Carlos Alcaraz is calling for a change in schedule at Grand Slam tournaments to prevent late-night finishes. Following his US Open quarter-final loss to Ben Shelton, which ended at 3:33 a.m., Alcaraz expressed his concerns, suggesting that matches should conclude by 11 p.m. during the tournament.
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During the US Open’s opening week, three matches concluded after 2 a.m., and several others extended well past midnight, including a match involving Venus Williams that started at 12:13 a.m. Alcaraz remarked that had the last match been scheduled earlier, it could have attracted a larger audience.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA), which organizes the US Open, has acknowledged the issue and indicated that it will consider adjusting future scheduling. Other Grand Slam tournaments have already implemented measures to address late finishes, such as Wimbledon enforcing an 11 p.m. curfew and the French Open limiting night sessions to one match.
Additionally, Andre Agassi, captain of Team World at the Laver Cup, highlighted the need for guaranteed downtime for players at the end of the season to improve both player well-being and fan engagement.
Agassi emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of events like the Laver Cup, named after tennis legend Rod Laver, and advocated for ensuring that players can perform at their best to benefit the sport overall.