Trump’s Arrival Delays US Open Final, Fans Left Waiting Outside
The men’s final at the 2025 US Open in New York was supposed to begin at 2:00 p.m. local time, with tennis fans around the world eagerly anticipating another thrilling showdown between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. But instead of the usual electric buzz filling Arthur Ashe Stadium, spectators were stuck outside in long, winding lines, their excitement giving way to frustration. The reason? Extra layers of security that had been put in place for President Donald Trump’s arrival.
For the first time since 2015, Trump was spotted at Flushing Meadows. His presence meant airport-style scanners, bag checks, and long waits just to get through the gates. Organizers announced that the start time would be pushed back by 30 minutes to give fans more time to make it to their seats. Even with the delay, though, the stadium was noticeably sparse when the players first walked out. By the time Sinner finally served to get the match underway at 2:50 p.m., many seats remained empty.
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Trump appeared around 1:45 p.m., emerging from a hospitality suite to wave at the crowd. His arrival was met with a mix of cheers and boos, a reaction that played out again later when his image flashed on the big screen. He took his seat in the Rolex box with members of his Cabinet, family, and close aides. Organizers had even instructed broadcasters ahead of time not to highlight any negative crowd responses.
Outside the gates, however, fans weren’t hiding their displeasure. Some had paid thousands of dollars for tickets only to be stranded in lines stretching across the tennis center. Security scanners required everyone to empty pockets, step through detectors, and be searched if alarms went off. Martina Navratilova, watching from the broadcast booth, sympathized with those waiting in the drizzle, calling it “a shame” that such few entrances were available for such a massive crowd.
Spectators who eventually made it in described the scene as chaotic. One woman said she had been waiting nearly four hours between traffic jams and security bottlenecks. By the time she reached her seat, the match was already well underway. She wasn’t alone—thousands missed large chunks of play in what was billed as one of the most anticipated finals of the year.
Inside the stadium, Alcaraz and Sinner battled through shifting momentum, but the buzz surrounding the actual tennis was dampened by the distraction of empty stands and grumbling fans. As thrilling as the action on court became, the talk outside was just as much about politics, security, and inconvenience as it was about forehands and drop shots.
So instead of the spotlight shining fully on Alcaraz and Sinner, it was shared—willingly or not—with Donald Trump’s high-security return to Flushing Meadows. For many who came to watch tennis history, it became a day remembered just as much for delays, lines, and empty seats as for the brilliance on court.
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