Is This $39 U.S. Open Cocktail the Next Honey Deuce?

• By WineBottleMag
• September 7, 2025
• Cocktail Deuce Honey Open U.S
• With 0 comments

Since 2006, when the Honey Deuce debuted at the U.S. Open, the melon ball-garnished cocktail has reigned as the end-of-summer “it” drink. Plastered on social media feeds and the tournament’s live broadcast, the commemorative cocktail became the ultimate flex: holding one demonstrates not only that you’re attending the U.S. Open, but also that you can afford to spend $23 on a single beverage, maybe multiple. According to Grey Goose, the brand that invented the cocktail with hospitality consultant Nick Mautone, the U.S. Open sold over 500,000 of them in 2024 at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

With over $12 million in sales last year, the Honey Deuce is one of the biggest marketing success stories of all time. It should come as no surprise, then, that other brands are searching for their own cocktail virality, and one drink has emerged as the 2025 front-runner: the Watermelon Slice. 

With a similar fresh fruit appeal, thanks to the watermelon slice garnish, the bubbly Champagne cocktail has a splash of St. Germain, watermelon juice, and bright lime juice to cut through the sweetness. 

Celebrities like Brittany Snow and Meg Donnelly have been photographed sipping it. Like the Honey Deuce, the cocktail is visually striking, served in a fluorescent tennis ball-shaped wine glass, and also like the Honey Deuce, it’s a clever feat of marketing. IHG Hotels & Resorts, a sponsor of the U.S. Open, invented the cocktail with optics in mind. 

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“The look of the Watermelon Slice alone turns heads,” says Connor Smith, VP of Masterbrand Strategy, IHG Hotels & Resorts. “That neon tennis ball cup is instantly recognizable and makes you do a doubletake. You see it across the grounds and want one in your hand.”

To Ray’s Brooklyn general manager Dylan Wells, it makes perfect sense that the bubbly pink cocktail is this year’s breakout star. “Similarly to the Honey Deuce, the Watermelon Slice has a visual element that’s appealing,” he says. “The tennis-ball yellow glass with the red watermelon garnish makes it Instagram-worthy.” 

And then there’s the Champagne of it all: “The essence of the drink being a watermelon hugo spritz of sorts with Champagne means it’s refreshing and delicious,” says Wells. 

Nancy Santiago, beverage director at IGC Hospitality Group in New York City, thinks that the steep $39 price point is actually playing into the drink’s desirability. “The price is part of the appeal as well,” she says. “It offers fans a premium experience that feels special and elevated. 

The Honey Deuce Effect

In part thanks to social media, highly visible sporting events have become fodder for cocktail inspiration, as brands try to promote themselves more organically. But it’s not just brands cashing in: bars are putting their own spins on the Honey Deuce and other sports-famous cocktails.

“We have folks requesting Dante’s interpretation of the Honey Deuce all year round,” says Linden Pride, principal of Dante in New York City and London. “It’s been a huge hit for us in London this year also, where we showcased it alongside a Pimms during Wimbledon. All the tennis-inspired drinks have been popular, but folks just love our fluffy melon Honey Deuce.”

Wells says that Ray’s Brooklyn’s Honey Deuce variation has been their best-selling cocktail “of the last week and change.”

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“Other tennis tournaments and events have their signature drinks, [but] it feels as though the Honey Deuce reigns supreme over the rest,” says Wells. 

In recent weeks, Brandon Gorst, general manager at Jac’s on Bond in NYC, has overheard tables discover they’re offering U.S. Open cocktails and change their initial drink order to one or both. (The Ace Paloma, a tequila cocktail with grapefruit soda and lime, is another tournament favorite that Jac’s on Bond is serving.) 

“The excitement definitely stems from people who wouldn’t typically be able to go to a U.S. Open game to still get that Instagrammable moment and feel like they’re a part of an iconic summer experience,” he says. “Aside from the fact that the cocktails are genuinely tasty, people get excited over the special cup (and stick it in their bags when no one is looking), snack on the melon ball garnish, and post on their social media with a pretty cocktail on a patio.” 

There will only ever be one Honey Deuce, but the Watermelon Slice is a fun end-of-summer treat regardless. Here’s how to make it at home. 

Watermelon Slice Recipe

Courtesy of IHG Hotels & Resorts

Step 1

Add St. Germain, watermelon juice, and lime juice to a glass.

Step 2

Stir to incorporate ingredients.

Step 3

Fill the glass with ice.

Step 4

Top with the Champagne and stir gently. Garnish with fresh watermelon slice.

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