Chaos at the US Open Final: Fans Boo Delay
The wait to enter Arthur Ashe Stadium during the US Open final generated frustration among fans. The match between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner was delayed, and attendees expressed their discontent with boos and chants of “Let us in!”. The implementation of additional security measures, due to the presence of former President Donald Trump at the event, was the main reason for the delay. The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) postponed the start of the match half an hour, from 2 p.m. ET. Despite this announcement, thousands of followers still had not managed to access the stadium when the match finally began. Some spectators claimed they had not been informed about the possibility of a prolonged wait after their arrival at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. After passing the initial security checks, they encountered a new stop in front of the Ashe stadium entrances, which can hold almost 24,000 people.A sign on the giant screen above the entrance to Ashe Stadium indicated that the match had been delayed until 2:30 p.m. due to “security measures implemented”, but some claimed that was the first time they had heard about it. Diana Diaz, who traveled from Florida with her fiancé Derrick Cutler, commented: “On a plane, when there’s a delay, they send you notifications.” They attended the women’s final on Saturday, where there were no delays. While waiting in line, they consumed ice cream to pass the time, while other fans wondered what was causing the delay. “This is not a delay. This is something else,” added Diaz. Sinner expressed that he did not notice the smaller influx of public compared to other major finals when the match began. “I felt there was still a lot of noise. I saw some empty seats, but I didn’t doubt they would fill up,” Sinner said. “I wasn’t worried that people wouldn’t come.” Brendan McIntyre, a USTA spokesman, reported that emails were sent to ticket holders on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and a message was sent to the US Open app at 9 a.m. on Sunday. However, many fans did not receive the information, with thousands of people still stuck in a line that stretched to the practice courts, near an entrance, when the game was about to begin. During the broadcast of the match, commentator Chris Fowler noted that it seemed that the fans “were not adequately informed to prepare for this”. In fact, some of those who arrived early, as usual, went to the shops and food stalls around the grounds after arriving at Flushing Meadows. One fan stated that she would have avoided that and gone straight into the line for Ashe if she had known how long it would take. The match was broadcast on one of the giant screens above the entrance so that fans could watch it while they waited, while another showed some of the match statistics.“We recognize that enhanced security measures for the President’s visit to the US Open may have contributed to delays for attendees,” the Secret Service stated. “We sincerely appreciate each fan’s patience and understanding. Protecting the President required an exhaustive effort, and we are grateful to the U.S. tennis community and our New York public safety partners for their essential collaboration and support.”
Secret Service
