Security checks related the US President's attendance caused confusion and slowed entry to the iconic event
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Donald Trump was booed by tennis fans as he attended the US Open, where the match start time had been delayed due to enhanced security checks.
An ABC television broadcast showed the President stepping out of a box seat to wave to the still-sparse crowd, but did not include crowd audio.
Cheers and boos were audible during the ESPN feed of a later Trump appearance before the start of the event.
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In footage shared on social media, the crowd could be heard booing loudly when the President appeared on screens.
Speaking to reporters after flying back to Washington on Sunday, Trump said he “loved” attending the match and praised both players’ “unbelievable talent”.
“The fans were really nice. I didn’t know what to expect,” he added.
“Usually you would say that would be a somewhat ‘progressive’, as they say nowadays, crowd.”
Fans waited in long lines, some for well over an hour, outside Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, the largest tennis venue in the world with a nearly 24,000-person capacity.
US Secret Service and other federal security officers checked bags and ushered fans through metal detectors.
Some attendees who were still outside booed as the match between rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner kicked off.
Donald Trump appears on a screen during the US Open men’s singles final at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre (Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty)
Some fans blamed Trump for the delays.
Kevin, a Brooklyn man employed by a private equity firm, told the Reuters news agency he had waited an hour and 15 minutes and still had not reached the entrance.
“One-hundred percent him. Very selfish. I would expect someone like that to have a little bit more grace to know that an event like this would be held up for him being here, especially in a city that hates him,” he said.
A Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement: “We recognise that enhanced security for the US President’s visit to the US Open may have contributed to delays for attendees. We sincerely thank every fan for their patience and understanding.”
Strict security measures are standard for any public event that the US president attends, regardless of party affiliation or popularity.
Trump’s approval rating stood at 40 per cent in late July and mid-August, Reuters/Ipsos polls found, the lowest of his presidency.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) had asked broadcasters to remove any reaction to Trump, according to reports over the weekend.
A USTA spokesperson told Reuters the association regularly asked broadcasters “to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions”.
Ok_Employer7837 on September 8th, 2025 at 12:24 UTC »
"An ABC television broadcast showed Trump stepping out of a box seat to wave to the still-sparse crowd, but did not include crowd audio."
Top marks for bravery there, ABC.
Ok_Juice4449 on September 8th, 2025 at 11:47 UTC »
Did he steal the trophy?
redditknees on September 8th, 2025 at 11:29 UTC »
You can blame Rolex for causing thousands of people to be delayed getting through their security due to inviting him to the Rolex box. It’s not just Trump who should be vilified. The elite are licking his boots.