No. 1 Jannik Sinner and No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz have started the U.S. Open men’s final on Sunday after a delay of more than a half-hour because of extra security measures in place with President Donald Trump in a suite at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Increased security checks at entrances to the grounds and, separately, to get into the arena’s building itself caused the U.S. Tennis Association to push back the final “to ensure that fans have additional time to get to their seats.”
When the first point was played, the 24,000-capacity arena was only about two-thirds full, while thousands of fans still were standing on the plaza outside Ashe, waiting in line to enter.
Trump is the first sitting president to attend the tournament at Flushing Meadows since Bill Clinton in 2000.
Sinner, a 24-year-old from Italy, is trying to become the first repeat men’s champion at Flushing Meadows since Roger Federer won five championships in a row there from 2004 through 2008.
