143 Year-Old Rule Broken for Donald Trump as USTA Forces Controversial Trophy Change at Alcaraz vs. Sinner

Donald Trump is set to attend the 2025 US Open men’s final, where Jannik Sinner will face off against Carlos Alcaraz. He’ll be catching all the action live at Arthur Ashe Stadium from the comfort of the Rolex suite, soaking in the excitement of this epic rivalry. Trump’s comeback really highlights how significant this event is, especially with all the political buzz going on.

It’s been nearly ten years since he last attended, and his absence was definitely tied to political stuff. But even more eyebrow-raising than the presidential appearance is the USTA’s break from over a century of tradition—as reported by Ben Rothenberg, who wrote on X, “The #USOpen has moved the trophy to inside the Rolex suite, which is where Trump is, but surely not where the trophy has ever belonged before during a final.”

The USTA moved the trophy ceremony indoors to the Rolex suite, where President Donald Trump is set to be seated as a guest of the Swiss watchmaker. This suite, usually set aside for corporate hospitality, turned into the main spot for the post-match celebrations, which is a bit different from how the Open has traditionally honored champions in front of the public and a worldwide audience.

In the past, the championship trophies have been showcased right at center court and handed over to the players right after the final match. But this unexpected move to a branded hospitality suite really shakes things up, putting corporate hospitality ahead of years of shared experiences. Furthermore, when ESPN/ABC showed the POTUS during the national anthem at the US Open. The crowd can be heard booing, but he reacted with a sly grin. Indeed, there’s quite a tension in the atmosphere. But did you know that the president’s attendance at the US Open is part of a larger plan?

Rolex’s reason for hosting Donald Trump

Donald Trump has had a long-standing connection to the US Open, often seen at Arthur Ashe Stadium from the 1980s all the way through the early 2010s. So, it’s not his first rodeo at a tennis event. He was a well-known figure at the tournament, a New York socialite who popped up in photos from 1987 to 2014, often conversing with players and celebrities. It looks like political reasons kept him out of the game for a whole decade, but now he’s all set to catch the 2025 men’s final with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz going head-to-head.

But there’s a whole other reason for his visit. So, journalist Ben Rothenberg recently posted 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.”

Rolex is looking to President Trump to rethink that big 39% tariff on Swiss imports that came into play on August 7, 2025. It seems like the Swiss manufacturer has noticed that the U.S. export market is really taking off in 2025. They might have to bump up the retail prices on new watches by around 20-25% due to the tariff situation. This could really put off consumers and make them look for other options.

Bringing Trump in for a visit seems like a smart move to get a direct line to the President and share their perspective, especially considering Switzerland’s diplomatic role. But putting the political stuff aside, the POTUS is sure to enjoy watching the Sincaraz rivalry play out at the US Open.