President Donald Trump drew a mixed reception of boos and cheers from spectators at the U.S. Open men’s final on Sunday, September 7, 2025, marking his first appearance at the tennis tournament in nearly a decade. The president’s attendance at Arthur Ashe Stadium caused significant delays and security disruptions for the championship match between Italy’s Jannik Sinner and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.
Trump arrived at the Queens venue around 1:45 p.m., approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled 2:00 p.m. start time. When shown on the jumbotron during the national anthem, the president stood in salute and received what multiple sources described as an audible cascade of boos mixed with some applause from the crowd.
Enhanced security measures for the presidential visit resulted in substantial entry delays for spectators. Fans faced long lines through metal detectors and bag screenings conducted by Secret Service and federal security officers. The heightened security forced organizers to push back the match start time by approximately 30 minutes, with play finally beginning around 2:48 p.m.
The stadium remained half-empty well into the first set due to the security bottlenecks. One attendee from Brooklyn working in private equity told reporters he waited 1.5 hours and blamed Trump for the delay, calling it “very selfish.” A Secret Service spokesperson acknowledged that protecting the president required comprehensive security measures that may have contributed to delays for attendees.
Trump attended as a guest of Rolex in the luxury watchmaker’s private suite, despite having recently imposed a 39 percent tariff on Swiss products. The president was accompanied by several high-ranking officials including Attorney General Pam Bondi, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. His son-in-law Jared Kushner and granddaughter Arabella Kushner also attended.
The crowd’s reaction to Trump became more pronounced during the match. When he appeared on the video boards after Alcaraz won the first set, spectators responded with what witnesses described as near-deafening derision, though some individuals throughout the stadium could be seen standing and applauding. Camera operators lingered on Trump as the jeers continued, and the president displayed a smirk with pursed lips in response.
The United States Tennis Association had proactively sent a memo to media partners requesting they avoid showcasing crowd reactions to Trump’s attendance. The organization asked all broadcasters to refrain from showing any disruptions or reactions in response to the president’s presence, including electronic news gathering coverage. A USTA spokesperson indicated the association regularly requests that off-court disruptions not be highlighted during broadcasts.
Despite the censorship request, ABC’s telecast briefly captured the crowd’s reaction during the national anthem. ESPN’s coverage also included audible crowd responses when Trump appeared on screen during the match.
Trump’s last U.S. Open appearance was in September 2015 during his first presidential campaign, when he was also loudly booed while attending a quarterfinals match between Serena and Venus Williams. At that time, he was shown on the Arthur Ashe Stadium jumbotron and received what observers described as deafening boos, while other celebrities in attendance received enthusiastic applause.
Sunday’s match featured other prominent attendees who received more favorable crowd reactions. Bruce Springsteen drew enthusiastic cheers when cameras showed him, with his song “Dancing in the Dark” playing over the speakers. Other celebrities in attendance included actors Danny DeVito and Ben Stiller, musicians Sting and Shaggy, and television producer Shonda Rhimes.
Tennis player Carlos Alcaraz had expressed before the match that having a president attend would be a privilege and beneficial for tennis. He indicated he would try not to let Trump’s presence make him nervous during the championship. Alcaraz ultimately defeated Sinner in the final.
After returning to Washington, Trump told reporters he loved attending the match and praised both players’ talent. He sarcastically commented that the fans were really nice and noted he didn’t know what to expect from what he characterized as a somewhat progressive crowd.
The U.S. Open appearance continues Trump’s pattern of attending major sporting events since returning to office in January 2025. He has attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the Daytona 500, UFC fights in Miami and Newark, New Jersey, NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia, and the FIFA Club World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, receiving mixed reactions at each venue.
