Ticket Requests Turn Into a Grand Slam Hassle for Players

On the eve of the 2026 U.S. Open, Candi Gauff posted an Instagram message apologizing to “family and friends” for being unable to provide additional tickets for her daughter, Coco Gauff. The note warned against asking for more than two tickets and emphasized that Coco’s own friends would receive the remaining seats. The post quickly drew commentary from fellow players. Jessica Pegula responded, “Say it louder for the people in the back,” and Frances Tiafoe called the message Ben Shelton later noted the awkwardness of such requests, saying he often has to apologize to his parents for missed texts.

New York Times

Grand Slam tournaments allocate a discretionary ticket pool to each player, but the exact number is not disclosed by the United States Tennis Association (USTA), which declined comment on the figure. Players report receiving dozens of unsolicited asks each year. Taylor Fritz estimates an average of 15-20 individuals contact him directly, seeking two to six tickets per request, and he filters replies based on familiarity. Frances Tiafoe relies on a team member to field inquiries, while Ben Shelton typically disables his phone during the event, later fielding apologies to family members who receive the missed messages. Candi Gauff’s parents have been handling ticket coordination for Coco since she turned professional at age 15, and they described last year’s effort as a “tipping point” of stress.

New York Times

The episode highlights the tension between athletes’ public profiles and the private logistics of ticket distribution. As resale markets inflate prices, fans and acquaintances increasingly view Grand Slam seats as status symbols, prompting a surge of “out-of-the-woodwork” requests. Players must balance personal boundaries with community expectations, a dynamic that underscores the evolving nature of fame in a sport where fan engagement often extends beyond the court.

New York Times

• “No, to be honest, people come out of the woodwork,” — Candi Gauff

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• “Say it louder for the people in the back,” — Jessica Pegula

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• “That was the best thing I’ve ever seen,” — Frances Tiafoe

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• “I’ll reply to the people that, like, should be asking me for tickets, and I won’t reply to the people that should know better than that,” — Taylor Fritz

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• “A lot of people are like, ‘I texted you!’ Sorry, brother. I didn’t see it,” — Ben Shelton

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• “It is tough, because you’ve got to navigate who is there to genuinely support and you who is there for the ride. I feel like I have been blessed with good discernment to kind of know who is there for the right reasons,” — Candi Gauff

New York Times