Moments before the highly anticipated US Open men’s final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, Donald Trump was shown on the stadium screen saluting during the national anthem. The gesture, which stood out as no other attendees were saluting, prompted a wave of boos from the crowd, with a few claps scattered throughout Arthur Ashe Stadium. The reaction was immediate and polarized, with many spectators visibly surprised by the gesture.

Crowd response and social media buzz

The salute quickly became a trending topic online, as users debated its meaning and appropriateness. Some viewed it as a patriotic act, while others criticized it as performative or out of place given the setting. The fact that Trump was the only person saluting added to the confusion, especially as most attendees followed the traditional custom of standing with hands over hearts.

Delays and empty seats dampen atmosphere

The stadium was noticeably half empty when the anthem played, largely due to extended security checks at the entrances. Fans faced long lines and slow-moving queues, which delayed their arrival and led to a subdued atmosphere during the opening moments of the event. Organizers pushed the match start time back by 30 minutes to accommodate the delays, but many seats remained unfilled well into the first set.

Spotlight shifts from tennis to spectacle

While the final between Sinner and Alcaraz was expected to be a showcase of elite tennis, much of the early attention shifted to Trump’s presence and the crowd’s reaction. The moment added an unexpected layer of spectacle to the event, overshadowing the players’ entrance and the ceremonial proceedings. As the match progressed, focus gradually returned to the court, but the incident lingered in post-match discussions and media coverage.

Sinner at the U.S. Open, ranking, and results in 2025

Currently ranked no.1, the Italian achieved an overall 37-4 win-loss record in 2025. Jannik is now playing at the U.S. Open where he beat the world no.89 Vit Kopriva 6-1 6-1 6-2, the world no.36 Alexei Popyrin 6-3 6-2 6-2, the world no.29 Denis Shapovalov 5-7 6-4 6-3 6-3, the world no.24 Alexander Bublik 6-1 6-1 6-1, the world no.10 Lorenzo Musetti 6-1 6-4 6-2 and the world no.27 Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4.

Jannik Sinner will play the world no.2 Carlos Alcaraz in the final on Sunday at 2:00 pm on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Their actual record is 10-5 for Alcaraz.

The Italian clinched 2 titles in 2025 at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Jannik was the finalist in Rome (Internazionali BNL d’Italia), at the French Open and in Cincinnati (Cincinnati Open).

Jannik won 21 titles in his career: 10 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts, 8 on indoor courts and 2 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)

He is also scheduled to play in Shanghai (Shanghai Rolex Masters)

after Beijing. The main draw will start on the 25th of September.

Alcaraz at the U.S. Open, ranking, and results in 2025

Now the world no.2, the Spaniard has an overall 60-6 record in 2025. Alcaraz is currently playing at the U.S. Open where he toppled the world no.67 Reilly Opelka 6-4 7-5 6-4, the world no.65 Mattia Bellucci 6-1 6-0 6-3, the world no.34 Luciano Darderi 6-2 6-4 6-0, the world no.82 Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(3) 6-3 6-4, the world no.21 Jiri Lehecka 6-4 6-2 6-4 and the world no.7 Novak Djokovic 6-4 7-6(4) 6-2.

Carlos Alcaraz will compete against the world no.1 Jannik Sinner in the final on Sunday at 2:00 pm on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Their head to head is 10-5 for Alcaraz.

Carlos conquered 6 titles in 2025 in Rotterdam, Monte-Carlo, Rome, French Open, London and Cincinnati. The Spaniard got to the final in Barcelona (Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell) and in Wimbledon.

Alcaraz won 23 titles in his career: 6 on hard courts, 11 on clay courts, 2 on indoor courts and 4 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)

He is also scheduled to play in Tokyo (Japan Open Tennis Championships) on the 24th of September and Shanghai (Shanghai Rolex Masters) on the 1st of October.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz faced off 15 times. The head to head is 10-5 for Alcaraz.