There are certain traditions that instantly make the US Open feel like the US Open. The electric New York atmosphere. The late-summer matches. The roar of the crowd. And, for many adult tennis fans, a tall glass filled with ice, raspberry-lemon flavor, and those unmistakable honeydew melon “tennis balls.”
The HONEY DEUCE has become part cocktail, part souvenir, and part US Open ritual.
In 2026, the US Open is celebrating the 20th year of its partnership with Grey Goose, the partnership behind the tournament’s signature cocktail. Over the years, the drink has become nearly as recognizable off the court as some of the tournament’s biggest traditions.
But you don’t need a seat at Arthur Ashe Stadium to bring a little of that courtside spirit home.
If you’re watching the matches from your living room, patio, or backyard, you can create a lighter, US Open-inspired drink using Cocktail Stix. With Raspberry Martini or Pineapple Spritz, you can keep preparation remarkably simple while deciding whether you want a cocktail or mocktail.
Add the famous honeydew garnish, turn on the match, and suddenly your home viewing party has a little more game.
Here’s how to do it.
What Is the Honey Deuce and Why Is It a US Open Favorite?
The HONEY DEUCE is the signature cocktail of the US Open. The traditional version combines vodka, fresh lemonade, raspberry liqueur, and honeydew melon balls.
Those flavors make it refreshing, fruity, and particularly well suited to late-summer tennis.
But the drink’s appeal extends beyond what’s in the glass.
It has developed a visual identity of its own. You can recognize one almost immediately thanks to the pale-green honeydew melon balls perched above the drink like miniature tennis balls.
That clever garnish helped turn a relatively simple cocktail into something people associate specifically with watching world-class tennis in New York.
The Story Behind the Signature US Open Drink
The connection between Grey Goose and the US Open dates to 2007. By 2026, the partnership is celebrating its 20th year, making it one of the longest-running spirits partnerships in sports.
The drink created around that partnership has become an enduring part of the tournament experience.
It works because it doesn't try to be overly complicated. Vodka creates the base, lemonade supplies bright citrus flavor, raspberry liqueur brings fruitiness and sweetness, and honeydew gives the finished drink its tennis-inspired flourish.
Over time, the cocktail became something fans could look forward to along with the matches themselves.
It also demonstrates something every home entertainer can appreciate: presentation matters.
A good drink tastes great. A memorable drink creates an experience.
Why Those Honeydew “Tennis Balls” Matter
If you served the same basic flavors without the honeydew garnish, you could still have a refreshing raspberry-lemon cocktail.
Add three melon balls to a skewer, however, and you immediately create a connection to tennis.
That makes the garnish an important part of recreating the experience at home.
A melon baller is all you need. Scoop round pieces from a ripe honeydew, chill them thoroughly, and place two or three on a cocktail pick or skewer.
For an especially cold garnish, prepare the melon balls in advance and briefly freeze them before serving. You want them cold and firm rather than frozen into solid pieces.
Then place them over your finished drink.
It’s simple, playful, and unmistakably tennis-inspired.
Celebrating Two Decades of an Iconic Tennis Partnership
The 20-year milestone is a good reminder of how food and drink traditions can become intertwined with major sporting events.
For some fans, the US Open is about the competition alone. For others, the experience includes the atmosphere, food, drinks, fashion, New York energy, and traditions surrounding the tournament.
The HONEY DEUCE fits perfectly into that second category.
And that makes US Open season a great excuse to create your own version at home.
What Goes Into a Traditional Honey Deuce?
Before giving the drink a lighter at-home spin, it helps to understand the original.
The traditional recipe is straightforward: vodka, fresh lemonade, raspberry liqueur, ice, and honeydew melon balls.
The vodka provides a relatively neutral spirit base. Lemonade delivers the sweet-tart citrus character. Raspberry liqueur introduces berry flavor and additional sweetness. Honeydew finishes the presentation.
The combination is essentially a sophisticated raspberry lemonade built for an adult audience.
Why Raspberry, Lemon and Honeydew Work So Well Together
Raspberry and lemon are natural partners.
Lemon provides acidity and brightness. Raspberry contributes deeper fruit flavor. Together, they create a drink that can feel refreshing rather than heavy when properly balanced.
Honeydew is subtler.
Its delicate melon flavor doesn't have to dominate the drink. Instead, the garnish adds aroma, freshness, texture, and, most importantly for this particular cocktail, personality.
For a home interpretation, those characteristics give you room to experiment.
You can preserve the raspberry direction with Cocktail Stix Raspberry Martini or take the concept somewhere slightly different with Cocktail Stix Pineapple Spritz.
Why Make a Lighter Version at Home?
Sometimes you want the ritual of making a cocktail without creating an elaborate home bar.
You may also want greater control over sweetness, alcohol, portion size, and the overall style of your drink.
