Trump receives mixed reaction at US Open after security delays frustrate fans
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US President Donald Trump arriving at Flushing Meadows with government officials and family members to watch the men's US Open final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
- Donald Trump attended the US Open final amidst mixed reactions, with some fans unbothered and others critical due to his political views.
- Enhanced security caused a 30-minute delay to the match start, with requests to broadcasters to avoid showcasing off-court disruptions.
- Trump's past actions, such as his stance on transgender athletes and the Washington Commanders' name, fuel mixed opinions about his presence.
AI generated
NEW YORK - The US Open men’s championship match was delayed on Sept 7 and thousands of seats remained empty when it finally got under way, as security checks related to President Donald Trump’s attendance caused confusion and slowed entry to the iconic New York City event.
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 a little before 3pm.
Inside the stadium, Mr Trump was greeted by a mix of cheers and boos when he was shown on the screens.
Kevin, a Brooklyn man employed by a private equity firm, said he had waited an hour and 15 minutes and still had not reached the entrance. The man, who declined to give his last name, blamed Mr Trump for the delay.
“One hundred per cent 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 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 president attends, regardless of party affiliation or popularity.
The match start time, originally set for 2pm EDT, was pushed back by 30 minutes due to security checks, US Open organisers said shortly before it was set to begin.
A spokesperson for the United States Tennis Association, which runs the event, said the tournament had taken steps to try to mitigate any delays, including sending messages to ticket holders over the weekend urging them to arrive early and use mass transit if possible.
“We understand the frustration of fans that were delayed in their entrance to Arthur Ashe Stadium,” the spokesperson, Mr Brendan McIntyre, said in a statement.
“The added security protocols were put in place by the United States Secret Service.”
Almost all attendees appeared to have reached their seats about an hour into the match, as Sinner and Alcaraz battled in the second set. Alcaraz ended up clinching victory in the fourth set.
Mixed reaction
Speaking to reporters after flying back to Washington from New York on Sept 7, Mr 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,” Mr Trump added. “Usually you would say that would be a somewhat ‘progressive,’ as they say nowadays, crowd.”
Mr Trump, a Republican, is a sports fan who regularly voices his opinion about sports in the same way he has sought to influence or intimidate institutions throughout US society.
He has pushed to restrict transgender women from participating in women’s sports and called for the Washington Commanders football team to revert to its former name, the Redskins, a moniker that critics view as a racist portrayal of Native Americans.
Mr Trump’s approval rating stood at 40 per cent in late July and mid-August, Reuters/Ipsos polls found, the lowest of his presidency.
On all policies, Mr Trump’s support came overwhelmingly from Republicans, raising questions about how he would be received in New York, a Democratic stronghold.
Ms Maribeth Lodes, from New York City, said her ticket cost US$350 (S$450). She was in the line at 1.30pm and still had not entered an hour and a half later.
“It’s ridiculous. I think it’s totally unreasonable that they do this. It makes me even more infuriated, because, like, you know, we spent all of this money,” she said.
Some attendees, however, were fine with Mr Trump’s presence. “He can go wherever he wants and attend a match if he wants to,” said Ms Karen Stark, a retired tennis fan, who travelled to the final from Michigan.
Resale tickets to the event ranged from hundreds of dollars to more than US$20,000, according to the website SeatGeek.
The president, a regular golfer on the weekends in the Washington area or at his properties in New Jersey and Florida, has attended multiple sports events as president since returning to the White House in January.
He went to the Super Bowl in February, receiving cheers and boos from the crowd, and has attended Ultimate Fighting Championship bouts.
An ABC television broadcast showed Mr Trump stepping out of a box seat after arriving to wave to the still-sparse crowd, but it 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. REUTERS
