NEW YORK (AP) — Fans enduring a lengthy wait to get into the U.S. Open final booed and chanted “Let us in! Let us in!” when the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner began Sunday after a delay.
With extra security measures in place because the match from a suite inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, the U.S. Tennis Association pushed back the start of the match a half-hour from its original 2 p.m. EDT time.
But thousands of fans were still far from the entrance to the arena when play eventually began.
Some said they were never informed what they would face after they arrived at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Once they went through security to enter the grounds, as usual, there was then another stop to be checked in front of the steps into Ashe, which has nearly 24,000 seats.
“We recognize that enhanced security for the President’s visit to the US Open may have contributed to delays for attendees,” the Secret Service said in a statement. “We sincerely thank every fan for their patience and understanding. Protecting the President required a comprehensive effort, and we are grateful to the US Tennis community and our New York public safety partners for their essential collaboration and support.”
A sign on the video board above the entrance to Ashe told fans that the match was being pushed back to 2:30 because of the “security measures in place,” but some said that was the first they were aware of it.
“On an airplane when you have a delay, you get notifications,” said Diana Diaz, who traveled from Florida with fiance Derrick Cutler and also attended the women’s final Saturday, when there was no wait in front of Ashe.
They ate ice cream while in line to pass the time while fans asked what was causing such a delay.
“This is not a delay. This is something else,” Diaz said.
Sinner said he didn’t realize there was a far smaller crowd than usual for a major final when the match began.
“I felt like it was still very loud. I saw some empty seats, but I had no doubts that they’re going to be full and packed,” Sinner said. “It’s not a thing where I was worried that no people will come.”
USTA spokesman Brendan McIntyre said emails were sent to ticket holders Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and a push message was sent to the U.S. Open app at 9 a.m. Sunday.
But many fans never saw it, with thousands still stuck in a line that snaked all the way to the practice courts near an entrance as play was set to begin. As a shot of the crowds was shown during ABC’s coverage, broadcaster Chris Fowler noted that it appeared fans were “not adequately told to be prepared for this.”
In fact, some early arriving ones, as usual, went to the shops and concession stands around the grounds after getting to Flushing Meadows. One fan said she would have bypassed that and gotten right into the line for Ashe had she known how long it would take.
The match was shown on one of the big screens above the entrance so fans could watch while they waited, while another showed some of the match stats.
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