Most chaotic tournament of the year? US Open serves up viral moments

Was this year’s US Open the most drama-filled tournament in recent memory?

Tennis has delivered plenty of wild moments in 2025—from Aryna Sabalenka’s no-holds barred press conference after her Roland Garros loss to Coco Gauff, to Danielle Collins instantly viral eye-roll. But something about this year’s US Open felt especially chaotic. Whether it was something in the air, the crowds or a little New York magic, the tournament managed to produce more viral moments than usual.

We already covered the Jelena Ostapenko and Taylor Townsend clash—which was seen around the world, sparking conversations far beyond tennis—in our Messy Handshakes roundup. But that was only one of many headline grabbing scenes from the fortnight.

Read More: “Surprise, surprise!” Carlos Alcaraz debuts platinum blond hair after US Open win

When a photographer interrupted match point, and Medvedev lost it

Daniil Medvedev and the US Open night session crowd always make for a combustible pairing, but even New York hadn’t seen anything like this. Medvedev was down match point against France’s Benjamin Bonzi when a photographer stepped onto the court between Bonzi’s first and second serve.

Read More: Daniil Medvedev incensed with umpire's decision after photographer comes onto court during match point

Chair umpire Greg Allensworth instructed the photographer to leave, then announced that Bonzi would get another first serve. Medvedev loudly disagreed, and the crowd quickly joined in. Play was halted for six minutes as the umpire tried to regain control. Bonzi then double-faulted, which only fueled the chaos.

From two sets and match point down, Medvedev mounted an improbable comeback, edging the third set and taking the fourth 6-0. The match ended in the early morning hours, with Bonzi finally closing it out on his second match point, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4. Medvedev was later fined $42,500 for the incident, and the photographer had his credential revoked.

Taylor Fritz accidentally wears “SSOB” on Ashe

Among all the tennis fashion moments in New York, Taylor Fritz’s headband blooper may be the most memorable. During his quarterfinal against Novak Djokovic on Arthur Ashe Stadium, the American was so locked in that he didn’t notice his Hugo Boss headband was upside down.

He did the tunnel walk, the pre-match interview, the coin toss and posed for photos at the net—all while wearing a headband that read “SSOB”. It took a few sets before he fixed it, but by then clips had gone viral. Even sponsor BOSS and girlfriend Morgan Riddle joined in on roasting him. Fritz later posted, “Yo why’d nobody tell me that shit was backwards.”

A Presidential visit delays the men’s final

The start of the men’s final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner had to be delayed by 30 minutes—not because of weather or technical issues, but because of long lines caused by heightened security.

The reason? U.S. President Donald Trump was in attendance, watching from the Rolex suite with members of his cabinet. The extra screening and Secret Service presence created a surreal backdrop for Alcaraz’s sixth Grand Slam title.

Trump wasn’t the only big name in the building: Bruce Springsteen drew a huge applause when he appeared on the screens, and stars like Anna Wintour and Stephen Curry were also spotted courtside.

PHOTOS: The Boss, the President and all the stars at Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s US Open final

The viral hat snatch heard around the Internet

One of the tournament’s most viral moments came after Kamil Majchrzak’s dramatic five-set upset of No.9 seed Karen Khachanov. As Majchrzak celebrated on Court 11, a young fan asked him for his hat. The player handed it over—but an adult standing nearby grabbed the hat out of the boy’s hands, stuffed into his bag and appeared to smirk as the boy cried out. Majchrzak, unaware of what had happened, continued signing autographs.

The clip spread quickly and sparked widespread outrage online. Once Majchrzak saw the video, he turned to social media for help finding the fan. The Polish player eventually tracked him down, and gifted him not just a new signed hat but also a bag of additional merch.

Read More: Kamil Majchrzak reunites with young fan after viral US Open hat theft: “Power of the internet!”