Following the tumultuous scenes and long lines, the anticipation and the crowd’s displeasure, a spectacle of skill unfolded as Carlos Alcaraz claimed the US Open title, leaving spectators in awe with his stunning performance.

The 22-year-old Spanish player triumphed over his fierce competitor Jannik Sinner in a four-set match, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, claiming the world No. 1 spot in doing so. He earned his sixth Grand Slam victory, his second in New York, along with a five-million-dollar prize.

Alcaraz delivered nearly flawless tennis in the opening set, although scandalously, many ticketholders missed the chance to witness it firsthand.

The attendance of President Donald Trump resulted in heightened security measures, forcing 22,000 fans through rigorous checkpoint queues. Due to the lengthy lines, the United States Tennis Association decided to delay the match’s start by 30 minutes.

Even with that, there were still hundreds queuing at the security gates well into the second set.

‘Delaying the final for this reason is just outrageous,’ commented Martina Navratilova on Sky Sports. ‘These tickets cost thousands, and the stands were half empty at the beginning when typically, this place would be buzzing.’

Trump managed to arrive with ample time, escorted by the secret service. He appeared on the screen during the national anthem with a salute, met with mixed reactions from the crowd. After the first set, he appeared again, greeted this time with a clear disapproval from the audience, though some supportive cheers could be heard.

Doubtless there was enough for Mr Trump to spin into a glorious reception; plenty for his opponents to claim as a barracking; such is the way these days in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

The president applauded as the players walked on court but then sat as if carved out of granite, showing not a glimmer of reaction to the feats of skill and athleticism which were performed before him.

In the third set, Alcaraz won one of many sublime rallies and cupped his ear to the crowd who screamed for him in adoration. As if in response, Trump rose from his seat and moved into the rear of the suite. It was as though he could no longer countenance the attention being drawn away by a man who, in his kindness, talent and youthful guilelessness, is his very antithesis.

Enough of the leader of the free world; to the battle to be leader of the tennis world. Strange to think that four months ago, Sinner and Alcaraz, while recognised as the two best players in the world, had never met in a Grand Slam final.

That changed in epic fashion at the French Open, when Alcaraz saved three match points to win one of the best finals of all time. At Wimbledon Sinner exacted revenge and now came the trilogy fight in New York, as these two became the first duo in the Open Era to contest three Grand Slam finals in a single year.

It was not only the fans who were disrupted. The players were asked to arrive early because of the presidential visit – Sinner got in at 9.30am, Alcaraz 45 minutes later – and then came the delay. Their preparation: food, practice, stretching, will have been finely calibrated around the 2pm start time.

Sinner began like a man who had been kicking his heels for half an hour; Alcaraz like an animal straining at the leash. He flew at Sinner with tooth and claw, breaking in a brilliant opening game.

He held with one of his specialities: angling the racket as if for a forehand drop shot before driving the ball into the corner instead. Delightful. Even that was not enough to draw a reaction from Trump, who sat as if carved from stone.

There was a traditional drop shot to seal a hold of serve for 3-1. There was a half-volley winner picked up off his laces for a delicious winner. And still the 79-year-old sat unmoved – come on Donald wake up!

No one can synthesize such violence with such delicacy. He hits forehands like a Katz deli-counter man hacking salt beef; caresses drop shots like a Nobu sushi chef applying a glaze of soy sauce.

What Alcaraz did better than at Wimbledon was vary the height, spin and speed of his shots – it threw Sinner off his metronomic rhythm.

Sinner was comfortably second-best thus far but kept his head above water, saving a break point in the first game of the second set. The Italian then played a brilliant game to break and Alcaraz began to overhit. One set all.

After that brief intermission, the Alcaraz show resumed. He moved into a 3-0 lead with one of the rallies of the match – sliding into the net to pick up a drop shot then cutting away a forehand volley winner. He cupped an ear to the crowd, whipping them up with his racket. As if in response, Trump upped sticks and walked out, with his full coterie in tow. Are you serious Mr President? All this hullabaloo for two sets and a half?

The clan decamped to the back of the suite as Alcaraz swept into a two set to one lead. Sinner had struck just a single winner in that third set, becalmed by the majesty of Alcaraz.

In the fourth set, Sinner double faulted and then blasted a forehand long to concede the break – and Trump re-emerged for the last knockings.

As has become the done thing between these two, there were match points saved – two superb winners from Sinner.

But Alcaraz got him in the end, finishing with a 10th ace of the match, then did his customary golf club celebration – right in the direction of the president.

Alcaraz was impeccable. He hit 40 winners and just 24 unforced errors. Sinner was let down by his serve, which has not been right all tournament. He landed only half of his first serves and that was never going to cut it.

The 24-year-old will lick his wounds – he has felt abdominal pain here – and come again at the Australian Open, when it would be a significant shock not to see those two in the final again. Hopefully in Melbourne there will be no surprise guests.