Andy Roddick Defends Late Finishes at US Open Following Shelton-Alcaraz Match

<p>Retired American tennis player Andy Roddick commented on Ben Shelton’s five-set victory over Carlos Alcaraz at the U.S. Open, which concluded shortly after 3:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday. Shelton's win marked a significant milestone in his career, making him the first American man to defeat either Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner at a Grand Slam. This result, along with Frances Tiafoe’s five-set win over Alex Michelsen, ensured at least one American would reach the 2026 U.S. Open final.</p><p>The last American-born man to win the men's singles title at the U.S. Open was Roddick in 2003.</p><p>In a recent episode of his podcast, "Served," Roddick addressed the criticism regarding the tournament's late-night schedule and logistics, expressing no regrets about the match's outcome. He acknowledged the concerns about finishing matches at such late hours, stating, "I know a lot of the comments are, you know, ‘How do you finish at four in the morning?’ and all of that. Well, every match goes to a match tiebreak except for one. And you’ve got to get 25,000 people out of a stadium responsibly, and you’ve got to get 25,000 people in responsibly. So, I hear a lot of complaining. I don’t hear a lot of proposed solutions."</p><p>Roddick supported the Grand Slam's late-night session format but recognized that a five-hour match could challenge viewers’ patience, a point also raised by sports podcaster Bill Simmons. He explained, "Starting earlier wasn’t possible because of Frances and Mickelson’s match. And so, you have to have a night session at the US Open. It’s one of the things that we all love. And they’ve been on the wrong side of luck. Now, I know there are some people who have said shorter format. And I know Bill Simmons made the point that this is ridiculous, that we’re playing too long. He’s normally well-thought-out in his thoughts. I don’t disagree with the premise that, like, ‘Five hours is too much. I’m bored.'"</p><p>Roddick expressed appreciation for the long-form nature of tennis matches, stating, "7-6 in the fifth last night for Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz in that match, where Tiafoe is down two sets, and the guy’s serving for it — I kind of like the fact that we have a sport where you get into these long-form matches, and it’s the hardest thing on earth. If you take that away, can we lay that claim anymore? I don’t know."</p><p>He also acknowledged the practical considerations for a shorter format, particularly the challenges posed by late-night matches for those working behind the scenes. Roddick noted, "I understand all the pragmatists out there that say we should have a shorter format. I understand the reasons for it. I understand that it’s inconvenient for Sean to be up until 4:00 a.m., you know, watching this match while he’s editing last night’s show. I understand that some people have to go to sleep because, like you, I had to go to sleep to protect my workday today. I understand all of the rational arguments."</p><p>On Friday, Tiafoe and Shelton are scheduled to compete on center court at Arthur Ashe Stadium, named after the 1968 champion who remains the last Black American man to win the U.S. Open men’s singles title.</p>