President Trump Attends US Open Men's Final After Decade

Washington, Sep 5 (AP) President Donald Trump is set to attend the men's final of the US Open this Sunday, marking his first return to the tournament in a decade.

The White House confirmed Thursday evening that Trump will make a daytrip to Queens, New York, for the event, then head back to Washington following the match, which starts at 2 p.m. On Friday, No. 1 seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner will face Felix Auger-Aliassime, while Novak Djokovic will compete against Carlos Alcaraz in the other semifinal match.

Previously, Trump was a regular presence at the Grand Slam tournament during his years as a New York-area real estate magnate and later as a reality TV personality. Often seated on the suite's balcony during evening matches, he was frequently highlighted on the arena's video screens.

However, Trump's last visit was in September 2015, where he was met with boos during a quarterfinal match not long after kicking off his 2016 presidential bid. Since then, Trump has resided mostly at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida rather than in New York.

During Trump's first term in 2017, the Trump Organization ended its control over a suite at the US Open located near the TV broadcasting booth in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

This upcoming trip underscores a pattern in Trump's domestic presidential travels, focusing less on policy announcements or campaign rallies and more on attending major sporting events, along with playing golf on courses he owns. These events often receive mixed reactions from crowds, with cheers and boos alike.

In addition to this US Open visit, Trump has attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the Daytona 500 in Florida, UFC fights in Miami and Newark, the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia, and the FIFA Club World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

While Trump has historical ties to the tournament, it's noteworthy for a sitting president to attend; Bill Clinton was the last to do so in 2000. However, former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, were present at this year's opening night in 2023. (AP) RD RD

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