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Alcaraz calls for end to late-night finishes at Grand Slams
On Thursday, seven-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz urged tournament organizers in London to implement an 11 p.m. curfew for matches ahead of the Laver Cup. Alcaraz argued that earlier finishes would improve both fan attendance and player recovery.
Alcaraz's call follows his US Open exit against Ben Shelton at 3:33 a.m. earlier this month, setting a tournament record for the latest finish. Other opening-week matches also stretched beyond 2 a.m., including a late start for Venus Williams.
Wimbledon and the French Open limit late play to prevent such occurrences, with Wimbledon enforcing an 11 p.m. local curfew and the French Open restricting evening sessions to one match. These measures demonstrate existing tournament precedent for scheduling reform.
Andre Agassi, captain of Team World at the Laver Cup, emphasized that players require assured rest periods. "Tennis would benefit from that," Agassi said, underscoring the need for athlete recovery at season's end.
Intense demands and a congested calendar have fueled frustration among elite players over working conditions. The United States Tennis Association promised to evaluate future scheduling options, though broader reform remains uncertain.