The teenager’s quarter-final ended at 2.50am on Thursday. Does the timetable at Flushing Meadows need to change?
In yet another late-night epic that concluded just short of 3am on Thursday, Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the semi-finals of the US Open with a thrilling five-set comeback victory over another young star, Jannik Sinner. It was a match full of abrupt momentum shifts, remarkable shot-making, stellar sportsmanship and an extraordinary high level of energy that those in attendance were lucky to be part of.
But for many millions of American tennis fans watching on the east coast – and west coast for that matter – the riveting conclusion came too late for their tired eyes. With a return to school and work for many, after enjoying the last fleeting days of summer, it was too tough an ask of fans to stay up well past midnight yet again. And that’s not to mention those who stayed to watch in the stadium, some of whom had to navigate New York’s public transport system in the early hours of the morning, which is never an enticing prospect.