President Donald Trump was greeted with a mix of cheers and boos on his arrival at the U.S. Open final on Sunday, with the majority of the stadium seats empty and match start time delayed due to enhanced security checks.
An ABC television broadcast showed Trump stepping out of a box seat to wave to the still-sparse crowd but did not include crowd audio.
The United States Tennis Association had asked broadcasters to remove any reaction to Trump, according to reports over the weekend.
A USTA spokesperson told Reuters the association regularly asked broadcasters “to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions.”
The match start time, originally set for 2 p.m. ET (1800 GMT), was delayed by 30 minutes due to security checks announced U.S. Open organizers, about a half hour before it was set to begin.
“As a result of the security measures in place, and to ensure that fans have additional time to get to their seats, we have pushed the start time of today’s match to 2:30 p.m. ET,” the tournament organizers said in a statement.
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 U.S. society.
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In February, weeks after taking office, he issued an executive order that sought to ban transgender women and girls from female sports.
Supporters said it would restore fairness but critics said it infringed on the rights of a tiny minority.
Over the summer, Trump pressured the Washington Commanders football team to return to its former name of the Redskins, a moniker that critics said was a racist portrayal of Native Americans.
Trump’s approval rating stood at 40% in late July and mid-August, according to polls from Reuters and Ipsos, the lowest of his presidency.
On all policies, Trump’s support came overwhelmingly from Republicans, raising questions about how he could be received in New York, which is a Democratic stronghold.
In front of Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, the sport’s largest venue in the world by capacity, Secret Service and other federal security officers checked bags and ushered attendees through metal detectors before the championship match between rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner began.
Visitors of the tennis center shared mixed feelings about Trump being expected to attend.
Dave, a banker from New York City who refused to give his last name, said he felt “not particularly well” about Trump’s visit.
“I couldn’t care less if he comes or not. Why not particularly well? I’m not a fan in the least bit. Who is? He’s a convicted felon,” he said.
Some visitors, however, were not bothered by his presence.
“He can go wherever he wants and attend a match if he wants to,” said Karen Stark, a retired tennis fan, who traveled for the final from Michigan.
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 taking office in January.
He went to the Super Bowl in February, receiving cheers and boos from the crowd, and has attended Ultimate Fighting Championship duels.
