Craig Tiley, the newly appointed chief executive of the United States Tennis Association, told Sky Sports Tennis that the tournament will retain its current structure of two daytime matches and two evening matches at Flushing Meadows when the 2027 edition rolls around. Tiley, who stepped into the USTA role earlier this year after a decade leading Tennis Australia, emphasized that there are no plans to alter the schedule that has become a hallmark of the US Open. The comment follows a dramatic quarter‑final that saw Ben Shelton battle five sets against world‑number‑one Carlos Alcaraz, a contest that did not conclude until 3:33 a.m.
local time on Wednesday. The marathon match, which stretched close to five hours, left most spectators exhausted and many New Yorkers still in bed when the final point was played on one of tennis’s biggest stages. Historical data underscores how late the tournament can run. Notable examples include Alexander Zverev’s win over Brooksby in Acapulco 2022 at 4:54 a.m., Lleyton Hewitt’s 2008 Australian Open victory at 4:34 a.m., and several other Grand Slam matches that have crept past the 1 a.m.
mark. The US Open has already set a record with three finishes after 2 a.m. within its first six days, and two additional matches have slipped past 1 a.m. Players have long praised the unique atmosphere of night matches under the bright lights of New York City, describing the experience as electrifying.
Yet the late‑hour finish has become a flashpoint in a broader discussion among top players about prize‑money distribution, player welfare, and working conditions on the tour. While the US Open wrestles with these concerns, its fellow Grand Slams have taken different approaches: Wimbledon enforces an 11 p.m. curfew, and the French Open limits night sessions to a single match per day.
The Australian Open, like the US Open, has also faced criticism for late endings, but it has not yet instituted a hard cutoff. In addition to the on‑court drama, the tournament’s schedule has sparked debate about fan accessibility. New Yorkers who work typical office hours often need to travel to Flushing Meadows after a full day’s work, and organizers must balance the logistical challenges of managing crowds for both day and night sessions.
Some commentators have suggested moving the start of evening sessions earlier than 7 p.m., but such a shift could conflict with the city’s transportation patterns and the desire of fans to enjoy a full evening of tennis. Tiley addressed these concerns directly, noting that while many people complain about matches running too late, there is no simple solution.
"I hear from a lot of people that it finishes too late and then I say, okay, and your suggestion is? I don't get anything," he said. He explained that the length of a match is inherently unpredictable, and that over the past decade the average time between the start of a point and its conclusion has remained stable. However, the overall duration of men’s matches has risen by roughly 25 minutes on average, a change he attributes to the introduction of the shot clock, longer towel breaks, and a generally more measured pace of play.
Even with these increases, the average men’s match today does not rank among the longest of the past ten years. Tiley emphasized that while a 3:30 a.m.
finish is far from ideal, the data does not support a wholesale overhaul of the schedule. "No one wants to finish at 3:30 a.m., although the rest of the world in the daytime saw a pretty amazing match," he remarked. He reaffirmed his commitment to the two‑day, two‑night format, stating, "We really like the two days and two nights.
Two full sessions and you get a women's match and a great men's match, and that's what our fans are telling us. They can come out and see three, four, five hours of entertainment and if it goes really long like the other night, that's a great sporting ticket so I will keep it." The tournament’s social media team responded to the Shelton‑Alcaraz showdown with a light‑hearted post inviting fans to fill in a blank asking their employers for a day off, highlighting the cultural impact of such late‑night spectacles. The message read, "We understand how important showing up is, but sometimes you have to make time for things you're passionate about.
Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton put on an absolute stellar performance during their US Open quarter‑final, and ______ was a fully committed fan who was completely locked in from start to finish." Another recurring suggestion in the debate is to shorten men’s early‑round matches to best‑of‑three sets, a proposal that remains controversial because five‑set matches are considered a defining feature of Grand Slam tennis. US Open player Frances Tiafoe weighed in, saying, "I think for the men we should stick with three out of five. I don't know where the conversation is going, what people are leaning to.
Everyone is going to have an opinion, everyone is different. We've seen so many epics in five‑setters. Do I love five‑setters?
Absolutely not. There's a lot of times where I'm up two sets to love and I'd love to shake hands and go home. But it's tennis, man." As the US Open continues its live broadcast on Sky Sports starting August 30, fans can also stream matches without a contract via the NOW platform or the Sky Sports app. The tournament’s schedule, including order of play for Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium, and other venues, remains accessible online, and the event promises a blend of high‑stakes men’s and women’s matches, with top seeds like Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Alexander Zverev poised to compete.
Despite the ongoing discussion about late finishes, the US Open’s leadership appears committed to preserving the day‑night rhythm that has become a signature of the New York slam, balancing player welfare, fan experience, and the unique energy that only a night match under the lights can deliver.