Carlos Alcaraz told reporters that President Donald Trump’s attendance at the US Open men’s final on Sunday will be “great for tennis” – offering a non-political answer to a potentially very charged question.
“How do you think it will feel to play a tennis match in front of a sitting U.S. President?” a reporter asked Alcaraz on Friday after his straight-sets win over Novak Djokovic.
“Well, I think it is a privilege for the tournament to have the president from every country just to support the tournament, to support tennis, and to support this match,” Alcaraz said of the final, in which he will be playing against world number one Jannik Sinner from Italy.
The 22-year-old Spaniard added, “And for me, playing in front of him—to be honest, I will try not to be focused, and I will try not to think about it. I don’t want myself to be nervous because of it. So, but I think, you know, attending the tennis match, I think it’s great for tennis to have the president into the final.”
Trump’s appearance at the US Open, in his hometown of New York City, will undoubtedly be met with a loud response from the crowd and add some drama to what is sure to be a blockbuster match from the world’s two best tennis players.
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