A series of viral posts are falsely claiming that Carlos Alcaraz dedicate an empty seat, a speech, and a hefty donation to Charlie Kirk and his family. This is why these claims are either false or extremely unlikely.

Queens

Online posts have circulated claims that Carlos Alcaraz, a professional tennis player, dedicated an empty seat and a golden plaque to the late political activist Charlie Kirk at the US Open. Some versions of the story also allege that Alcaraz gave a speech and donated a substantial sum to Kirk's family. 

However, these claims are not supported by any official records or credible news sources. The United States Tennis Association, which operates the Arthur Ashe Stadium, does not allow players to dedicate seats, and no such event or speech was reported in official press releases or transcripts. Additionally, there is no evidence of any donation made by Alcaraz to Kirk's family.

Did Carlos Alcaraz dedicate empty seat, golden plaque to Charlie Kirk?

Did Carlos Alcaraz dedicate an empty seat and golden plaque to Charlie Kirk at the US Open? A series of online posts falsely claim that pro tennis player Carlos Alcaraz dedicated an empty seat to the late conservative political activist Charlie Kirk at the US Open. Versions of the same story add that he gave a heartfelt speech about Kirk's death, while others claim he also donated thousands of dollars to Kirk's family. Kirk was shot and killed on 14 September this year at Utah Valley University. A suspect was arrested shortly afterwards. And while news of Kirk's death made ripples globally, the claim that Alcaraz dedicated a golden plaque and a permanent empty seat to him is false. Players do not have the authority to alter a dedicated seating at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the US Open is held. It's owned and operated by the United States Tennis Association, and every seat is ticketed for fans during the US Open or other events. No programme or policy allows individuals to permanently dedicate a seat with a plaque. Therefore, if a permanent seat dedication were ever approved at Arthur Ashe Stadium, it would have been a major news story in the world of tennis. And there is no record on the official website nor other press releases of Alcaraz dedicating a seat. The post also included a fabricated quote about the gold plaque and Kirk supposedly delivered by Alcaraz in a press conference. But the speech was never given. US Open press appearances are always recorded and distributed to media outlets. If a star like Alcaraz had delivered such a significant statement about Kirk, it would appear in the official transcripts and likely be instantly covered by multiple outlets. Alcaraz's actual press conferences during the tournament were indeed reported on by global sports media, but none included mentions of Kirk or seat dedications. The story also claimed that Alcaraz donated $260,000 to Kirk's family, but this is also false. No credible news outlet, official US Open channel or Alcaraz representative has reported such a donation.

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