The noise inside Arthur Ashe Stadium felt like thunder, but it wasn’t just the tennis that had fans buzzing. Carlos Alcaraz stopped Jannik Sinner’s reign as champion, but that wasn’t the only headline.
The arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump put security on high alert, delayed the start, and had everyone talking. As the last Grand Slam of 2025 wrapped up in dramatic fashion, all eyes were on the court– and on the biggest name in the crowd.
How Did Donald Trump’s Arrival and Comments Shape the 2025 US Open Final?
The 2025 US Open men’s final wasn’t just about Carlos Alcaraz ending Jannik Sinner’s title defense. Trump’s presence amped up the spectacle.
The match started about half an hour later than planned because of security, and officials and family joined Trump: chief of staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, special envoy Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and granddaughter Arabella Kushner.
Alcaraz put together a statement performance, beating Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. He was sharp on serve, hitting 10 aces and no double faults while winning a big chunk of first-serve points. The Spaniard’s power wore down Sinner’s baseline game. Alcaraz also made noticeable adjustments since his earlier loss to Sinner at Wimbledon.
Meanwhile, Sinner came in on a 27-match hard-court major win streak, but Alcaraz ended it in commanding style.
Trump got a mixed reaction from the crowd when he arrived.
After the match, he talked about the level of play and the stadium atmosphere, saying, “Well, I loved it. First of all, the two players have unbelievable talent. It just seems that they hit the ball harder than I’ve ever seen before, incredible talent. And I enjoyed it. I used to go all the time. Lately, it’s a little bit more difficult to go. I really enjoyed it. They were really nice. The fans were really nice.”
.@POTUS on attending the @usopen men’s final: “I loved it. First of all, the two players have unbelievable talent… I really enjoyed it. They were really nice. The fans were really nice.” pic.twitter.com/mhQBc6zH3V
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 7, 2025
This was Trump’s first visit to the tournament since 2015.
What Does Jannik Sinner’s Loss to Carlos Alcaraz Mean for Their Rivalry?
With the 2025 US Open final in the books, Alcaraz and Sinner’s back-and-forth battle just got another wild chapter. Alcaraz now leads their rivalry 10-5 and has won two of their three Grand Slam finals this year. Sinner took their Wimbledon battle, but Alcaraz got revenge at Roland Garros and now in New York.
After the loss, Sinner admitted Alcaraz has improved a lot and spoke about changes he needs to make. In his press conference, Sinner said, “I was very predictable on court today. He changed up the game. That’s also his style of how he plays. Now it’s gonna be on me if I want to make changes or not. We’re definitely gonna work on that.”
He later added, “I didn’t make one serve and volley. I didn’t use a lot of drop shots. Then you arrive at the point where you have to play Carlos, you have to go out of the comfort zone. I’m gonna aim… maybe even lose some matches from now on, but trying to do some changes.”
On the flip side, Alcaraz said he was happy with his performance: “I feel like this is the best tournament. Since the first rounds to the end of the tournament, the best tournament so far that I have ever played,” he said.
The win also means Alcaraz has reclaimed his World No. 1 spot, turning the 2025 US Open into another career milestone.
