Carlos Alcaraz expressed his concerns regarding the late finish of his quarterfinal match against Ben Shelton at the US Open, which concluded at 3:33 a.m., the latest in the tournament's history. Alcaraz stated that finishing at such an hour affects athletes' recovery, as they leave the courts around 4:30 a.m. and do not go to bed until 6:30 or 7:00 a.m. He noted that this gives an advantage to the opponent in subsequent matches.
Alcaraz's match against Shelton, which lasted five sets, was noted for its intensity, resulting in Shelton's upset victory over the former World No. 1. The match's late start was attributed to a domino effect earlier in the day, with the first night session match starting around 8:20 p.m., over an hour later than scheduled. Alcaraz remarked that a match of such significance could have attracted more viewers if it had started earlier, suggesting that many fans missed it due to the late hour.
Despite the late start, the match averaged 1.3 million viewers on ESPN. USTA director Craig Tiley defended the scheduling, stating that while he receives feedback about late finishes, he does not have a solution to offer, emphasizing that the length of matches cannot be controlled.