Why the best match of the US Open finished after 3 a.m. – and how it could affect Ben Shelton in the semis
- Posted on September 9, 2026
- By CNN
- 2 Views
- 1 min read
In brief
The US Open's scheduling practices have come under scrutiny following Ben Shelton's grueling quarterfinal victory over Carlos Alcaraz that concluded in the early morning hours. The marathon match, finishing past 3:30 a.m., raises important questions about player recovery time and fairness in tournament brackets. Such extreme scheduling decisions could significantly impact athlete performance in subsequent rounds, particularly for Shelton's upcoming semifinal clash. The incident reignites the ongoing debate about balancing television viewership with competitor wellbeing in professional tennis.
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Why the best match of the US Open finished after 3 a.m. – and how it could affect Ben Shelton in the semis
After Ben Shelton’s time-zone-spanning quarterfinal against Carlos Alcaraz finished at 3:33 a.m. in New York Wednesday morning, the annual conversation of match scheduling at the US Open has kicked back up again.
