Craig Tiley, the newly appointed chief executive of the United States Tennis Association, told Sky Sports Tennis that the tournament’s signature format of two daytime matches and two evening matches 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 at the helm of Tennis Australia, emphasized that he sees no reason to alter the schedule despite recent criticism over extremely late finishes. The comment came on the heels of an unforgettable quarter‑final clash between Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz, which stretched into the early hours of Wednesday morning and finally concluded at 3:33 a.m.
local time. The five‑set marathon lasted nearly five hours, leaving only a handful of spectators awake to witness the dramatic conclusion on one of tennis’s grandest stages. Historically, players have adored the electric atmosphere of night matches under the bright lights of New York City. Yet the 2026 tournament already set a new record, delivering three matches that did not finish until after 2 a.m.
in its first six days, with two additional contests slipping past the 1 a.m. mark.
These late‑night spectacles have become a flashpoint in a broader debate among top players, who are pushing for higher prize money, better welfare provisions, and more reasonable working conditions on the tour. The Australian Open has faced similar criticism for its notoriously late endings, but the other Grand Slams have introduced limits: Wimbledon now enforces an 11 p.m. curfew, and the French Open restricts night sessions to a single match per day.
In contrast, the US Open has continued to allow multiple evening matches, a policy that Tiley defends as part of the tournament’s unique appeal. When asked about the complaints, Tiley responded, “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.
You can’t control the length of the match.” He pointed out that the average time between the start of a point and its conclusion has stayed roughly constant over the past decade. However, the overall duration of men’s matches has risen by about 25 minutes on average, a change he attributes to the introduction of the shot clock, longer towel breaks, and a more measured pace of play. Despite this increase, today’s men’s matches still do not rank among the four longest average durations of the last ten years. Tiley continued, “While it feels really late, the reality is you’ve got to look at the data.
No one wants to finish at 3:30 a.m., although the world watching in daylight saw a spectacular contest.” He reiterated his support for the “two days and two nights” model, explaining that fans appreciate the blend of a women’s match and a marquee men’s encounter in each session. “If a match runs long, it’s a great sporting ticket, and I will keep it,” he said. The tournament’s social media accounts quickly seized on the late‑night drama, posting a playful fill‑in‑the‑blank prompt for fans to 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.” One recurring suggestion in the conversation about late finishes is to shorten men’s matches in the early rounds to best‑of‑three sets.
This idea remains contentious because many purists view five‑set battles as the hallmark of Grand Slam tennis. Former US Open champion 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 has an opinion.” He acknowledged the emotional toll of long matches, noting, “There are times I’m up two sets to love and I’d love to shake hands and go home, but it’s tennis.” The US Open will be broadcast live on Sky Sports starting August 30, with streaming available on NOW and the Sky Sports app without a contract. Fans can also catch the Laver Cup at London’s O2 Arena from September 25‑27, also on Sky Sports. While the debate over match timing continues, Tiley’s commitment to preserving the day‑and‑night structure underscores the tournament’s belief that the unique blend of daytime and nighttime tennis is a core part of its identity, offering spectators a varied and thrilling experience that keeps New Yorkers and global fans alike returning year after year.