The US Open's night sessions are a hallmark of the tournament, but they can carry a cost for competitors when matches run deep into the small hours. Some players found themselves getting to bed around 6:45am after late finishes, a disruption that can complicate physical recovery and routine ahead of the closing stages.
Men's semi-finalists Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev were highlighted among those feeling the consequences of the late-night schedule. With the latter rounds compressed into marquee evening slots to suit fans and broadcasters, athletes have had to contend with truncated sleep windows and altered preparation timelines.
Extended matches and late bedtimes can affect players in several ways: reduced sleep undermines muscle recovery, slows reaction times, and can make it harder to maintain focus during practice and match play. Managing nutrition, physiotherapy and light exposure becomes more important when normal sleep patterns are thrown off by repeated late finishes.
Tournament scheduling and the appeal of night sessions create a familiar tension between delivering drama for spectators and preserving optimal conditions for competitors. Players, their teams and tournament staff typically try to adapt with modified recovery programmes, naps and adjusted practice schedules, but the cumulative toll of multiple late nights can still be significant.
As the tournament moves into the semi-finals, those affected by the late finishes will need to balance recovery with preparation. How effectively players manage sleep disruption and physical recovery in the lead-up to the final rounds could influence performance as the US Open reaches its conclusion.