Broadcasters of the U.S. Open have reportedly been instructed to censor fan reactions to President Donald Trump attending the men’s singles final on Sunday, September 7.
At 2 p.m. ET, Jannik Sinner will face off against Carlos Alcaraz at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City. Trump is expected to attend as a guest of Rolex — and an email sent to broadcasters like ESPN and Sky Sports revealed what that coverage will look like.
“With respect to Broadcast Coverage, the President will be shown on the World Feed and the Ashe Court Feed during the opening anthem ceremony,” the email from the United States Tennis Association read, per the Daily Mail.
The memo added, per The New York Times, “We ask all broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity.”
USTA spokesman Brendan McIntyre told The Athletic, “We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions.”
On Friday, Alcaraz, a Spanish tennis player, responded to a question about Trump attending his match against Sinner. “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,” he told reporters. “For me, playing in front of him … to be honest, I will try not to think about it. I don’t want myself to be nervous because of it.”
Alcaraz added, “But I think attending the tennis match, it’s great for tennis to have the president into the final.”
In 2015, Trump attended the U.S. Open, where he was greeted with loud booing amid his Republican frontrunner status ahead of the 2016 presidential run. The POTUS watched Serena Williams defeat her sister, Venus Williams, at the time. Sunday’s attendance will mark the first time Trump, 79, has attended the U.S. Open since then.
Trump also attended Super Bowl LIX in February 2025, becoming the first U.S. president to attend a Super Bowl. Upon his arrival, the POTUS was received with a mix of booing and cheering, NPR reported.