Craig Tiley, the newly appointed chief executive of the United States Tennis Association, has publicly confirmed that the tournament’s current schedule – featuring two daytime matches and two evening matches each day at Flushing Meadows – will remain unchanged for the 2027 edition. Tiley, who stepped into the USTA’s top job earlier this year after a decade‑long tenure leading Tennis Australia, told Sky Sports Tennis that he sees no reason to alter the format that has become a hallmark of the US Open. His comments come on the heels of a marathon quarter‑final that saw American Ben Shelton push Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz to five sets, a contest that did not conclude until 3:33 a.m.
local time on Wednesday. The nearly five‑hour battle, which stretched well past the usual midnight cutoff, left only a handful of spectators awake to witness the dramatic finish on one of tennis’s grandest stages.
The match added to a growing list of late‑night finishes that have sparked debate among players, fans, and officials. Historically, the US Open has been praised for the electric atmosphere of its night sessions, when the stadium lights illuminate the court and New York’s enthusiastic crowds gather after work. Yet the tournament has also set a modern record: three matches have ended after 2 a.m. within the first six days, and two additional contests have crept past 1 a.m.
These extreme hours have become a flashpoint in broader discussions about player welfare, prize‑money distribution, and the overall working conditions on the professional tour. Other Grand Slam events have taken steps to curb excessively late finishes.
Wimbledon enforces an 11 p.m. curfew, while the French Open limits night play to a single match per session.
The Australian Open, however, has faced similar criticism for its late endings, illustrating that the US Open is not alone in grappling with this issue. Tiley addressed the concern directly, acknowledging that many fans and players complain about the lateness of the matches.
He explained that the length of a match is largely out of the organizers’ control. "You can't control how long a point lasts or how many points are played," he said. He noted that over the past decade the average time between the start of a point and its conclusion has remained stable, but the overall duration of men’s matches has risen by roughly 25 minutes.
This increase, he argued, is attributable to the introduction of the shot clock, which gives players more time to prepare for each serve, and to the use of towels and other routine pauses that add up over the course of a long match. Despite the data, Tiley admitted that nobody wants a match to finish at 3:30 a.m.
He emphasized that the tournament’s two‑day, two‑night format delivers a balanced mix of women's and men's tennis, offering fans the chance to enjoy three to five hours of high‑quality sport each day. "If a match runs long, that’s a great sporting ticket," he said, underscoring his commitment to preserving the current schedule. The US Open’s social media team even leaned into the late‑night theme with a playful post inviting fans to fill in a blank and ask their employers for time off after the Shelton‑Alcaraz epic.
The tweet 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." Some commentators have suggested more radical solutions, such as moving the start of evening sessions to an earlier hour or shortening men’s matches in the early rounds to best‑of‑three sets. However, many players view the five‑set format as essential to the Grand Slam experience.
American Frances Tiafoe, for instance, defended the tradition, stating, "I think for the men we should stick with three out of five. We've seen so many epics in five‑setters. Do I love five‑setters? Absolutely not, but it's tennis, man." The debate highlights a tension between the desire to protect player health and the commercial appeal of late‑night tennis under the bright lights of New York City.
While a later start time for night sessions could alleviate some of the fatigue experienced by both athletes and spectators, organizers worry that it would inconvenience New Yorkers who travel to Flushing Meadows after work and could reduce attendance during peak evening hours. In summary, Craig Tiley’s stance is clear: the US Open will retain its two‑day, two‑night structure for the foreseeable future.
He believes the format offers a compelling blend of matches that satisfies fans, broadcasters, and sponsors, even if it occasionally pushes the clock past the early morning hours. As the tournament prepares for the 2027 season, the conversation about match length, player welfare, and scheduling will undoubtedly continue, but for now the iconic night lights of Flushing Meadows will keep shining well into the wee hours of the morning. The US Open will be broadcast live on Sky Sports beginning August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app. Fans can also look forward to the Laver Cup at London’s O2 Arena from September 25‑27, also shown on Sky Sports.