Yes—the US Open men’s final was delayed 30 minutes for Trump. Here’s what really happened, and what didn’t.

The match started at 2:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. CEST) instead of 2:00 p.m. ET—because the sitting U.S. president, Donald Trump, attended and security ramped up. That part is true. But some of the most dramatic details making the rounds—mass passport checks, a total Secret Service takeover—don’t hold up under scrutiny.

The headline correction up front

• The final between Jannik Sinner (24) and Carlos Alcaraz (22) did take place on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025—and it was delayed by 30 minutes due to security connected to President Trump’s visit. This is confirmed by AP and broadcast listings. (AP: https://apnews.com/article/3852812d92685c24cb56b1db9e83adec, ESPN Press Room: https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2025/09/us-open-mens-championship-live-on-abc-and-espn-deportes-sunday-september-7/)
• Trump watched from a sponsor suite—Rolex—making him the first sitting U.S. president to attend the US Open since Bill Clinton in 2000. (Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/09/04/trump-us-open-sporting-events-2015-boos/abcf4de2-8a00-11f0-895c-97bd39cbdc59_story.html, Star Tribune/AP pickup: https://www.startribune.com/president-donald-trump-will-watch-us-open-mens-singles-final-from-rolex-suite-ap-source-says/601468429)
• A presidential “no‑fly zone” (a VIP Temporary Flight Restriction) was active over New York that day—standard for such visits. (GlobalAir TFR tracker: https://www.globalair.com/airport/tfr.aspx)

So far, so factual. But the original story added spice that ranges from exaggerated to unverified.

The scene: security lines, scanners—and the power of a name

On the grounds in Queens, long lines formed. Bag-free queues moved faster; airport-style scanners did their job; and a president’s arrival put everything on a tighter leash. That aligns with what we know about major event security, and with the Open’s own rules:

• Laptops are prohibited items at the US Open; “no-bag”/express lines are standard and speed entry. (USTA policy: https://ntc.usta.com/facilityandeventprocedures, Ticketmaster venue guide: https://blog.ticketmaster.com/step-inside-arthur-ashe-stadium-queens-ny/)
• Arthur Ashe Stadium holds about 23,771—“24,000” is a common round-up. (Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Ashe_Stadium)

That’s the grounded reality. Now, let’s separate solid facts from shaky claims.

What’s true and verified

• Start-time delay: 30 minutes for security connected to Trump’s attendance. (AP: https://apnews.com/article/3852812d92685c24cb56b1db9e83adec)
• Trump, 79, attended as sitting president and watched from the Rolex suite. (Washington Post: link above; AP sourcing via local outlets: https://www.local10.com/news/florida/2025/09/06/president-donald-trump-will-watch-us-open-mens-singles-final-from-rolex-suite-ap-source-says/)
• Sinner vs. Alcaraz for the title—their ages and the matchup are correct. (CBS Sports: https://www.cbssports.com/tennis/news/us-open-2025-mens-final-jannik-sinner-vs-carlos-alcaraz-start-time-odds-picks-preview-for-rivalry/, Last Word on Sports: https://lastwordonsports.com/tennis/2025/09/06/how-to-watch-2025-us-open-mens-final-sinner-alcaraz/)
• A VIP TFR (“no‑fly zone”) covered New York during the visit. The FAA—not the tennis federation—issues these. (GlobalAir TFR: https://www.globalair.com/airport/tfr.aspx)
• German viewers: Sporteurope.TV carried the tournament (with Sky sublicenses); BILD ran a live ticker. (kicker: https://www.kicker.de/us-open-2025-uebertragung-zeitplan-preisgelder-961992/artikel, Computer Bild: https://www.computerbild.de/technik/vpn/streaming/artikel/US-Open-2025-So-sehen-Sie-das-Tennisturnier-gratis-im-Livestream-38823603.html)

