Carlos Alcaraz pleads for rule change as he begs tennis chiefs to ‘do something’
Carlos Alcaraz says tennis chiefs must “do something” about drastically late finishes in tennis after he bowed out of the US Open at 3.33am earlier this month. The world No.3 returned from a four-and-a-half-month injury layoff in Flushing Meadows, where he reached the quarter-finals and lost to Ben Shelton in a thrilling five-setter that ended in the early hours.
It shattered the previous record for the latest finish at the US Open, which was 2.50am. Alcaraz played in that match too, beating Jannik Sinner in the 2022 quarter-finals. While the seven-time Major champion was all smiles as he departed the Arthur Ashe Stadium at close to 4am despite losing to Shelton, he says the late finishes are too much, and must be addressed.
Yeah, 100 per cent [something should be done],” Alcaraz said, speaking in London ahead of the Laver Cup. “It is a shame that a match like this couldn’t reach a lot of people because they had to go to bed. Because they have to work the next day’s morning.
“So we could see at the beginning of the match it was packed and then in the fourth set, fifth set, a lot of people stayed, which was great. But it is a shame those people had to leave because of the time.”
It’s not just the fans who were affected. Alcaraz continued: “For an athlete finishing at 3.30am, it means we had to leave the courts on site at 4.30am almost. Then getting back to the hotel. You don’t get to bed until like 6.30am or 7am.
“For an athlete to recover for the next match, it’s okay you have a day, but for the next match it’s like the other plays with an advantage. I think it’s too much. They have got to do something. I am not saying 3.30am but finishing at 12am, it is too late already.
While the 23-year-old wasn’t happy with the time his US Open campaign came to an end, he took plenty of positives from his return to competition after spending almost five months sidelined by a wrist injury. “It was the first tournament after five months. I think I did a great tournament,” he smiled.
“Three great matches. Well, four great matches. Bad luck the last one. I just came there to compete, to see where is my level, try to leave the tournament healthy.
“I came back home healthy. No pain at all in my body. So I could do a great preparation, good training back home. I know I have really important tournaments ahead of me. Tournaments that I really want to win at least once.
“If we see the record for me the last part of the season it has never been my good point. But hopefully, right now, I am fresh mentally. Physically, I am feeling great. Hopefully I will do a great tournament and try to find my good tennis again sooner.”
