US Open 2024: Semi-finalists battle late finishes till 3:34am
US Open tennis stars like Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev face 5am bedtimes after grueling late-night matches in New York, sparking fairness debates.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Ben Shelton secured his quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz at 3:34am on Wednesday.
- Alexander Zverev played three out of five matches ending past 1am during the fortnight.
- The late finishes mirror Andy Murray's notorious 4am match at the 2023 Australian Open.
- Proposals to fix the scheduling crisis range from earlier night sessions to reducing set formats.
New York is famously known as the city that never sleeps, and the 2024 US Open has fully embraced this reputation with numerous tennis matches extending deep into the early hours of the morning, putting intense physical strain on the competitors.
When prominent athletes, including men's semi-finalists Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev, head to bed just as commuters in Manhattan are waking up for work, serious questions regarding fairness and player welfare inevitably arise.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Top seed Alexander Zverev endured three of his opening five matches concluding past 1:00 am. He admitted to not sleeping until past 5:00 am following his initial victories and staying awake to watch Shelton defeat Carlos Alcaraz during his night off. In contrast, unseeded Karen Khachanov managed to avoid playing past midnight entirely.
This grueling schedule echoes past Grand Slam controversies, such as when Andy Murray finished a grueling match at 4:00 am during the 2023 Australian Open, getting only three hours of sleep before returning to Melbourne Park. Murray famously described that scheduling dilemma as an absolute farce.
"On the nutritional side, he'll be making sure he gets as many carbs and as much protein as he can in for that next match, and trying to get back to a bit of a routine."
BBC Sport tennis news reporter
Context and Analysis: The persistent issue of late-night finishes at Grand Slam tournaments continues to challenge sports administrators trying to balance television broadcast demands with athlete health. While tour-level bodies like the ATP and WTA implemented curfew rules in 2024 to prevent matches from starting after 11:00 pm, major tournaments operate independently, leaving players vulnerable to unpredictable marathon matches.
Discussions surrounding potential solutions continue, ranging from starting evening sessions earlier to more radical suggestions like shortening men's Grand Slam matches from five sets to three. While Tennis Australia chief executive Andrew Abdo previously floated the set-reduction idea, players like Frances Tiafoe have firmly defended the traditional five-set format.
Source: BBC Sport
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