Crowd’s reaction to Trump overshadows the US Open preparation
Donald Trump was met with a mixture of boos and cheers as he attended the thrilling US Open men’s singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on Sunday.
The US President decided to avoid the tournament for the last decade after receiving a frosty reception during a quarter-final contest back in 2015.
But Trump’s attendance was officially confirmed in the hours leading up to Alcaraz’s 2-6 6-3 1-6 4-6 triumph over Sinner, in what was a repeat of this year’s Wimbledon and French Open finals.
The 79-year-old’s presence in New York meant the start of the match had to be delayed by nearly an hour to put the necessary security measures in place.
Thousands of panicked fans were still waiting outside Arthur Ashe Stadium as the start time approached, with pictures showing long queues snaking around the famous 23,000-seater arena.
In the build-up to the final, organisers of the US Open called on broadcasters, including Sky Sports and ESPN, to avoid showing any negative reaction towards Trump during their coverage.
‘Refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity,’ an email from the United States Tennis Association (USTA) read.
But loud boos and jeers could clearly be heard as Trump left his private box to greet the few supporters that managed to enter the stadium before the action eventually began.
Boos also rang out when Trump was shown on the big screen during a short break in play after Alcaraz took the first set.
Trump received a similar reaction when he attended the Club World Cup final back in July, when he bizarrely gatecrashed Chelsea’s trophy lift following the side’s defeat of Paris Saint-Germain.
A noted lover of sports, Trump also made the trip to New Orleans to watch Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX victory over Kansas City Chiefs in February.
Ooh, #USOpen just showed Trump on screen again during this set break and there was loud, clear booing this time. pic.twitter.com/DYXmHvGEwq
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) September 7, 2025
Never seen anything like this at a tennis event. This is the queue to get into Arthur Ashe after security was ramped up for president Trump’s visit. The match is due to start in 22 minutes, already a half-hour delay pic.twitter.com/1YC3AxlkwD
— Matthew Lambwell (@matthewrlambert) September 7, 2025
Despite Trump’s mixed reception among tennis fans, Alcaraz insisted it would be a ‘privilege’ to have the president in the crowd for his final against Sinner.
‘I think that it is a privilege for the tournaments to have the president from every country just to support the tournament, support tennis, and support the match,’ the Spaniard told reporters after his semi-final win over four-time champion Novak Djokovic.
‘For me, playing in front of him… I will try not to think about it.
‘I don’t want myself to be nervous because of it, but I think attending the tennis match, it’s great for tennis to have the president at the final.
‘But on Sunday, my job is to play my best tennis and not let anything else get in the way.’
The stars were out for Sunday’s final in New York, with the likes of Pep Guardiola, Danny DeVito, Lindsay Lohan, and Ben Stiller also pictured in the crowd to watch Alcaraz replace Sinner at the top of the world rankings.
‘To my team and family, I’m lucky to have you guys, Honoured to be honest,’ Alcaraz told Jim Courier as he was presented with the trophy.
‘That’s for all the hard work you do to make me even better, not only in the professional part but also the personal part as well.
‘I’m really proud of the people I have around. Thank you very much. Every achievement I have is because of you.
‘This one is also yours. I’m really lucky to have part of my family here. My brother, uncle, father, mother… my little brothers are at home watching as well. The support I’m receiving from you is great.’
Alcaraz’s second US Open win – the sixth Grand Slam triumph of his career – came 24 hours after Aryna Sabalenka beat Amanda Anisimova with a 6-3 7-6 (7-3) to successfully defend the title she won in 2024.
World Affairs Correspondent
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
