Grey Goose has hit an ace.
Since the French vodka company first teamed with the U.S. Open and the USTA two decades ago, its ongoing partnership with the final Grand Slam event has become a mainstay of the event.
As sure as the end of summer marks the start of fashion month in September and New York Fashion Week, the U.S. Open has also rapidly become a significant cultural moment in its own right. Part of this year’s celebrations and anniversary sees a partnership with New York Knicks championship player Josh Hart, alongside a consumer-facing activation in Grand Central Terminal.
“The consistency of the partnership is something not a lot of brands can say that they’ve been affiliated with a specific event for 20 years,” said Aleco Azqueta, global vice president of marketing at Bacardi, owners of Grey Goose, told WWD. “The U.S. Open is not just a tennis tournament; it’s also a cultural event for New York. This year, we wanted to celebrate the icons and rituals that make New York so special. 2026 has been the year of New York City, and the U.S. Open has become synonymous with summer in New York.”
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So what makes tennis itself such a notable partnership for Grey Goose? Azqueta noted its international presence across every major country as the number two and three sport — many of the tennis players hail from across the globe. And unlike golf — which he cited as requiring remote locations — tennis tends to occur closer to major metropolitan cities, making it easier for fans to attend. Grey Goose also partners with the Australian Open, which occurs in the heart of Melbourne.
Moreover, tennis doesn’t have a set timing for when matches finish — as evidenced by the more than four-hour match on the first night when Novak Djokovic lost in the first round to Mariano Navone.
Azqueta said this is another point of alignment, as the brand is focused on “making time wait.” Given the vodka brand’s notable market within the celebratory, occasional and nightlife spaces, this partnership has allowed the brand to extend into the daytime. This year, alongside the renovation within Arthur Ashe Stadium for its suite, Grey Goose redid all of its 16 bars on the grounds.
“The people that tend to go to tennis tournaments are a bit more fashion-forward,” he continued. “They see it as an event, not just a match that they’re going to. They’re going to spend the day and forget all the hecticness of life and be present in the moment — and that’s what our brand is all about.”
Then there’s the Honey Deuce, the brand’s signature cocktail created for the tournament 19 years ago, which has been featured in droves of social media posts. Players like Jessica Pegula and Taylor Townsend have also been spotted drinking the Honey Deuce during post-game press conferences — alongside Serena Williams during her retirement.
“It’s something that has continued to build upon itself and it’s been exciting to see how, in the last 19 years — it’s become the top cocktail in all of sports. [The partnership] has taken on a life of its own. The way we look at our sports partnerships is: will the fans miss us if we weren’t there? The Grey Goose Honey Deuce has been an integral part of the U.S. Open experience. It gets fans to experience our brand — and it’s so unique to the tournament, and it’s not available year-round. It works for us in the anticipation of this moment.”
Moreover, Azqueta noted that the uptick in fashion brands attaching themselves to tennis has skyrocketed — given that there’s no specific uniform or outfit required for the sport, which allows the players to express their individuality.
Beyond the stadium, Grey Goose will be hosting The Serve Bar pop-up at Grand Central on Wednesday and Thursday to offer fans and commuters a taste of complimentary Grey Goose Honey Deuce cocktails to bring the spirit of the U.S. Open beyond the matches.
In addition, a slew of New York hot spots, including Baccarat Hotel, Coqodaq, The Polo Bar, Casa Cruz, Fouquet’s, Clemente Bar, Jac’s on Bond, Printemps, Sip & Guzzel and The Faena will be serving up the signature cocktail.
Notably, the vodka company has teamed with Hart this year to create content with the Knicks player and host him in the Grey Goose suite. Azqueta said that following its partnership last year with Francis Tiafoe, the partnership with Hart made sense given New York is “having quite a moment [with the Knicks] winning the championship.”
He noted both as being fashion-forward and having a shared alignment with Grey Goose’s ethos to bring joy to people — “the way they play, whether it’s Francis in tennis or Josh in basketball, you see their joy for what they do.”
“New York fans are unlike any other — they ride for their teams, and I got to experience that firsthand during our championship season,” Hart said. “The energy in this city is unmatched, and the U.S. Open brings that same excitement every year. A large part of that hype is for one of my favorite cocktails, the Grey Goose Honey Deuce — it’s one of those things that instantly tells you U.S. Open season is here. I’m proud to partner with Grey Goose to celebrate one of the biggest events in the city, raise a Grey Goose Honey Deuce cocktail to world-class tennis with the fans and kick off another unforgettable New York sports moment.”
Looking ahead, Azqueta said the brand will continue to increase its footprint within tennis, as it already sponsors several tournaments and sees opportunity within the padel space — with another 20 years of Honey Deuce to come.
“There are over a million people that go through the U.S. Open. It allows our brand to come to life in front of a lot of people and enhance those events. That’s what sports does — it’s a natural point of connection. It’s important for us not just to be part of culture — but to do it in a relevant way. We see it as elevating moments that people are leaning into, present and enjoying themselves. Sports offer that opportunity to do so at scale,” Azqueta concluded.
