US Open's 3:33am finish reignites scheduling debate — SkimNews
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- Ben Shelton defeated Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 6-3 1-6 7-6 (10-7) in a US Open quarterfinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium that began just after 11pm and ended at 3:33am local time Wednesday, after three long matches earlier on Tuesday pushed the schedule back.
- Martina Navratilova posted on X that 'Something has got to give - this is not OK and it is not normal,' arguing no other sport would start matches at 11am or 11pm in the same event.
- Andy Roddick defended the late-night finishes on the Served Podcast, saying organizers must responsibly move 25,000 fans in and out of the stadium and criticizing complaints that came without proposed solutions.
- Venus Williams called it 'not ideal' that her match against Sofia Kenin didn't start until past midnight, while Aryna Sabalenka said finishing late forces the next day's training and sleep schedule to shift.
- Marion Bartoli proposed limiting the schedule to one match per night from the quarterfinals onward, while the US Open's official social media account posted a light-hearted fill-in-the-blank letter for fans to excuse themselves from work.
Why it matters: Venus Williams and Aryna Sabalenka have publicly flagged the strain on sleep and next-day prep from matches past midnight, and Martina Navratilova has called the situation 'not normal.' Marion Bartoli's proposal to cut the night session to one match from the quarterfinals onward directly conflicts with Andy Roddick's logistics defense of late finishes.
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