143 Year-Old Rule Broken for Donald Trump as USTA Makes Controversial Decision During Finals

A week before the US Open final, when Donald Trump’s office informed the USTA of the President’s probable presence on Sunday, the organizers made multiple changes to their usual protocols. Even hours before he arrived at Arthur Ashe, Secret Service officials conducted a second layer of security checks as about 24,000 spectators stood in line to enter the stadium. Due to the delay, the match was pushed by half an hour as well. While the crowd was already not thrilled to adjust to the new settings, one of the biggest changes caught everyone’s eye almost immediately.

Reporter Ben Rothenberg tweeted about USTA’s move, writing, “The #USOpen has moved the trophy to inside the Rolex suite, which is where Trump is, but surely not where the trophy has ever belonged before during a final.”

Ever since the US Open began in 1881, the trophies awarded to the runner-up and the champion have always been displayed on the court in front of the thousands of spectators. Of course, the original trophies carry the history of every winner who has proven themselves in the event. However, the USTA decided to make an exception this time.

Donald Trump had been a usual visitor at the US Open throughout the years before his candidacy and political responsibilities. But in 2017, he left the suite that was in his name after missing the event for a few years. As this year’s US Open would be Donald Trump’s return to the grounds after a decade, the USTA moved the trophies from the court to the Rolex suite, where he sat with his wife, Melania Trump, as the Swiss watchmaker’s guest.

This suite, usually set aside for corporate hospitality, turned into the main spot to display these trophies. The prize ceremony, though, still took place on the court of the Arthur Ashe Stadium after Carlos Alcaraz won over the defending champion Jannik Sinner in a heated clash.

While the unexpected move caught everyone by surprise, there might have been a reason behind it. Rolex is one of the many luxury partners for the US Open. In fact, the Swiss brand has been the tournament’s ‘Official Timekeeper’ for seven years now. Not to mention, its ties to tennis that extend beyond that timeframe. And if reports are to be believed, many think that Rolex invited Trump and the USTA made the shift for a reason that even Trump called “a business move.”

Rolex’s reason for hosting Donald Trump

Donald Trump has had a long-standing connection to the US Open, often seen courtside from the 1980s all the way through 2015. He was a well-known figure at the tournament, a New York socialite who popped up in photos, often conversing with players and celebrities. Now in his second presidential run, it looks like political reasons kept Trump out of the tennis world for a whole decade, but he’s all set to catch the 2025 men’s final with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz going head-to-head. But there’s a whole other reason for his visit, at least for the Swiss brand.

Journalist Ben Rothenberg recently posted on X that “Donald Trump will attend the men’s final on Sunday as a guest of Rolex, the Swiss watchmaker, which is a major US Open sponsor and which has a major interest in convincing Trump to reduce high tariffs on Switzerland.”

Rolex is looking to President Trump to rethink that big 39% tariff on Swiss imports that came into play just weeks ago. It seems like the Swiss manufacturer has noticed that the U.S. export market is really taking off in 2025. They might have to bump up the retail prices on new watches by around 20-25% due to the tariff situation. As a result, they could lose customers in the US.

Bringing Trump in for a visit seems like a smart move to get a direct line to the President and share their perspective, especially considering Switzerland’s diplomatic role. But even if Trump made it to Arthur Ashe for political reasons, he is sure to enjoy watching the Sincaraz rivalry play out at the US Open.