That’s where Cocktail Stix can simplify things.
Cocktail Stix have zero calories and zero sugar. Preparation is straightforward: add a Stix to 5–6 ounces of water or seltzer, add your preferred spirit if you're making a cocktail, pour over ice, and garnish.
For this US Open-inspired serve, the garnish is obvious: honeydew melon balls.
The result is not intended to duplicate the official tournament recipe ingredient for ingredient. Instead, think of it as an easy, lighter-inspired way to bring some of that same celebratory tennis energy into your home.
How to Make a Lighter Honey Deuce-Inspired Cocktail at Home
You don't need advanced bartending skills, homemade syrups, or a shelf full of ingredients.
Start by choosing your Cocktail Stix flavor.
Raspberry Martini is the natural choice when you want to stay closer to the berry character associated with the original drink. Pineapple Spritz takes the concept in a brighter, more tropical direction.
Both can become easy US Open-inspired serves.
Raspberry Martini Cocktail Version
For the closest Cocktail Stix interpretation of the familiar raspberry-forward flavor profile, start with Raspberry Martini.
1 Cocktail Stix Raspberry Martini
5–6 ounces cold water or seltzer
Your preferred serving of vodka
Ice
2–3 honeydew melon balls
Cocktail pick or skewer
Optional fresh lemon wedge
Fill a tall glass generously with ice.
In a separate glass or shaker, combine one Raspberry Martini Stix with 5–6 ounces of cold water or seltzer. Stir thoroughly.
Add your preferred serving of vodka.
Pour the mixture over the ice and give it a gentle stir.
Using a melon baller, scoop two or three round pieces of honeydew. Thread them onto a cocktail pick and rest the garnish across the top of your glass.
If you want a little extra citrus aroma, add a fresh lemon wedge or gently express a strip of lemon peel over the drink.
The result is simple, cold, berry-forward, and ready for the opening serve.
Pineapple Spritz Cocktail Version
Want to move farther from the traditional raspberry-lemon profile? Try Pineapple Spritz.
Pineapple adds a sunny tropical character that feels right at home during late-summer entertaining.
1 Cocktail Stix Pineapple Spritz
5–6 ounces cold water or seltzer
Your preferred serving of vodka
Ice
2–3 honeydew melon balls
Cocktail pick or skewer
Optional fresh lime or lemon
Fill a tall glass with ice.
Mix one Pineapple Spritz Stix with 5–6 ounces of cold water or seltzer until completely combined.
Add your preferred serving of vodka and stir.
Pour over ice and garnish with your honeydew “tennis balls.”
A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime can add another layer of brightness if you prefer a more citrus-forward finish.
This version isn't meant to imitate the original drink exactly. Instead, it takes the recognizable tennis-inspired presentation and gives it a tropical twist.
That can be particularly useful at a party: guests have a choice rather than everyone drinking the same flavor.
Still Water or Seltzer?
Both work, but they create different drinking experiences.
Use cold water if you prefer a smoother, still drink.
Choose seltzer when you want bubbles and a spritz-like finish. The carbonation can make the drink feel especially refreshing when served over plenty of ice.
For Pineapple Spritz, seltzer is an obvious match.
For Raspberry Martini, try both and decide which texture you prefer.
How to Make the Signature Honeydew Tennis-Ball Garnish
The garnish is worth the extra minute.
Start with a ripe, chilled honeydew melon and a small melon baller. Press the baller firmly into the fruit and rotate it to create as round a piece as possible.
Don't worry if every ball isn't perfect. Tennis balls aren't the point; the playful resemblance is.
Thread two or three melon balls onto a cocktail pick.
You can prepare them before your guests arrive and keep them covered in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.
If you want them extra cold, chill them well before assembling the drinks.
It's a tiny detail that makes your home version feel much more connected to the US Open experience.
How to Make a Honey Deuce-Inspired Mocktail
One of the advantages of an at-home setup is that the person holding the glass gets to decide whether alcohol belongs in it.
Cocktail Stix can be prepared without adding a spirit, making it easy to create cocktail and mocktail options at the same gathering.
That means the person who wants vodka can have it. The person who doesn't can still enjoy a thoughtfully prepared drink with the same ice, garnish, glassware, and sense of occasion.
Raspberry Martini Mocktail
1 Cocktail Stix Raspberry Martini
5–6 ounces cold water or seltzer
Ice
Honeydew melon balls
Optional fresh lemon
Mix the Raspberry Martini Stix into 5–6 ounces of water or seltzer. Fill a tall glass with ice and pour in the mixture. Finish with your honeydew skewer.
For a little more citrus character, squeeze in a small amount of fresh lemon. No complicated substitutions are necessary. You're simply preparing the Stix without adding a spirit.
