Five sets later, Carlos Alcaraz had lost his US Open title defence at 3.34am — an outcome that would leave most players grimacing. Not him. The Spaniard was caught on camera exiting the Arthur Ashe tunnel with a massive smile on his face, shortly after being beaten by Ben Shelton.
The contest ran for four hours and 28 minutes, setting a new record for the latest finish in the tournament’s history. A number of other matches at Flushing Meadows likewise ran late, with Alexander Zverev concluding three of his first five matches past 1am and Venus Williams wrapping up her opening-round match at 2am.
Alcaraz’s Wrist Injury
A wrist injury kept Alcaraz out of competition for more than five months, with daily discomfort persisting throughout that time. He skipped defending his French Open title and passed on Wimbledon entirely, and remained uncertain whether he would take part in New York until just a week before the event.
“The quarter-final was great – it was a gift for me,” Alcaraz told BBC Sport before this week’s Laver Cup in London. “I suffered, but I enjoyed and that’s why I smiled when I walked out of the court because I missed that feeling.”
Why the Late Matches Matter
The Spaniard believes the schedule pushed fans away. “The last match people stayed but if that match was played earlier, the court could have been packed,” he said. “I would like to change the schedule a little with a maximum finish at 11pm or whatever would be better.”
“I think it’s too much.”
Alcaraz, 23, is one of a number of players to have missed large chunks of the season with injury. Britain’s Jack Draper has had a lengthy struggle with an arm injury, ultimately ending his season early to recover. Alcaraz’s rival Jannik Sinner missed the US Open with a knee injury.
Missing Sinner
Alcaraz said at the US Open that he will miss some tournaments in the future to allow himself to be “mentally and physically healthy”. The decision to skip events has kept him from his usual rivals, including Sinner.
“I have text him not too much, but a few times when he has been winning everything, mostly at the beginning of the year,” Alcaraz added. “I miss him, I miss seeing him around, playing against him. He pushes me to be a better player.”
“People will be waiting for those matches, so I think it’s going to be better.”
The Generational Rivalry
From 2024 through 2025, Alcaraz and Italy’s Sinner share eight Grand Slam titles, which has built a rivalry across generations. Their meetings have been limited this year due to injuries, and they have faced off just once, when Sinner took the Monte Carlo Masters final to claim the top ranking in the world.
Laver Cup at The O2
This week, Alcaraz takes part for Team Europe at The O2 in London during the Laver Cup, held from 27 September to 25 October. The competition brings together Europe, led by captain Yannick Noah, against a United States side guided by Andre Agassi.
“When you have your team-mates, the best in the world, by your side, it’s a weird feeling but it’s beautiful,” Alcaraz said. “We played like our lives depend on it. That’s why the Laver Cup is so good to watch as well.”
The Schedule Question
Alcaraz’s proposal for an earlier finish time reflects a broader complaint among players about the tournament’s late-night matches. The record-setting finish time came despite the sport’s governing bodies having discussed scheduling changes aimed at avoiding such late nights.
His Reaction to Defeat
Alcaraz’s grin following his US Open defeat shows how he reacted to the difficulty. After four hours and 28 minutes of play, he exited the Arthur Ashe tunnel with a smile, a contrast to the grimaces most players would have shown under similar circumstances.
Source material: “Alcaraz on late finishes, missing Sinner and Laver Cup return,” the BBC.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.