ATP WTA US Open 8/24 - 9/7 2025

[ti-amie]

U.S. Open Orders Broadcasters to Censor Reactions to Trump
An email obtained by Bounces includes instructions from the U.S. Open on supporting Trump's planned stagecraft during the National Anthem.
Ben Rothenberg
Sep 06, 2025

NEW YORK — Following up on the earlier news first reported by Bounces about Rolex’s invitation, I have further new information to report about the planning around presenting President Donald Trump’s appearance at the U.S. Open.

An internal email sent by the U.S. Tennis Association leadership to U.S. Open broadcasters, obtained by Bounces, requested that broadcasters censor any possible protests or other reactions to President Donald Trump’s presence at Sunday’s U.S. Open men’s final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

Here’s the key text from the USTA email obtained by Bounces:

“With respect to Broadcast Coverage, the President will be shown on the World Feed and the Ashe Court Feed during the opening anthem ceremony. We ask all broadcasters 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’s plan to show Trump during the anthem, one of the noisiest and bombastic portions of Sunday’s events, is already an effective way to insulate Trump from likely booing. But the preemptive instructions outlined by the USTA in this email—asking broadcasters to censor and avoid any possible protest or negative crowd reaction to Trump for television audiences watching around the world—is further complicity in broadcasting Trump’s desired stagecraft for his first appearance at the U.S. Open in a decade.

The email also attached the USTA’s US Open social media policy, as well as “talking points and additional facts regarding the President’s visit.” The only attached “talking point,” however, was just a statement that “President Trump is planning to watch the US Open Men’s Singles Final from a suite as a sponsor guest.”

As previously first reported on Bounces, that unnamed sponsor is Rolex, the Swiss watchmaker which may be looking to curry favor with Trump during his visit to their luxury suite in hopes of lowering the high tariffs he has imposed on imports from Switzerland.

(Rolex PR has still not replied to Bounces’ inquiry about its motivations for inviting Trump to its U.S. Open suite.)

“We appreciate your understanding and cooperation,” the USTA email to broadcast personnel concludes, adding that any further questions can be brought either to the USTA Television’s managing director Patti Fallick or director of broadcasting Dayna Navatta.

If the crowd reacts anything like they did when Trump last appeared at the U.S. Open 10 years ago, he will be boisterously booed.

Though Trump being shown on the large video screens around Ashe would make for the most obvious occasion for booing or other dissent to erupt, U.S. Open attendees are also capable of chanting or booing in protest of Trump at other times of the match, which may be unavoidable for broadcasters to successfully censor if they cause any significant disruption to the match.

https://www.benrothenberg.com/p/us-open ... os-alcaraz

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[ti-amie]

It goes the same way as the French Open final this year. Granollers and Zeballos saved 3 match points in the third set. It's their second major title of the year and of their careers

[ashkor87]

there will be significant disruptions, I expect - but not much the tournament could have done about it - they are not the ones who invited him.

[dave g]

It will be interesting to see if Rolex gets booed.

[ponchi101]

It will be interesting to see if Rolex's sales will be affected.
I gather I am switching to Omega.
(Wait. I don't have the money... )

[ti-amie]

2025 US Open
Date August 24[a] – September 7
Edition 145th
Category Grand Slam (ITF)
Draw 128S/64D
Prize money $90,000,000
Surface Hard
Location New York City, United States
Venue USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center

Champions

Men's singles
Spain Carlos Alcaraz
Women's singles
Aryna Sabalenka
Men's doubles
Spain Marcel Granollers / Argentina Horacio Zeballos
Women's doubles
Canada Gabriela Dabrowski / New Zealand Erin Routliffe
Mixed doubles
Italy Sara Errani / Italy Andrea Vavassori
Wheelchair men's singles
Japan Tokito Oda
Wheelchair women's singles
Japan Yui Kamiji
Wheelchair quad singles
Netherlands Niels Vink
Wheelchair men's doubles
Argentina Gustavo Fernández / Japan Tokito Oda
Wheelchair women's doubles
China Li Xiaohui / China Wang Ziying
Wheelchair quad doubles
Israel Guy Sasson / Netherlands Niels Vink
Boys' singles
Bulgaria Ivan Ivanov
Girls' singles
Belgium Jeline Vandromme
Boys' doubles
United States Keaton Hance / United States Jack Kennedy
Girls' doubles
Czech Republic Alena Kovačková / Czech Republic Jana Kovačková
Wheelchair Boys' singles
Austria Maximilian Taucher
Wheelchair Girls' singles
United States Sabina Czauz
Wheelchair Boys' doubles
United Kingdom Ruben Harris / Austria Maximilian Taucher
Wheelchair Girls' doubles
United States Sabina Czauz / Japan Seira Matsuoka

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[JTContinental]

Both ABC and ESPN mentioned the booing, so I guess repressive gag orders are still met with a resounding FU here, mock dictatorship or not.