ABC and ESPN deny USTA's request to mute boos during President Donald Trump's appearance at men's US Open final

The 2025 US Open has come to an end, with Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz defeating defending champion Jannik Sinner to reclaim the prestigious title. However, there was some controversy off the court, play was delayed for half an hour due to the presence of a special guest.

Donald Trump, president of the United States, was present to watch the proceedings. This led to increased security measures around Arthur Ashe stadium, causing fans to still be unable to get to their seats well into the second set of the match.

Nonetheless, the President was shown on several broadcasting networks during the final. Due to the volatile nature of politics, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) sent out a request to every network involved, asking them to censor protests or other reactions to Trump's presence.

President Trump was shown briefly on the big screen during the singing of the national anthem before the match. This led to a mixed reaction from the live crowd, with the chorus of boos vastly outnumbering the few cheers from those in attendance.

ABC and ESPN refuse to mute the crowd reaction

Despite the USTA's request, ABC and ESPN refused to play along. Although they did not linger on Trump during the national anthem, both networks chose not mute the boos that occurred when he was seen on screen.

A report by USA Today branded the USTA's request as an "embarrassment", stating if President Trump decided to go to the US Open, then it was fait to show the public's reaction to his presence.

This is not the first time a sitting President has been to the US Open. In 2000, then-President Bill Clinton attended the US Open final, and the crowd's reaction to his presence was not muted or altered in any fashion.

Nonetheless, President's Trump presence did not affect either Alcaraz or Sinner. Both men put on an incredible performance, with Alcaraz prevailing after a four-set battle to reclaim the US Open title and the World No.1 ranking.