President Donald Trump arrived at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday for the U.S. Open men’s final against Italy’s Jannik Sinner and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, drawing a predominantly negative response from the crowd in attendance, according to CNN reporting from the scene.
While some cheers were heard, the overwhelming reaction to Trump’s fist pumps and waves were jeers and boos from tennis fans.
Enhanced security measures for the presidential visit resulted in a 30-minute delay to the match start time and created entry delays for spectators attempting to enter the stadium.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Sunday for comment.
Why It Matters
The president made his first visit to the Grand Slam tennis event in New York since 2015. Prior to the launch of his political career, he attended the event regularly. This outing follows many that the president has made to sporting events since he returned to office in January.
In February, Trump became the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl, and he has also attended UFC fights in Miami and Newark, New Jersey, as well as the opening of the LIV Golf League in Miami, among other popular sporting events.
Both Trump and his Vice President JD Vance have previously faced protests, boos and jeers during public appearances.
What To Know
CNN reported that Trump stood outside the suite hosting the U.S. Open trophy, waving to the sparse crowd and pumping his fist several times before retreating back into the suite area.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) took the unusual step of issuing guidance to broadcasters regarding coverage of Trump’s attendance.
According to a memo first obtained by tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg’s Substack publication “Bounces,” organizers specifically requested that networks “refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity.” The directive extends to electronic news gathering coverage beyond the official broadcast feeds.
In a statement sent to Newsweek via email, a spokesperson for the USTA said “We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions.”
The memo also stated that the president will be shown on the World and Ashe Court Feeds during the opening anthem ceremony.
Trump is seated in a suite sponsored by Rolex as he attends the match, as per The Associated Press, who cited a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Elsa/Getty Images
What People Are Saying
The memo, first obtained by Bounces and reported on by multiple outlets, reportedly reads: “With respect to Broadcast Coverage, the President will be shown on the World Feed and the Ashe Court Feed during the opening anthem ceremony. We ask all broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity, including ENG [Electronic News Gathering] coverage.”
Carlos Alcaraz, responding to a question from a journalist about President Donald Trump attending, “It is a privilege for the tournaments, having a president…to support the tournaments, to support tennis, to support the match, for me playing in front of him, so er, to be honest I will try not to be focused, I will try not to think about it, I don’t want myself to be nervous because of it…It’s great for tennis to have the president into the final.”
Republicans Against on Trump’s reaction to the USTA’s guidance on X: “The US Open sent an email to broadcasters instructing them to censor any crowd reactions or protests during Trump’s appearance. Trump is about to face the loudest boos of his life.”
Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Update 9/7/25, 2:58 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and headline change.
