US Open Semifinalists Face Late-Night Strain
Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev face disrupted recovery before the US Open semifinals after a run of late finishes.
Late nights reshape the semifinal buildup
The US Open men's semifinals will be played after a tournament marked by matches that have run deep into the night. The uneven schedules have created a clear recovery issue, with some players finishing as commuters begin their morning while others have had full evenings away from the court. Sleep now matters.
Alexander Zverev arrives as the No. 3 player in Court Shark's rankings, with a 7-3 record across his last ten completed matches. Several of his matches at Flushing Meadows have ended after the usual close of the day, and Friday will be his first daytime appearance. He said one recent bedtime came at 6:45am. That schedule has left him feeling as if the tournament were being played in Australia rather than New York.
Shelton faces a different recovery test
Ben Shelton completed his quarterfinal win over Carlos Alcaraz at 3:34am on Wednesday. The No. 6 player has gone 9-1 in his last ten completed matches, so his recent tennis has been sharp despite the demanding finish. He now meets Frances Tiafoe in the night session.
Shelton has had two days off court before the semifinal. That helps, although the delayed finish still changed the normal pattern of eating, sleeping, and training after a major match. He said he expected to be "all right." A strength and conditioning coach familiar with Grand Slam demands said naps and a quick return to routine would be important after such a disrupted night.
Khachanov holds the earlier finish
Karen Khachanov enters his match with Zverev without having played beyond midnight during this US Open. Court Shark lists him at No. 15, and he is 6-4 over his last ten completed matches. His quarterfinal ended shortly before 19:00 on Wednesday.
That earlier finish gave Khachanov more time to reset before Friday. Zverev, by contrast, stayed up late after his opening wins and also watched Shelton's win over Alcaraz on his night off. Recovery is never identical between players. Still, a full evening of rest can matter when the next match is a semifinal against an opponent who has repeatedly finished in the early morning.
The schedule debate returns
Late starts have revived the wider argument over how Grand Slam schedules should work. A first-round match involving Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin began at 12:13am, while several other matches have also crossed well into the night. The issue is growing.
Tour rules introduced in 2024 prevent regular three-set matches from starting after 23:00, but those limits do not cover the majors. Starting night sessions earlier is the most discussed adjustment, though New York crowds and television schedules complicate that option. Reducing men's matches from best-of-five sets has also been raised. Tiafoe defended the format, saying, "But it's tennis, man."
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