Overview
- A US Open match that finished at 3:31 a.m. ended with Carlos Alcaraz visibly ill on court and has become the focal point of renewed criticism of very late scheduling.
- Paolo Bertolucci called for a fixed overnight cutoff like Wimbledon's 23:00 rule and urged players to use collective refusal to force tournaments to stop matches at a set time.
- US Open organizers defended evening sessions, with USTA chief Craig Tiley saying the tournament will keep its two-day, two-evening match format and pointing to data on overall playing time.
- Critics say broadcaster primetime slots and the appeal of spectacle drive late starts, creating incentives to celebrate 'record' late finishes despite the physical toll on players.
- No formal rule change has been announced and the debate now centers on whether organizers will adopt time limits or whether players will press directly for schedule reforms to protect health and fair competition.