Carlos Alcaraz Frustrated by 3:30 a.m. US Open Finish: ‘Too Much’

Carlos Alcaraz Voices Frustration Over Late US Open Match Ending

At a press event in London on Thursday, Carlos Alcaraz expressed clear frustration about the timing of his recent U.S. Open quarterfinal match against Ben Shelton. The contest stretched into the early hours, concluding at 3:33 a.m., setting a new record for the latest finish in the tournament’s history, surpassing the previous mark of 2:50 a.m. set in 2022.

Alcaraz criticized how such late finishes impact players. “For an athlete finishing at 3:30 in the morning, it means we had to leave the courts at 4:30, then back to the hotel,” he explained to reporters, according to Front Office Sports. “You don’t go to bed until 6:30 or 7 in the morning. To recover for the next match, the person you play has an advantage.”

Match Delays and Impact on Fans

The marathon five-set battle between Alcaraz and Shelton was gripping, with Shelton ultimately pulling off the upset over the former world number one. Earlier scheduling delays on the day caused the quarterfinal match to begin about 8:20 p.m., more than an hour later than planned.

Alcaraz lamented that the late start and extended match likely reduced fan attendance. “It is a shame a match like this didn’t reach a lot of people because they have to go to bed, they have to work in the morning,” he said. “If that match had started at 7 or 8 p.m., at the maximum finishing at 11, the stadium would have been packed. A lot had to miss it because of the schedule.” Despite this, ESPN still averaged 1.3 million viewers for the match.

Official Response to Scheduling Concerns

USTA director Craig Tiley addressed the issue earlier this month in an interview with Sky Sports. He acknowledged complaints about late finishes but pointed out the challenges involved. “I hear from a lot of people that it finishes too late and then I say, OK, and your suggestion is? I don’t get anything,” Tiley said. “You can’t control the length of the match.”

• Match Finish Time: 3:33 a.m. (new U.S. Open record)
• Previous Record: 2:50 a.m. (Alcaraz vs. Jannik Sinner, 2022)
• Quarterfinal Start Time: Around 8:20 p.m. (over an hour late)
• ESPN Viewership: 1.3 million average viewers