Television networks set to carry Sunday’s U.S. Open men’s singles final were reportedly asked not to show any boos or cheers aimed at President Donald Trump when he appears during the opening-anthem ceremony.
Bounces, a tennis-focused Substack, first reported that the U.S. Tennis Association sent a message to broadcasters saying the president “will be shown on the World Feed and the Ashe Court Feed during the opening anthem ceremony,” and asking networks “to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity, including ENG [Electronic News Gathering] coverage.”
The USTA told reporters it regularly asks broadcasters to avoid showing disruptions off the court. The men’s final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz is scheduled to air on ESPN in the United States, and the network planned to show and acknowledge Trump’s presence while covering the match as usual.
The directive, as described in the report, applied to the World Feed and the Ashe Court feed and extended to ENG coverage, which would limit the off-court reactions broadcasters might otherwise cut to during live telecasts. The USTA’s statement framed the guidance as a routine request aimed at keeping focus on on-court play and avoiding off-court disruptions.
Trump has attended the U.S. Open multiple times in the past, including appearances during the tournament in 2013 and 2015. He has also been a visible presence at other sporting events this year, attending several UFC events and visiting an NFL game while on the campaign trail. Organizers and broadcasters have previously coordinated on which camera feeds and cutaways are used during high-profile events to manage coverage priorities and maintain the focus on competition.
ESPN’s planned coverage of the match is expected to follow standard practice for major events, showing the ceremony and any in-stadium moments deemed relevant to viewers. The USTA’s reported guidance came as the men’s final—featuring two of the tour’s top players—drew attention both for the competition and for the prospect of prominent attendees in the stands.
The president’s schedule this month included additional public sporting appearances. He was reported to be planning to attend a New York Yankees game the following week and said he planned to attend the Ryder Cup later in the month. Photographs from some past events have shown interactions between Trump and figures in the tennis world, and his presence at marquee sporting events has occasionally drawn audible reactions from crowds.
Event organizers and broadcasters did not provide further detail on enforcement of the guidance or whether any additional instructions had been issued to production teams. The USTA’s comment that it commonly requests avoiding off-court disruptions echoed standard broadcaster-organizer coordination used at major sports venues, according to the association’s statement.