova so much that by Wednesday, a sign had been posted on the grounds telling onlookers, "Please refrain from the use of flash photography or other lighting."Brendan McIntyre, a spokesperson for the US Open, told me that they're excited a lot of "new fans" are attending the tennis tournament, but want to remind attendees that they shouldn't "interfere with the action and competition on the court."McIntyre added that despite what you've seen on social media, disruptions haven't happened a lot throughout the Open.Either way, it hasn't deterred tennis lovers from making the trek to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in droves. BI was also on-site, detailing the best of what the tournament has to offer — aside from seeing our favorite players, of course.We stopped by every single retail store to ask store clerks what the most popular items were, and I chose my favorite; we stopped by the Heineken suite to see the iconic black and silver outfit Serena Williams wore in 2022 on display; we tried the $38 sandwich attendees can't stop ordering; and watched while a billionaire heiress volleyed for a chance to win her first US Open.And the fun continues next week. See ya in Queens! Joi-Marie McKenzie is the editor in chief of the Life team at Business Insider, overseeing entertainment, real estate, lifestyle, health, parenting, and our Style & Success coverage.Previously, she worked for nearly a decade in network news at NBC and ABC, along with Good Morning America, where she earned an Emmy Award. McKenzie was also a senior entertainment editor at Essence magazine and deputy editor of entertainment at Insider.While serving as deputy editor of entertainment at Insider, now known as Business Insider, McKenzie earned several journalism awards and recognition. She was also nominated for the editor executive of the year in 2022 by the Drum Awards.The fifth-generation writer and editor has moderated conversations for The Paley Center for Media, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, and Barnes and Noble in New York City.McKenzie has written two books, both released by Hachette. Her first was a critically-acclaimed memoir titled "The Engagement Game," and she also wrote "The Pursuit of Porsha," the memoir of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Porsha Williams.McKenzie also sits on the board of Color Vision, an organization that helps, educates, and informs women of color in creative fields. She's also a board member of The Afro American Newspaper, which serves the Baltimore-Washington area and was founded by her great-great-grandfather, John H. Murphy Sr., a formerly enslaved Civil War veteran. Newsletters Newsletter