Wimbledon chief Richard Atkinson says Royal Marine commandos could stop disruptive influencers after a controversial incident at the 2026 US Open.
Wimbledon’s interim chief executive Richard Atkinson made a humorous remark about how Royal Marine commandos providing security might intervene if social media influencers disrupted play at the event. This came after similar issues were seen at the 2026 US Open where the presence of influencers caused some concern among players and officials. A group of influencers disrupted Naomi Osaka’s first-round match by conducting a photo shoot with bright lighting equipment.
World number four Coco Gauff commented on the growing influence of social media personalities in tennis. She emphasized that while it’s important to welcome a new audience there must be rules for behavior at the sport’s events. Gauff noted that influencers should follow the etiquette of tennis and not disrupt matches or players.
Atkinson suggested that if such behavior occurred at Wimbledon it might prompt a strong response from the venue’s security. He joked that the Royal Marines might be called in to deal with any such issues. He added that while the world has changed in many ways the rules for tennis still apply.
Gauff also pointed out that while the sport must adapt to modern times it still needs to maintain its core values. She said that the key is to respect the etiquette of tennis while welcoming new audiences.
The conversation reflects growing concerns about how social media affects traditional sports events according to the BBC. The US Open accredited around 100 influencers and content creators in 2026 while Wimbledon does not offer direct accreditation to influencers. However social media personalities can still attend Wimbledon through commercial partnerships.
Both Wimbledon and the US Open are trying to balance openness with maintaining order in their venues. Gauff’s comments suggest that while influencers bring new fans they also need to respect the game’s environment. The tournament chief’s joke underscores how serious Wimbledon is about preserving its identity in a changing world.
Atkinson also noted that the sport has evolved beyond traditional media coverage with new platforms shaping how fans interact with events. He said influencers invited by commercial partners would be closely supervised and that Wimbledon spectators tend to police disruptive behavior themselves. The All England Club already prohibits lighting equipment and other items that could interrupt play.
This shift in audience engagement is not unique to tennis but is a broader trend across many sports. Wimbledon’s approach to managing these changes shows that it values both tradition and adaptation. The issue raises questions about how major tournaments can welcome new fans without losing their core character.
Both Gauff and the Wimbledon leadership have stressed the need to welcome new audiences while protecting the traditions of tennis.
IMAGE: Wimbledon qualifying, Roehampton 2019.. Photo: Carine06 from UK / Wikimedia, taken 2019-06-26, CC BY-SA 2.0