Sports
US Open's late-night finishes reignite five-set format debate
September 11, 2026 at 09:58 AM
Coverage
3 reports · over 10 hours
TGThe Guardian
Sabalenka and Rybakina resume epic rivalry at US Open after switch at No 1
(opens the publisher’s site)
BNBBC News
US Open 2026 semi-finals: Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton look to bounce back from late-night finishes
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TGThe Guardian
Five-set tennis is under attack. Killing it would be a colossal unforced error | Andrew Lawrence
(opens the publisher’s site)Ben Shelton's five-set quarter-final win over Carlos Alcaraz ended at 3:34am, the latest finish in US Open history, renewing debate over match scheduling and the five-set format.
- Shelton's victory over defending champion Alcaraz finished at 3:34am Wednesday, surpassing the previous US Open record finish by 43 minutes.
- Alexander Zverev said he has been to bed as late as 6:45am this fortnight and feels "like I'm playing the Australian Open in New York right now."
- Tennis Australia chief executive Andrew Abdo suggested the Australian Open could reduce men's matches to three sets; Frances Tiafoe defended five-setters as "the history of the game."
- Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin began their first-round match at 12:13am, the latest start in US Open history.