President Donald Trump is continuing his sporting tour of some of the biggest events in the country. Add the U.S. Open tennis championships to a list that includes the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, an MMA match and the FIFA Club World Cup.
What was the reaction to Trump’s visit?
Like most of the president’s appearances, the reaction at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in New York on Sunday was mixed, but what fans experienced in person didn’t always match what the fans at home saw.
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Trump heard some boos and a few cheers when he arrived before the final match between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. The match began more than half an hour late due to logistical challenges in accommodating Trump’s entourage and increased security as fans filed into the venue.
Journalist Ben Rothenberg reported Saturday that the United States Tennis Association (USTA) asked broadcasters in a memo not to show reactions to Trump. “We ask all broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity,” the USTA wrote.
Did the White House ask the USTA to censor the reactions?
ESPN and ABC didn’t completely follow that directive. The networks showed Trump during the national anthem, when there were some boos, but they did not linger for long.
The loudest boos came after the first set when Trump was shown on the video board. He mouthed the words “thank you” afterward, but none of that was shown to the viewing audience at home because the match was on a commercial break.
The White House said it didn’t ask the USTA to censor reactions, and a USTA spokesperson later told reporters that they regularly ask broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions. Trump seemed pleased with the crowd reaction when he spoke to reporters after landing at Andrews Air Force Base Sunday evening.
“The fans were really nice,” Trump said. “I didn’t know what to expect. Usually, you would say that would be a somewhat progressive, as they say nowadays, crowd. Sometimes, some people would call it liberal, but we’ll use the word they like to use, progressive, but they were great. The fans were great.”
Who won the US Open championship?
Alcaraz beat Sinner in four sets to win his second major title at Flushing Meadows and the sixth Grand Slam title. He avenges a loss to Sinner at Wimbledon. Between them, the two stars have split all eight major championship wins in the last two seasons.
Alcaraz was asked about the president’s scheduled appearance before the match.
“It is a privilege for the tournaments, having the president from every country just to support the tournament, to support tennis, and to support the match,” Alcaraz said. “It’s great for tennis to have the president at the final.”
Alcaraz took over the number one ranking from Sinner with his win on Sunday. Trump was impressed by the showing from both players.
“First of all, the two players have unbelievable talent,” Trump said. “It just seemed that they hit the ball harder than I’ve ever seen before. Incredible talent, and I enjoyed it. And used to go all the time, but you know, lately it’s a little bit more difficult to go.”
Trump was a guest of Rolex CEO Jean-Frederic Dufour. It was his first appearance at the Grand Slam tournament since 2015, when he was a candidate for president.
Trump was a frequent attendee of the U.S. Open in the years before. He had a suite at the tournament for nearly two decades but gave it up in 2017 during his first term in office.
No word on the next sporting event Trump will attend, but he is scheduled to help announce the FIFA World Cup draw in December at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
