President Donald Trump made a high-profile appearance at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday for the U.S. Open men’s final between Italy’s Jannik Sinner and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, but his visit drew a largely negative response from the crowd, CNN reports.
While a few cheers were audible, the dominant reaction to Trump’s fist pumps and waves was a chorus of boos and jeers from tennis fans.
Heightened security for the presidential visit caused a 30-minute delay to the start of the match and created long lines for fans trying to enter the stadium. Newsweek reached out to the White House via email Sunday for comment.
Why It Matters
This marked Trump’s first visit to the U.S. Open since 2015. Before entering politics, he regularly attended the Grand Slam in New York. Since returning to office in January, the president has made several high-profile appearances at sporting events, including becoming the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl in February, UFC fights in Miami and Newark, New Jersey, and the launch of the LIV Golf League in Miami.
Both Trump and Vice President JD Vance have previously encountered protests, boos, and jeers during public events.
.@realDonaldTrump appears briefly before the not yet crowded stadium at the @usopen and is greeted with cheers and boos. pic.twitter.com/EgGyeicWxS
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) September 7, 2025
What to Know
CNN reported that Trump stood outside the suite holding the U.S. Open trophy, waving to the small crowd and pumping his fist several times before retreating indoors.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) issued an unusual memo to broadcasters regarding coverage of the president’s attendance. Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg first obtained the memo on his Substack, Bounces. It requested networks “refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity,” including electronic news gathering beyond the official broadcast feeds.
A USTA spokesperson told Newsweek via email, “We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions.” The memo also confirmed that Trump would be shown during the opening anthem on the World and Ashe Court Feeds.
Trump watched the match from a Rolex-sponsored suite, according to a source who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
What People Are Saying
The memo instructed broadcasters: “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, when asked about Trump’s attendance, said: “It is a privilege for the tournament to have a president… to support the tournaments, to support tennis, to support the match. For me, playing in front of him, I will try not to focus on it or get nervous… It’s great for tennis to have the president at the final.”
Some Republicans reacted on X to the USTA’s guidance, with one commenting, “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.”