What’s overstated or unverified

• “The Secret Service took command and replaced most event security.” Partly false/misleading. The Secret Service leads presidential protection and coordinates with venue and local authorities, but we found no evidence of a wholesale replacement of event staff. (U.S. Code: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3056)
• “Two checkpoints for everyone: at the gate and again at the stadium.” Plausible in practice, but not officially mapped as a strict two-stop system for all guests. Multiple screenings are common. (USTA procedures: https://ntc.usta.com/facilityandeventprocedures)
• “USTA confirmed the flight ban.” No. The FAA issues and posts VIP TFRs; we couldn’t verify any USTA “confirmation” beyond acknowledging elevated security. (TFR: https://www.globalair.com/airport/tfr.aspx)
• “Random passport checks and visa enforcement at gates.” Unverified and unlikely. IDs may be checked for certain credentials, but immigration checks are not standard screening at the US Open. We found no independent reports supporting this. (USTA procedures: link above)
• “Total lockdown from 23:00 Saturday—no players, coaches, or journalists.” Unverified. We found no independent source confirming a blanket, grounds-wide curfew of that kind. (USTA access plan: https://usta1745340915.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/40302003430548-US-Open-Access-Plan-Open-For-Business)
• “Secret Service dominated every interior zone after the last checkpoint.” Unsubstantiated. Heightened presence is expected around a president, but we couldn’t confirm this level of exclusivity from independent sources. (Legal scope of protection: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3056)
• “Lines stretched 100 meters.” The vibe (long queues) is supported; that specific length is anecdotal. (AP on delay/security: https://apnews.com/article/3852812d92685c24cb56b1db9e83adec)

How we checked

We cross-referenced:

• AP’s event-day reporting on the schedule change. (AP: https://apnews.com/article/3852812d92685c24cb56b1db9e83adec)
• ESPN’s pre-final listings to confirm the original start time. (ESPN Press Room: https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2025/09/us-open-mens-championship-live-on-abc-and-espn-deportes-sunday-september-7/)
• FAA TFR postings via GlobalAir’s tracker for the “no‑fly zone.” (https://www.globalair.com/airport/tfr.aspx)
• U.S. law on Secret Service authority and the US Open’s published screening rules. (18 U.S.C. § 3056: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3056; USTA: https://ntc.usta.com/facilityandeventprocedures)
• Reporting on Trump’s presence and the Rolex suite. (Washington Post: link above; Star Tribune/AP: link above)

Where the original article offered vivid scenes (a cleaner detained over a laptop, across-the-board curfews), we looked for corroboration. In several cases, it wasn’t there.

Context that matters

• The last time a sitting president attended the US Open was Bill Clinton in 2000—a 25-year gap that explains the extraordinary measures. (Washington Post: link above)
• Big-event security gets noticeably stricter when a president attends. Think airport-style screening with extra layers and temporary airspace restrictions—disruptive but standard, not unprecedented.

For fans and viewers

• Start time: 2:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. CEST) on Sept. 7, 2025, after a 30-minute security delay. (AP: link above)
• Venue basics: Arthur Ashe Stadium’s capacity is about 23,771. (Wikipedia: link above)
• Bag rules: Expect strict enforcement; laptops are not allowed. Bag-free lines move faster. (USTA: link above)
• In Germany: Sporteurope.TV carried the tournament; Sky had sublicenses; BILD ran a live ticker. (kicker, Computer Bild: links above)

Bottom line

• True: Trump attended, the men’s final was delayed 30 minutes for security, a presidential TFR was in place, and he watched from a Rolex suite—the first sitting president at the Open since 2000.
• Not proven or exaggerated: A total Secret Service takeover, random passport/visa checks, an all-grounds curfew from 11 p.m., and exact two-checkpoint mandates for everyone.

When politics meets a Grand Slam, the spotlight gets hotter and the lines get longer. But the story here is less cloak-and-dagger, more standard presidential security—turned up to 11 for tennis’s biggest stage.