Pineapple Spritz Mocktail
1 Cocktail Stix Pineapple Spritz
5–6 ounces cold water or seltzer
Ice
Honeydew melon balls
Optional lemon or lime
Mix the Pineapple Spritz Stix thoroughly into your water or seltzer. Pour over a full glass of ice and garnish with chilled honeydew melon balls.
For this version, seltzer is particularly fun because the carbonation reinforces the “spritz” experience. Add fresh citrus if desired.
You now have a bright, celebratory zero-proof drink that looks every bit as party-ready as the cocktail beside it.
How to Make a Mocktail Feel Like a Special-Occasion Drink
The difference between “a drink” and “a special drink” often comes down to presentation.
Use a real cocktail glass rather than an everyday tumbler. Fill it with plenty of fresh ice. Add the melon garnish carefully. Use a cocktail pick. Add fresh citrus.
Those little details create a ritual.
And that's particularly appropriate for a US Open watch party, where the goal isn't merely to have something to drink. It's to make watching the tournament at home feel like an occasion.
Mocktail drinkers shouldn't have to settle for the least interesting glass on the table. Give both versions the same attention.
Serve Your Drinks Like You’re Courtside at the US Open
A tennis watch party doesn't need to become a complicated themed event.
A few smart details can establish the mood.
Set up a drink station with ice, chilled seltzer, cold water, Cocktail Stix Raspberry Martini and Pineapple Spritz, vodka for guests who want it, fresh citrus, and prepared honeydew skewers.
Then allow people to build the drink they prefer.
Create an Easy US Open Watch-Party Bar
The easiest setup is one that lets guests make choices without asking you to play bartender through every set.
Create clearly defined areas for your essentials. Put Raspberry Martini and Pineapple Spritz together. Place chilled water and seltzer nearby. Keep ice accessible. Set out vodka separately so it is easy for guests to distinguish between cocktail and mocktail preparation.
Then make the garnish the star. A chilled bowl or covered tray of honeydew melon balls instantly signals the tennis theme.
Guests can choose raspberry or pineapple, still or sparkling, cocktail or mocktail. One setup. Plenty of possibilities.
Prep Your Garnishes Before the First Serve
Don't wait until a match gets interesting to start attacking a honeydew with a melon baller.
Prepare your garnishes beforehand. Cut the melon, scoop your rounds, place them in a covered container, and refrigerate them.
You can also pre-skewer them so all you have to do is place one across each finished glass.
It's a small hosting trick, but it means you can spend more time watching the match and less time working in the kitchen.
Give Guests a Cocktail or Mocktail Choice
Offering both options is especially useful when you're entertaining a mixed group.
Some people may want alcohol. Others may be driving, taking a night off, or simply prefer a mocktail.
Rather than creating two completely different menus, start from the same Cocktail Stix setup. The spirit becomes optional.
That keeps your hosting station simple while still giving guests meaningful choice.
Make the Presentation Feel Intentional
You don't need to cover your house in tennis balls.
A few subtle details are enough. Use tall glasses. Add plenty of ice. Prepare the honeydew garnish. Put out fresh lemon and lime wedges. Serve drinks on a tray or arrange your drink station before guests arrive.
If you're watching outside, keep water, seltzer, and garnishes well chilled.
The goal is effortless summer entertaining, not turning your kitchen into a stadium concession stand.
Why Cocktail Stix Makes At-Home Cocktail Hour Easier
Cocktails can become complicated quickly.
One recipe calls for a specialty syrup. Another requires a liqueur you'll use once. Then there are mixers, juices, bitters, garnishes, measuring tools, and half-used bottles taking up refrigerator space.
Cocktail Stix offers a simpler approach.
Add a Stix to 5–6 ounces of water or seltzer. Add your spirit if you're making a cocktail. Add ice. Garnish.
Cocktail Stix have zero calories and zero sugar, giving you an easy foundation for creating drinks at home. Remember that any spirit, fruit, garnish, juice, or other ingredient you add has its own nutritional content.
That distinction matters. “Zero calories” and “zero sugar” describe Cocktail Stix themselves, not necessarily the entire finished drink once other ingredients are added.
Raspberry Martini for a Berry-Forward Twist
For this particular tennis-inspired occasion, Raspberry Martini is the natural starting point.
The berry direction connects easily with the raspberry character people associate with the traditional HONEY DEUCE, while letting you create your own version at home.
Use cold water for a still cocktail or seltzer when you want some sparkle. Add vodka for an adult cocktail or leave it out for a mocktail. Either way, don't skip those honeydew tennis balls.
Pineapple Spritz for a Tropical Variation
Pineapple Spritz gives your second serve a different personality.
It's ideal for someone who wants a tropical direction rather than the more familiar raspberry profile.
Try it with seltzer, ice, and honeydew for a sparkling mocktail, or add your preferred spirit to turn it into a cocktail.
Serving both flavors also makes a home watch party more interesting. Your guests can choose a familiar berry direction or go tropical.
