US Open described as 'rave-like' amid reports of weed smoke, strobe lights and expensive concessions

A Daily Mail columnist said the U.S. Open on Thursday night resembled a rave more than a tennis tournament, reporting weed smoke, strobe lights and extremely costly concessions as part of an increasingly social atmosphere around the event.

Claudia Aoraha wrote that she arrived sweaty and exhausted, bent over a metal picnic table while eating a serving of chicken nuggets and fish eggs that she said cost $100. She described dry-ice fog and a "contact high" from out-of-town attendees in the nose-bleed sections and questioned whether the event was still primarily about the sport.

Aoraha said the spectacle extends beyond the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, noting the commuter experience into Queens. She wrote that she reached her subway stop when passengers wearing designer watches and handbags suddenly stood up to rush for the train doors, an image she used to underscore how the tournament has become a social highlight for Manhattanites who might not normally travel to the borough.

Her account framed the Open as sitting between Labor Day and New York Fashion Week on the city's calendar, a period when events can blur lines between fashion, nightlife and sport. She said long waits, overpriced food and what she described as "shockingly bad fan behavior" contributed to an atmosphere that emphasized spectacle over match play.

Aoraha also said an "expert fan hack" helped salvage her evening, though she did not elaborate on the technique in the passage reviewed. Her piece blended on-site observations with commentary about how the tournament has shifted in tone as it attracts both local socialites and out-of-town visitors.

Tournament organizers have long promoted the U.S. Open as a major sporting and cultural event, with concerts, sponsor activations and hospitality offerings alongside matches. The combination of high-profile attendees and a packed schedule of ancillary events has increased scrutiny of crowd behavior and venue operations in recent years.

Officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the account described by Aoraha. The U.S. Open continues through the coming days with marquee matches on the calendar and large daily crowds expected at the Flushing Meadows site.

Observers and some regular attendees have in past seasons raised concerns about security, concession pricing and the balance between entertainment elements and the sporting competition itself. The tournament's organizers have cited efforts to enhance fan experience and safety while maintaining the event's position on the international tennis calendar.

Aoraha's column reflects one attendee's perspective on a single night at the U.S. Open and adds to broader conversations about how major sporting events manage growing crowds and diverse expectations from fans whose reasons for attending range from watching top-ranked players to taking part in the broader social scene surrounding the matches.