Aryna Sabalenka & Ekaterina Alexandrova’s 3rd round match sets a new record as the latest start time in US Open history. 12:08 in the morning. Yikes.
Women's tennis scheduling under the microscope again as Aryna Sabalenka's US Open win sets latest start time record
WTASaturday, 31 August 2024 at 15:02
Women's tennis scheduling is under the microscope again for all the wrong reasons as Aryna Sabalenka started her tie against Ekaterina Alexandrova in the latest slot in US Open history.
It was 12:08am local time when the match started on Arthur Ashe Stadium as Sabalenka simply said after the match about what she was doing to stay ready. “I was praying that they’re not gonna play so long."
Sabalenka lost the first set 6-2 before taking the next two 6-1, 6-2 recovering from a slow start against the Russian to book her Last 16 spot. There she faces Elise Mertens.
“That was an interesting decision in between matches to have this 1 hour and 20 minute gap. I was like ‘no way.. I’m gonna start at midnight.’ And that’s actually what happened," said Sabalenka.
"That was tricky. We stayed with the team and tried to relax. Right before the match we did our warm up and we hoped for the best.”
Again though it highlights an issue. That being of women's tennis scheduling. Alexei Popyrin v Novak Djokovic took centre stage with the Aussie ace winning and perhaps given that only really now Jannik Sinner remains, the top female stars may now be given prime slot.
Sabalenka will certainly hope so. Often a bone of conjecture in the WTA locker room, it also serves as something that can go the opposite way.
Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek for instance are two players who are well known for asking for day session matches and don't like playing at night so are victims of their own circumstance. But a late finish like this proposes that the problem is still very much there.
Not only that but it is a Grand Slam problem with fans having to stay in stadiums late mainly to appease the broadcasters and the tournaments as a result being in a rock and a hard place to stop such an issue. But another crazy finish doesn't help their cause.
Aryna Sabalenka spoke about the late start time after beating Alexandrova close to 2 a.m. at US Open “That was an interesting decision in between matches to have this 1 hour and 20 minute gap. I was like ‘no way.. I’m gonna start at midnight.’ And that’s actually what happened.…
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