Cocktails and Mocktails From the Same Home Bar
A flexible home bar doesn't necessarily need more bottles. Sometimes it just needs a base that can work more than one way.
Cocktail Stix can help you create that setup because you decide whether to add a spirit.
For a group, set out both Raspberry Martini and Pineapple Spritz alongside cold water, seltzer, ice, honeydew, citrus, and your chosen spirit.
Someone wants a cocktail? Add the spirit. Someone wants a mocktail? Skip it. Someone wants bubbles? Use seltzer. Someone prefers a still drink? Use water.
That's a simple way to give guests more control without dramatically increasing the amount of preparation required.
And when a five-set match stretches late into the evening, simple is a very good thing.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Honey Deuce
What is a Honey Deuce?
The HONEY DEUCE is the signature cocktail of the US Open. The traditional drink combines vodka, fresh lemonade, raspberry liqueur, and honeydew melon balls used as a tennis-inspired garnish.
Its distinctive appearance and connection with the tournament have helped make it a recognizable part of the US Open experience.
What ingredients are traditionally in a Honey Deuce?
The official recipe uses vodka, fresh lemonade, raspberry liqueur, and honeydew melon balls.
The at-home Cocktail Stix recipes in this article are inspired variations rather than replicas of the official recipe. Raspberry Martini provides the berry-forward option, while Pineapple Spritz creates a more tropical interpretation.
Why does the Honey Deuce have honeydew melon balls?
The honeydew balls are designed to resemble tennis balls. Their pale green color and round shape create an immediate visual connection with tennis, turning a simple fruit garnish into the drink's signature finishing touch.
You can easily recreate the effect at home with a melon baller and cocktail pick.
Can you make a lighter Honey Deuce at home?
You can make a lighter-inspired version at home by changing the ingredients and controlling what goes into your glass.
The Cocktail Stix used in the recipes above have zero calories and zero sugar. You simply add one Stix to 5–6 ounces of water or seltzer, then add a spirit if desired, ice, and garnish.
Keep in mind that vodka, fruit, citrus, and other ingredients you choose to add may contribute calories, natural sugars, or other nutrients to the finished drink.
Can you make a Honey Deuce without alcohol?
Yes. While the official cocktail contains vodka and raspberry liqueur, you can create an alcohol-free drink inspired by its flavors and presentation.
With Cocktail Stix, simply prepare Raspberry Martini or Pineapple Spritz with 5–6 ounces of water or seltzer, add ice, and finish with honeydew melon balls. There's no need to add a spirit.
What can I use instead of raspberry liqueur?
If you're making the official-style recipe, raspberry liqueur contributes both sweetness and raspberry flavor.
For the lighter-inspired recipe featured here, Cocktail Stix Raspberry Martini provides a convenient way to take the drink in a berry-forward direction without using raspberry liqueur.
It won't be an exact duplicate of the official cocktail—and it doesn't need to be. Think of it as your own US Open-inspired serve.
Can I make these drinks ahead for a US Open watch party?
The easiest approach is to prep the components rather than fully assembling each drink too far in advance.
Prepare your honeydew melon balls and refrigerate them. Chill your water, seltzer, and other ingredients. Set out your glasses and Cocktail Stix before guests arrive.
Then mix individual drinks over fresh ice as needed. This is especially useful when offering both cocktail and mocktail options because guests can choose their preferred version.
What is the best way to serve a Honey Deuce-inspired drink?
Serve it very cold in a tall glass filled with ice.
For the unmistakable tennis-inspired finishing touch, garnish it with two or three chilled honeydew melon balls threaded onto a cocktail pick.
Water creates a still drink, while seltzer adds carbonation.
Most importantly, serve it the way you enjoy it. The advantage of making a US Open-inspired cocktail at home is that you're in charge of the glass.
Celebrate US Open Season With Your Own Courtside-Inspired Sip
Twenty years of partnership between the US Open and Grey Goose has helped turn one distinctive drink into a familiar part of the tournament experience.
But traditions can inspire new traditions.
Maybe yours is inviting friends over for the finals. Maybe it's watching a night match on the patio. Maybe it's making a special drink when your favorite player takes the court.
And maybe this year, that drink gets a lighter at-home twist.
Start with Cocktail Stix Raspberry Martini if you want a berry-forward interpretation. Choose Pineapple Spritz if you're ready for something more tropical.
Add 5–6 ounces of cold water or seltzer. Add your preferred spirit for a cocktail or leave it out for a mocktail. Pour over ice.
Then add those all-important honeydew tennis balls.
It's easy enough for an ordinary evening but festive enough for match day.
Ready to serve up your own US Open-inspired cocktail or mocktail? Look at Cocktail Stix and discover Raspberry Martini, Pineapple Spritz, and more ways to make cocktail hour easy, flexible, and fun.