Greg Rusedski calls for US Open rule change after Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz’s late finish
Former British No 1 Greg Rusedski has called for the US Open to make an important change after Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz’s match sparked controversy.
World No 9 Shelton defeated third-ranked Alcaraz 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) in a four-hour-and-28-minute US Open quarter-final at Flushing Meadows.
The enthralling contest concluded at 3:33am in New York on Wednesday, which saw it set a new record for the latest-ever finish time at the US Open.
While all four singles matches in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday went the distance, many observers have criticised US Open organisers for allowing a scenario where a match could finish so late.
Speaking on his Off Court With Greg Rusedski podcast, Rusedski gave his verdict on the US Open scheduling.
“There has to be some sort of solution,” said the 1997 US Open runner-up and former world No 4.
“I mean, the question mark [is], what do you do? Do you put one on Arthur Ashe [Stadium]. Do you put one on [Louis] Armstrong [Stadium] and sell two tickets at the same time for the quarter-finals?
More US Open News
US Open strongly criticised after Ben Shelton-Carlos Alcaraz match: ‘They’ve decided to kill tennis’
Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.
“Because now that we’re in the semi-final stage, it’s really easy to organise everything, and this happened to be the longest day because every match went the distance.
“And I think the other option is you put the quarters, one on Louis Armstrong, one on Arthur Ashe, and you start them at the exact hour where [it’s] 7, 7:30, especially in the men’s singles, and then you figure out, or you put one men’s [and] one women’s during the day, and you mix it up that way and you find a solution.
“Finishing off at three o’clock in the morning, by the time Ben finishes his recovery and gets back to the hotel at 6 am… good luck getting to sleep, as well.
“And after you’ve done your massage, your treatment, your eating, no practice, complete day off.
“And it gives Frances Tiafoe a little bit of an advantage in that respect, because when they come out the next day for the semis on Friday, recovery is going to be difficult. It’s not going to be easy.”
READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz reveals what made the difference in epic US Open loss to Ben Shelton
