"Only in tennis does this happen": Tennis fans react with dismay as US Open refuses to budge on night sessions

Tennis fans reacted to the decision of the US Open to continue with two matches per evening session.

In recent weeks, the scheduling of night matches in WTA and ATP tournaments has been widely discussed, although it's a controversy that has been ongoing. Players like Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek were among the latest to call for solutions, as matches often end very late into the night.

Read also

2023 Cincinnati Open ATP and WTA Prize Money and Points Breakdown with $6,600,000 for Men's and $2,788,468 for Women's

Rybakina recently finished a match at 3 am while facing Daria Kasatkina in the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open. She highlighted the challenges of finishing matches so late, as players then have to undergo lengthy recovery sessions that can last for hours.

Furthermore, the 2022 Wimbledon champion was scheduled to play semifinals the following morning with the final set just a few hours later.

This time, the director of the US Open, Stacey Allaster, confirmed in a press conference that they will maintain the practice of featuring two matches during the night sessions.

"At the moment we're staying the course with two night matches. We'll continue to evaluate it," she said.

Read also

14 set streak snapped: Gauff finally defeats Swiatek at eighth attempt to reach maiden WTA 1000 final at Cincinnati Open

The announcement by the director was not well received by the fans, who took to social media to criticize the tournament's organization:

"This is not about #USOpen caring about the fans. This is about them selling tickets. I am sure all tennis players want nothing more than to play matches that end at 1 AM. Only in tennis does this happen."

"Crap answer from Allaster. This is a once a year event. Attendee can make a once a year arrangement to get to a 6:00 start time. Allaster cares about prime time revenue. Not about the fans who have to commute home between 1-2:00 am and not about the players."

Here are some other reactions from the fans:

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate tennis experience—subscribe today for exclusive access to top stories.

Subscribe