Move over Honey Deuce, tennis fans have a new viral courtside cocktail: the Watermelon Slice. IHG Hotels & Resorts has crafted the limited-edition drink exclusively for its IHG Racquet Bar at the US Open.

The cocktail features a blend of Moët & Chandon, watermelon juice, elderflower liqueur and lime, garnished with a signature watermelon wedge and served in a bespoke tennis-themed collectible cup. 

And it costs … gulp … $US39. That’s $60 for Aussies! But the price tag isn’t stopping thousands of tennis fans slapping down the plastic to purchase them.

Much of the excitement surrounding the Honey Deuce and the Watermelon Slice is their exclusivity: both cocktails are only available during the course of the tournament.

For fans like Emily Visnic, a New York pickleball player, content creator and nurse anesthesiologist — don’t you love that combination of titles— the drinks are part of the fun, no matter the price.

“If there’s a new signature drink, I’m going to be trying it,” Visnic told Fox News Digital. 

“Fans are looking for something vibrant and easy to enjoy between points—nothing too heavy, but packed with just the right flavours. The Watermelon Slice delivers that,” says Connor Smith, VP of masterbrand strategy at IHG told Fast Company.

The cocktail has also been spotted in the hands of celebrities courtside, including Brittany Snow, Tessa Brooks, Julia Mervis, Payton Purther and Meg Donnelly.

How to make a Watermelon Slice

IHG has revealed how Aussies can get a taste of the cocktail that’s taking the US Open by storm.

Ingredients

• 3 oz Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut
• ½ oz St Germain
• 2 oz Twisted Alchemist Watermelon Juice
• ½ oz Lime Juice
• Garnish: Watermelon Slice

Instructions:

• Add St. Germain, watermelon juice and lime juice to glass
• Stir to incorporate ingredients
• Fill glass with ice
• Top with 3 oz of Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut
• Stir gently to incorporate Moet & Chandon (don’t want it to bubble over!)
• Garnish with fresh watermelon slice

Tennis tournaments deliver for the drinks industry

Tennis partnerships are rapidly becoming one of the drinks industry’s favourite platforms to grow brand awareness and their profits.

Nearly a third of the US Open’s 25 official partners are beverage brands this year — including Grey Goose, Aperol, Heineken,  Lavazza coffee, Moët & Chandon and Dobel Tequila. 

More than 556,000 of the cult-favourite Honey Deuce cocktails were sold last year at the US Open, generating nearly $13 million in revenue. Over 2.8 million have been sold since they debuted in 2007, according to Grey Goose.

Down Under, the 2025 Australian Open was the biggest ever, drawing more than 1.2 million tennis fans who spent hundreds of millions in Melbourne’s pubs, bars, hotels and restaurants.

Grey Goose revelled in the record attendance during its inaugural partnership with the Grand Slam. It created the signature serve of the Australian Open, the Lemon Ace, to celebrate the brand becoming the tournament’s official vodka partner in 2025 and beyond. The cocktail became a social media staple and attracted global media coverage.

AO Reserve unveils world-class line-up for 2026

Transaction data from NAB revealed a grand slam in consumer spending over the fortnight of the 2025 Australian Open:

• More than $275 million was spent at Melbourne’s pubs, bars and restaurants over the fortnight.
• Melbourne’s bars experienced a 3% uplift in spending compared to the 2024 Australian Open.
• Businesses immediately surrounding the Melbourne Park precinct experienced a $74 million spending injection, up 2% on last year.

Earlier this month, the Australian Open announced the full line-up for AO Reserve – its premium hospitality offering – at AO 2026, dishing up a star-studded program of Australian and international culinary stars.

AO Reserve has attracted some of Australia’s biggest names in hospitality including award-winning chef Peter Gilmore of Bennelong and Quay fame, celebrated duo Rodney Dunn and Severine Demanet from beloved Tasmanian restaurant The Agrarian Kitchen, Brisbane’s acclaimed SK Steak and Oyster, and Caretaker’s Cottage – winner of Best Bar in Australasia 2024.

When we debuted AO Reserve last year it instantly sparked excitement among our fans. This year, demand has been even greater, with fans clearly eager for more of the unique end-to-end hospitality AO Reserve offers,” Tennis Australia’s Chief Commercial Officer Cedric Cornelis said.

“This year’s selection of chefs, restaurants and bars include some of the most exciting names in hospitality from Australia and beyond. Combined with curated spaces and experiences, to exclusive court-side access and the best seats, AO Reserve has raised the bar for event hospitality.”

“We’ve been blown away by the demand for AO Reserve and we are so excited to unveil the full line-up for 2026,” Tennis Australia’s Head of Product Growth and Innovations Fern Barrett said.

“We’ve handpicked a group of incredible chefs, bars and restaurants that we believe represent the best of Australia – from Tasmania, to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, with some international flavour added in.”

Caretaker’s Cottage heads to the Australian Open