Sunday’s US Open men’s final was unexpectedly delayed as heightened security for Donald Trump‘s arrival forced organizers to push back the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
The contest, originally slated to begin at 2 p.m. local time, was rescheduled to 2:30 p.m., though fans still faced massive entry lines even minutes before the revised start.
Attendees at Arthur Ashe Stadium were required to empty pockets and pass through airport-style scanners, creating lengthy queues and nearly empty stands just before the match.
Trump was seen arriving at LaGuardia Airport via Air Force One and made his way into the stadium roughly 40 minutes before the delayed kickoff. This marked Trump‘s first US Open appearance since 2015.
A US Open insider told the Daily Mail that tournament organizers coordinated with intelligence agencies to prepare for potential threats, including nerve agents.
“We’ve been scoping out the area with our colleagues in the CIA and taking precautions in the event of an attack using chemical weapons or nerve agents,” the insider said. These steps were precautionary and were not linked to any specific threat against the former president.
Players and spectators react to presidential presence
Ahead of the match, Alcaraz commented on the unusual circumstance of playing in front of a former president.
“It is a privilege for the tournaments having the president from every country… to support the tournament, to support tennis, and to support the match,” he said. “For me, playing in front of him… to be honest, I will try not to think about it. I don’t want… to be nervous because of it. But I think… it’s great for tennis to have the president into the final.”
Among other high-profile attendees were former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Trump critic George Conway, the ex-husband of former spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway.
Though Trump was not officially invited by the US Open, he attended as a guest of major sponsor Rolex, despite a recent 39 percent Swiss tariff imposed by his administration.
The tournament also took preemptive measures for media coverage, instructing broadcasters, including ESPN and Sky Sports, to avoid showing any protests or reactions to Trump‘s attendance.
“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,” the email stated.
Trump‘s presence at the US Open is part of a broader pattern of sports appearances in his second term.
Earlier this year, he attended the Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs and several UFC events, with plans to host a fight card on the White House lawn next year.
Four days after the US Open, he is scheduled to visit Yankee Stadium on September 11 and will also appear at the Ryder Cup in Bethpage, New York on September 26.
The Alcaraz-Sinner final, though delayed and overshadowed by presidential security, proceeded under strict supervision, highlighting the complex intersection of sports and politics in high-profile events.
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