Michelle Obama and 2 Chainz embrace at US Open — and their reunion has an unexpected backstory

Michelle Obama was back at the US Open for the first time since 2023 as she took her seat inside Arthur Ashe Stadium for the women's semifinals. The former first lady appeared relaxed as she watched the action, with photographs showing her chatting with other spectators and reacting to the matches.

For her return to the US Open, Obama wore a long-sleeved Chanel shirtdress featuring red, white and navy stripes. The collared dress featured stripes running in different directions across the design, along with a button-down front and gold-toned buttons. Obama wore her highlighted braids swept into a low bun, leaving several strands loose around her face. She accessorized with earrings and rings and completed the look with a light blue manicure. The appearance comes as Obama has continued to experiment with different designers and silhouettes during her post-White House years.

Obama's night at Arthur Ashe Stadium also included several candid moments away from the court. Obama joined a celebrity-heavy crowd for the semifinals, with Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, Deborah Roberts, Wanda Sykes, Chloë Grace Moretz, Rami Malek and Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles among the familiar faces spotted at the tournament.

She was also photographed greeting rapper 2 Chainz, who had recently appeared on 'IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson,' the podcast hosted by the former first lady and her brother. The 1-hour, 21-minute conversation saw the Grammy-winning rapper open up about growing up as an only child in College Park, Georgia, playing basketball and navigating the environment around him before building his music career. He also spoke about reconnecting with his father later in life and the grief that followed his father's death. The conversation also turned to parenting and how successful parents can prevent their children from becoming insulated from setbacks. Obama discussed deliberately telling daughters Malia and Sasha “no” despite the extraordinary privileges that came with growing up in the White House. 2 Chainz jokingly summed up the unusual circumstances surrounding the Obama daughters with two words: “Nepo babies, man.”

Marriage also produced one of the livelier exchanges of the episode. Obama praised the importance of choosing a partner who brings more to a relationship than attraction, telling listeners, “Don't pick easy. Pick someone who's going to help you win.” She turned to basketball to make her point, arguing that a strong teammate needs to possess several skills rather than excel at only one thing. Obama then offered a particularly blunt assessment, “Cute ain't going to help you when you're trying to raise good kids.” She said a partner should have “her own hustle” and confidence, even if that means she isn't always going to agree with everything her husband says.