The Wimbledon tournament's chief executive, Richard Atkinson, humorously remarked that Royal Marine commandos would love to "sort out" disruptive social media influencers during the prestigious event. This comes after the US Open accredited 100 influencers for its tournament, leading to a debate on tennis etiquette when a match featuring two-time champion Naomi Osaka was interrupted by influencers conducting a photo shoot.

Atkinson emphasized that while Wimbledon does not offer accreditation to influencers, their presence is acknowledged as a vital part of modern marketing. He stated that banning influencers entirely would be "nonsense," but any influencers invited by brands would be "tightly chaperoned."

The interim chief executive also supported the traditional self-policing ethos at SW19, where fans are expected to respect the ongoing matches. Following the US Open disruption, world number four Coco Gauff noted the importance of welcoming a "new demographic" to tennis but stressed the need to adhere to proper etiquette.

Atkinson expressed confidence that such disruptions would not occur at Wimbledon, stating, "We don't have a category of accredited people called influencers." He acknowledged the changing media landscape and the necessity of influencers in promoting the tournament, saying, "It's just a crucial bit of the marketing mix."

To maintain the tournament's esteemed atmosphere, fans will be prohibited from bringing portable ring lights, commonly used by content creators. Atkinson concluded that the marketing team works diligently to ensure influencer engagement aligns with the Wimbledon brand, preserving its unique essence.