The US Open the Ralph Lauren Way: Let’s Go, Polo

Since 2005, Ralph Lauren has been the marquee on-court supplier for the US Open’s officials and ball crew. The uniforming provides major exposure, considering tennis’ ascending regard in popular culture; last year, stats peaked at 3.6 million TV viewers for the semi-final match between the players Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe. 2023’s numbers will likely be higher (this year’s attendance records on the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center were broken by over 40%!). And, you can multiply all of these figures by at least double digits when factoring in the added reach of social media. In all of this, you can see Ralph Lauren’s neon-banded polo shirts zipping around the courts between points as the ball crews keep things moving.

In recent years, though, RL has amplified another angle of their sponsorship: an experiential element at the Tennis Center’s flagship Arthur Ashe Stadium, namely with a Polo-fied suite replete with custom hardwood floors, fresh orchids, a full bar (Honey Deuce cocktails with no queuing is a huge luxury in and of itself), and the kind of coastal-prep, perma-chic ease that never seems to lose appeal, even in something as utilitarian as a concrete arena. And, over the tournament’s concluding weekend in particular (even though the suite is operational throughout the duration of the event), this serene little hideaway was packed to the edge with big-time star power.

On Saturday, under an electric atmosphere as Coco Gauff squared off against Aryna Sabalenka for the women’s championship, attendees included Mindy Kaling, Rachel Brosnahan, Ariana Debose, Amanda Seyfried, Cara Delevingne, and Diane Keaton–all decked to the nines in Ralph, Keaton especially, as is her thing.

Brosnahan brought her father Earl–a devout tennis fan–along. It was their second time going to the Open together. “I remember watching [Daniil] Medvedev versus [Rafael] Nadal in 2019. That match was over 5 hours,” said Brosnahan. It marked the start of the dad-and-daughter tradition. “He put me in tennis lessons when I was little,” she added. “I’m terrible. It lasted until it just wasn’t bearable anymore.”

As Gauff closed in on victory–a historic moment in the sport, and a moving moment to witness (Kaling even admitted on Instagram that she openly cried)–Debose told me: “Coco is intelligent. She is so well-spoken. The way she advocates for herself and the game she’s playing… I find it really inspiring. It’s actually something we can all learn from.”

On Sunday, as Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev competed for the men’s championship (with Djokovic prevailing in the end), another crew was present to take in the sportive scene. James Marsden, wearing a natty double-breasted Purple Label blazer, recalled watching Alcaraz in the final at last year’s Open (a lot of people expressed remorse that Alcaraz did not make it to 2023’s championship match–the guy is very popular). “He stormed onto the scene that year. Hopefully, he’s got many more ahead of him,” said Marsden.

Others, including White Lotus stars Meghann Fahy and Leo Woodall, Riverdale standout Charles Melton, Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey, and more sipped Honey Deuces and chatted with suite neighbors that included Kiernan Shipka, Emma Roberts, and Diplo (it would not be the US Open without a hundred celebrities in the house). A few doors down sat Kylothée.

Bailey said: “I’ve been to 3 out of 4 Grand Slam finals this year, which was, like, a teenage dream of mine. I missed Australia, sadly. The most extraordinary moment was Wimbledon, when Alcaraz won over Djokovic.”

Fahy may prove something of a tennis good luck charm: She told me that, at Wimbledon this past year (where Ralph Lauren also hosts a suite), she received a call mid-match with career-changing news: She’d been nominated for an Emmy for The White Lotus. “I couldn’t react,” she said, noting the decorum of Wimbledon’s manner culture (a far cry from rowdy New York). “I was like, ‘oh my God, that’s so cool, but I have to call you back!’”

To capture the instant, you-never-know-what-can-happen-ness of the moment, we brought along a Polaroid camera (call ‘em Poloroids) to snap some of the stars.