Grand Slam: after his match finished at 3:33 am, Alcaraz calls for a 11 pm cut-off
Carlos Alcaraz called on Thursday, September 24, in London, for matches at the four Grand Slam tournaments to conclude by 11 pm. The seven-time major champion made his remarks on the eve of the Laver Cup.
He stated that a match ending in the middle of the night delays the return to the hotel and bedtime until the early morning, which negatively impacts recovery. He also believes that such late hours drive away spectators and reduce viewership. The USTA, which organizes the US Open, did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters and Front Office Sports but indicated that it would consider its scheduling options.
Alcaraz’s request comes after his quarter-final loss to Ben Shelton at the US Open. The match, which began at 11:05 pm, lasted 4 hours and 28 minutes, finishing at 3:33 am, a record for the New York tournament. Shelton won 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6.
Three other matches at the 2026 US Open ended after 2 am during the first week, and the match between Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin started at 12:13 am. Wimbledon already enforces a curfew at 11 pm, while Roland-Garros limits its night session to one match.
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