Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner might not have been the only winners of the U.S. Open. The distinction could also be shared with the Honey Deuce, the tennis tournament’s signature cocktail that was as much a character at this year’s event as the players themselves.
Sales of the pink-colored cocktail have been revealed to Fox News Digital as the drink surged in popularity amid samplings by superstars.
Retired Grand Slam champion Serena Williams and American pop star Taylor Swift are just some celebrities who have recently flocked to Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York, for tennis and, well, to sip on the Honey Deuce.
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Swift was seen drinking a Honey Deuce during her appearance alongside Kansas City Chiefs tight end and boyfriend Travis Kelce at Sunday’s men’s final.
Those behind the U.S. Open X account took to the platform to share a photo of Swift reaching for the drink, along with the caption, “Taylor Swift getting the full US Open experience!”
Williams tried the vodka-infused cocktail for the first time a few weeks ago, sampling it and sharing her thoughts on social media.
“It is good,” Williams, who took a sip, can be heard saying in the video, which has been viewed more than 586,000 times on TikTok.
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It’s estimated that more than 556,000 Honey Deuces were sold at this year’s tournament, a representative for Grey Goose, which is the official vodka provider for the U.S. Open, told Fox News Digital.
That number equates to roughly $12.8 million in sales generated from the Honey Deuce alone.
“We are thrilled to have exceeded our goal for this year with well over 550,000 Grey Goose Honey Deuce cocktails sold,” Aleco Azqueta, Grey Goose’s vice president of marketing for North America, told Fox News Digital in a statement. “You really can’t say you went to the U.S. Open without having a Grey Goose Honey Deuce and this year that was more evident than ever.”
The U.S. Open sold about 460,000 Honey Deuces in 2023, Chris Studley, the USTA’s managing director of event services, told Fox News Digital, fetching about $10.1 million in sales.
But that was when the drink cost $22. The price for a Honey Deuce increased to $23 in 2024.
“Similar to other sporting events that might have their own signature cocktail, that’s what the Honey Deuce is for the U.S. Open,” Studley said, calling it “a great drink for the summer.”
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Being a summer event, the weather may have been a factor in boosting Honey Deuce sales.
“We had probably one of the best weather stretches in years for the U.S. Open,” Studley said.Â
It also couldn’t hurt to have the endorsement of celebrities who were in attendance.
“It just reinforces the hype around it, right,” Studley said. “I mean, you have your official cocktail for the tournament, and then you see a celebrity drinking it and it just kind of cements it in place for people to try it.”
This was the first year that the Honey Deuce had its own merchandise like shirts and hats, Studley said.
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He also pointed out that the length of stay is “much longer” at the U.S. Open than other sporting events like football or basketball.
“It’s not uncommon to find people that have been there for seven-plus hours,” he said.
Nick Mautone, a mixologist and hospitality industry consultant who once served as brand ambassador for Grey Goose, spoke to Fox News Digital last month about the inspiration for the viral drink he created during social media’s infancy in 2006.
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The New York native, who now lives in Seattle, said he was on his way home when he stopped to pick up some items to create a dessert salad that he intended to make for guests who would be visiting. On the grocery list were honeydew melon balls.
“Immediately the thunderbolt went off and I said, ‘Holy cow, these look just like tennis balls,'” Mautone said. “So, from that moment on, I knew that that was the garnish, non-negotiable.”
Mautone first played around with “a couple of iterations” of the cocktail, including one version that used blackberry liqueur, before settling on the final recipe.
It includes Grey Goose vodka, fresh lemonade, a “drizzle” of Chambord black raspberry liqueur and, of course, the honeydew melon balls.
The goal, Mautone said, was to avoid making “a very complex drink so that the bartenders can actually serve it without getting frustrated.”
“Lo and behold, it’s become a cultural icon,” Mautone said.
For those who missed out on the Honey Deuce, it isn’t going away anytime soon, Studley said.
“The Honey Deuce will be back,” he said, affirming its return in 2025.
