‘Honey, That’s Not Deuce’: Serena Williams Remixes Viral US Open Cocktail With a Splash of Tequila

(Photos: AP Photo/Pamela Smith, Dustin Satloff/USTA via AP)

On Monday, Serena Williams took to TikTok to celebrate the breakout star of the 2024 U.S. Open. No, we’re not talking about Frances Tiafoe or Jasmine Paolini; the star of the show today is a tequila-tinged twist on the Honey Deuce.

The official Honey Deuce cocktail is made from an easy-going mix of Grey Goose Vodka, lemonade, raspberry liqueur and — most importantly — a skewer of honeydew melon balls that mimic tennis in soft, delectable form.

Though the drink was first introduced in 2006, it wasn’t until this year’s tournament that the Honey Deuce reached a fever pitch of ultra-virality. Seemingly no discussion of the U.S. Open has gone by without at least a passing mention of the cocktail, sightings of which have taken over the stands like a pink tsunami. Little did its mid-2000s inventors know that an iconic garnish and collectible cup were the perfect ingredients for a future social media frenzy.

(Photo: Anthony Behar/Sipa USA via AP)

At this point in the news cycle, however, the Honey Deuce’s Instagram-worthy appeal has arguably been upended by debate over its groan-worthy price. Please forgive us, it’s time to talk about inflation.

A much-discussed piece from MarketWatch points out that the cocktail’s price has nearly doubled since 2012, rising from $14 to its current $23. Happy hour at the local dive bar, this is not. If you’d like to play a game, pause any given tennis match and count the number of Honey Deuces spotted in the audience. Multiply that number by $23 and count the total gross.

Industry bigwigs evidently played a similar game, because the cocktail sold 450,000 units at last year’s tournament — equivalent to $9.9 million in sales. No doubt that figure will breach at least $10 million this year.

All of that is to say, there’s never been a better time in history to mix up a Honey Deuce at home. Serena Williams seems to agree.

Posting a video from the sidelines of the U.S. Open, Williams shared a twist on the recipe that replaces vodka with Cincoro Tequila. The choice of spirit hardly comes as a surprise. Alongside Derek Jeter and golf pros Dustin Johnson and Keegan Bradley, Williams inked an undisclosed sum investment in the tequila brand earlier this year. Keen-eyed fans will remember that Cincoro was originally conceived in 2019 as the brainchild of six-time NBA Champion Michael Jordan.

Drink in hand, Williams remarked:

“Everyone’s like, ‘Have you ever had one?’ And I’m like, no, because I’ve always been playing… But I like my Honey Deuce with Cincoro.”

@serena Honey dew #usopen #fyp #foryourpage #serenawilliams ♬ original sound – Serenawilliams

“Honey, that’s no deuce, that’s honey add-in, or honey ace! I just renamed that, it is good!” Williams said after a sip.

If you’d like to try the concoction for yourself, find our rendition below. We’ve assumed that Williams kept all the ingredients of the cocktail intact except for the addition of vodka. Be wary, however, as the cocktail is far from a budget-friendly alternative; Cincoro Blanco costs around $50 more than a standard bottle of Grey Goose. Still a better deal than what you’d get at the game.

The Serena Williams’ Honey Deuce

Ingredients

• 1 oz Cincoro Blanco
• 3 oz Fresh Lemonade
• 1/2 oz Chambord Raspberry Liqueur
• 3 Honeydew Melon balls

Directions

1. Fill a chilled highball glass with cubed ice and tequila.
2. Top with fresh lemonade and raspberry liqueur.
3. Garnish with a skewer of frozen honeydew melon balls.
4. Cheers!

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