On Sunday, Donald Trump will become the first sitting U.S. president to attend the U.S. Open since 2000, where he’ll get to witness the epic men’s final showdown between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
While Trump has attended several sports events as President, he usually does so in places where he’s likely to receive a warm welcome. That might not be the case when he shows up in New York City’s Queens borough. In fact, the last time he attended the event, to watch a 2015 match between Venus and Serena Williams, he was unmistakably booed by the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Friday, Ben Rothenberg reported in his Tennis newsletter, Bounces, that Trump was attending as a guest of Swiss watchmaker Rolex, which has a suite inside Arthur Ashe Stadium for the tournament. He also noted that the U.S. Open emailed credentialed media about “enhanced security measures” to expect on Sunday.
On Saturday, Rothenberg reported that, according to an internal email sent by the U.S. Tennis Association leadership to U.S. Open broadcasters, broadcasters should censor any possible protests or other reactions to Trump’s presence at the men’s final.
“With respect to Broadcast Coverage, the President will be shown on the World Feed and the Ashe Court Feed during the opening anthem ceremony,” reads the email obtained by Bounces. “We ask all broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity, including ENG [Electronic News Gathering] coverage.”
Per Bounces, the USTA plans to show Trump during the anthem, a time when there will be plenty of noise to drown out any potential boos. The email sent to broadcasters also included an attachment to the USTA’s US Open social media policy, as well as “talking points and additional facts regarding the President’s visit.” However, the only attached talking point was a generic statement that “President Trump is planning to watch the US Open Men’s Singles Final from a suite as a sponsor guest.”
You can be sure that all eyes (and ears) will be on how ABC and ESPN present Trump before, during, and after the men’s final, and whether they adhere to the USTA’s preferences. Also, there’s sure to be plenty of analysis on any boos that reign down during his appearance and just how boisterous they might be.
Broadcast coverage of the men’s championship between Alcaraz and Sinner begins at 2 p.m. ET on ABC.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.