Alcaraz Seeks End to Late Grand Slam Matches

Carlos Alcaraz's five-set U.S. Open quarterfinal loss to Ben Shelton ended at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in tournament history. In London a day before the Laver Cup, Alcaraz told reporters, "It is too much." He said organizers "are going to have to do something" and that even finishing at midnight is already too late. A 3:30 a.m. finish, he said, means leaving the courts at 4:30 and not sleeping until 6:30 or 7, giving the next opponent an advantage. He said many fans missed the match for bed or work, and a 7 or 8 p.m. start would have packed the stadium. Two day-session final-set tiebreaks delayed the night start to roughly 8:20 p.m. Earlier marks include Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at 2:50 a.m. in 2022, a 3:06 a.m. French Open finish in 2024, a 12:13 a.m. start for Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin, and a 4:34 a.m. Australian Open finish in 2008. Only Wimbledon has an 11 p.m. curfew. The USTA did not return a request for comment. CONTESTED: Alcaraz says late finishes leave too little recovery time and keep fans away. USTA director Craig Tiley said during the U.S. Open that he hears finishes are too late but receives no suggestions when he asks for alternatives.