The Tennis Integrity Agency is investigating a pre-U.S. Open party attended by some of the sport’s biggest stars because it appears to have been held on behalf of DraftKings.
Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg reports that, on the eve of the Grand Slam tournament in New York, a DraftKings event was organized by Dave Grutman, “a well-connected Miami nightlife impresario who has cozied up to many star tennis players, hooking them up with various perks while they’re in Miami and beyond.”
In attendance at the pre-tournament party at the Crane Club on Manhattan’s West Side were Serena Williams, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Eva Lys, Mirra Andreeva, Grigor Dimitrov, Taylor Fritz, and other tennis stars.
Numerous tennis players participating in this year’s U.S. Open posed with the host in front of a DraftKings-branded backdrop in an Instagram carousel Grutman shared from the party.
“Hosting @draftkings Welcome Players Party is my Favorite!!!” Gutman wrote in the caption of the post.
“The problem was that his pre-U.S. Open dinner party was very clearly held on behalf of the American betting company DraftKings, which is one of the prominently listed ‘Partners’ of Grutman’s on his website,” Rothenberg explained.
Additionally, he pointed out that the players may have violated anti-corruption regulations by appearing at a promotional event for a company that offers tennis betting. The appearances and photo ops may have violated Tennis Anti-Corruption regulations even if DraftKings did not pay the players directly to attend its party.
Will the tennis players be punished for attending the party?
As a result, the ITIA may warn them to be cautious about their appearances and involvement with betting brands.
However, as Rothenberg noted, former players James Blake, Mardy Fish and Bob Bryan were all given five-figure fines in the past for paid promotions on behalf of gambling companies.
“We are aware of this event, and we are looking into the circumstances and details,” an ITIA spokesperson who confirmed the investigation told Rothenberg.
The rule in question reads: “No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, facilitate, encourage and/or promote Tennis Betting,” Tennis Anti-Corruption rule D.1.b reads, while rule D.1.q adds that “No Covered Person, whether personally or via another arrangement or legal entity, may endorse, be employed, sponsored and/or otherwise engaged by a Tennis Betting Operator.”
Interestingly, while these tennis players could be fined for attending the party and posing for photos in front of a DraftKings logo, “all of these tennis players are now forced to appear in front of Kalshi logos—which began appearing around the perimeters of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center’s courts this week—by virtue of competing in the 2026 U.S. Open,” Rothenberg wrote.