US Open Final Between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner Postponed Amid Donald Trump’s Visit

The much-anticipated 2025 US Open men’s singles final featuring world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz—marking their third major final showdown this year—was thrown into the spotlight by a couple of big last-minute announcements that changed the vibe of the event.

Michal Samulski, a member of the International Tennis Writers’ Association (ITWA), and journalist Jose Morgado shared some important updates on X that affected scheduling and playing conditions, showing how the tournament adjusted to outside pressures.

So, the first change was that the match start time got pushed back by 30 minutes. The final was supposed to kick off at 2:00 p.m. ET, but it got pushed back to 2:30 p.m. ET because of some extra security measures. The decision was closely tied to President Donald Trump’s attendance, which meant they had to ramp up security measures, like more thorough checks and extra surveillance. The measures led to some pretty significant delays for fans trying to get into Arthur Ashe Stadium, which meant long lines and not many seats filled before the event kicked off.

Just like Samulski, the tournament officials also shared the news on social media, saying, “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 pm ET.”

So, the second change let us know that the final is going to be played indoors because of the bad weather. With the rain and strong winds hitting New York, they decided to close the roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium, making sure the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner could go on without any weather issues.

This change created a stable setting for the players, helping to ensure the court conditions were consistent and reducing the impact of outside factors like wind or rain. The indoor setting really boosted the vibe in the stadium, focusing all that crowd energy and the heat of the rivalry. However, are you aware that there’s a major reason behind the POTUS’ arrival at the US Open?

Donald Trump is set to watch the clash between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz

Donald Trump has been connected to the US Open for quite a while, frequently spotted at Arthur Ashe Stadium from the 1980s through the early 2010s. He was a familiar face at the tournament, a New York socialite who appeared in photos from 1987 to 2014, often chatting with players and celebrities. So, it turns out that political reasons kept him on the sidelines for a whole decade, but now he’s gearing up for a surprising comeback at the 2025 men’s final featuring Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

But there’s a special reason for this. Journalist Ben Rothenberg shared on X that “Donald Trump will attend the men’s final on Sunday as a guest of Rolex, the Swiss watchmaker, which is a major US Open sponsor and which has a major interest in convincing Trump to reduce high tariffs on Switzerland.” So, it looks like Rolex is really keen on getting President Trump to reconsider that hefty 39% tariff on Swiss imports that kicked in on August 7, 2025.

The Swiss manufacturer has seen the U.S. really picking up in the export market in 2025, and it looks like they might have to raise retail prices on new watches by about 20-25% because of the tariff. This might actually turn off consumers and lead them to explore other choices. Hosting Trump sounds like a clever way to get direct access to the President and present their case, especially with Switzerland’s diplomatic efforts in mind. Besides the political side of things, there’s no doubt that the POTUS won’t be thrilled about the showdown between the top talents of the current tennis generations.