The Honey Deuce, a vodka-lemonade cocktail garnished with honeydew melon balls, has become as essential to the US Open experience as the tennis itself. Created in 2007 by mixologist Nick Mautone for Grey Goose, the drink sold 738,459 servings last year—equivalent to roughly 2 million melon balls—and has spawned a wave of imitators as brands race to create the next iconic tournament beverage.
Mautone, a hospitality expert, drew on a family summer dessert recipe when tasked with creating a signature drink for Grey Goose, which had become an official US Open sponsor a year earlier. While making honeydew melon balls at his home in Hampton Bays, New York, he had what he calls a eureka moment. «I said to my wife, oh my God, this is the garnish for the drink,» Mautone recalled. He paired the melon balls with lemonade, raspberry liqueur, and Grey Goose vodka to create a refreshing cocktail suited for hot summer days—strong enough to enjoy but not so potent that fans would «tip over» after one serving.
The drink's organic rise to fame predated Instagram by three years, yet it became a pioneer of social-media-ready cocktails. Fans used flip phones to photograph the cheeky tennis-themed garnish, and the cocktail's exclusivity—available only during the US Open season—helped cement its status. «I did not enter the recipe-testing phase, nor in my wildest dreams did I think it was going to become this successful,» Mautone said. The Honey Deuce now follows in the footsteps of other iconic sports drinks like the mint julep at the Kentucky Derby and the Pimm's Cup at Wimbledon.
As the US Open's fan base shifts toward experience-driven attendance, other sponsors see a significant window to ride the wave. The tournament now offers expanded food and drink offerings in the pavilion surrounding Arthur Ashe Stadium, and fans come not just for tennis stars like Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka but for Instagrammable moments ranging from caviar nuggets to signature cocktails.
IHG Hotels and Resorts launched its Watermelon Slice drink in 2025, featuring fresh watermelon juice, lime, elderflower, and Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut. Available only at the IHG Racquet Bar on the grounds, the cocktail sold out daily last year, according to Connor Smith, senior vice president of global brands at IHG. Like the Honey Deuce's highball cup, the Watermelon Slice comes in a bright yellow-green glass resembling a tennis ball, giving fans a souvenir to take home.
Moët & Chandon took a different approach with the Moët Serve, a champagne drink with lime wheels—a nod to the tennis ball—packaged in an eye-catching clear can. Despite debuting at this year's tournament, it quickly gained traction on social media. «Social media is where a lot of this excitement is happening now, and a great signature drink gives people something shareable, something worth taking a picture of and to celebrate with,» said Chris Gabaldon, president and CEO of Moët Hennessy North America. «The Moët Serve was built for that moment.»
Dobel Tequila, meanwhile, relied on product heritage rather than an overt tennis theme with its Ace Paloma. The drink, which also comes in a takeaway cup, offers a familiar cocktail with a subtle tennis twist, betting that quality and recognition can compete with more explicitly themed competitors.
The success of these signature drinks reflects a broader trend in sports hospitality, where the fan experience extends far beyond the court. Restaurants across New York City now sell their own versions of the Honey Deuce, and hundreds of thousands of fans bring their highball cups home as keepsakes. For brands, the formula for a hit cocktail combines quality ingredients, limited availability, and a visual element that begs to be shared—a lesson the Honey Deuce taught long before social media made it a phenomenon.