How Arthur Ashe became the noisiest Grand Slam venue

At Wimbledon and Roland Garros, you’ll find fans swiveling their heads from side to side as they follow the bright green tennis ball darting back and forth. And they’re doing so in a hushed stadium, with the only noise coming from the ball hitting the racket, a player’s shoes squeaking on the court, and polite applause. Then there’s the US Open. At the final Grand Slam of the season, eyes are on tennis, sure, but they’re also on viral drinks and flashing cameras. Much has been said about the clout-chasing influencers and visitors who increasingly fill Arthur Ashe Stadium, the tournament’s main venue, bringing ring lights, fashion-ops and lots of chatter with them—even when it’s time to serve. The lively, albeit disruptive, atmosphere in the 23,000+-seat stadium has become both a staple of the Open and a source of anguish for fans who were used to a game played in pin-drop silence. “It’s so loud inside Arthur Ashe Stadium that most of the time it’s almost impossible to keep track of the sound of the ball. Almost like putting the TV on mute,” one user said on X. Another added, “Arthur Ashe is so unbelievably loud it’s insane. I started chatting with my section usher and he said that…