The latest example is defending champion Novak Djokovic's five-set victory at Roland Garros against Lorenzo Musetti, a contest that began after 10:30 p.m. on Saturday and didn't wrap up until after 3 a.m. on Sunday.
UpdatedPARIS — Iga Swiatek provided a simple explanation for why she requested that the French Open not put her on the schedule during one of its night sessions, which often turn into way-past-midnight sessions.Catching the right amount of z’s is no easy task in Grand Slam tennis these days, for the athletes or those watching them compete.
“It’s a complicated thing,” U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff said Sunday. “But I definitely think for the health and safety of the players, it would be in the sport’s best interest to try to avoid those matches finishing — or starting — after a certain time. Obviously, you can’t control when they finish.”
There are those who suggest men should play best-of-three-set matches instead of best-of-five — and others who maintain the longer format creates additional drama and is essential to the allure of major tournaments. “There are lots of factors that weigh into this stuff. Solutions are difficult, because you have to put yourself in everyone’s seat,” said Jim Courier, who won two of his four major trophies at the French Open in the early 1990s. “So you pick your poison. There’s no good answers when it rains as much as it has.”
The group he co-founded to support the sport's athletes, the Professional Tennis Players Association , has tried to draw attention to the need for a way around the late-night madness.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Auger-Aliassime falls to Alcaraz in Roland-Garros Round 4Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime saw his run at the French Open come to an end Sunday with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 loss to No. 3 seed Carlos Alcaraz of Spain.
Read more »
Swiatek, Gauff sprint into Roland-Garros quartersAfter the French Open marathon came the sprints. Defending champion Iga Swiatek swept into the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in just 40 minutes after a crushing 6-0, 6-0 win against Anastasia Potapova.
Read more »
Djokovic keeps Roland-Garros title defense going by defeating Musetti in five setsNovak Djokovic’s French Open title defense — and his hold on No. 1 in the rankings — are still alive thanks to a 7-5, 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 comeback victory over 22-year-old Italian Lorenzo Musetti in a third-round match that lasted 4 1/2 hours and did not conclude until Sunday after 3 a.m., the latest finish in tournament history.
Read more »
Sabalenka, Rybakina advance at Roland-GarrosGrand Slam winners Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka reached the fourth round of the French Open in straight sets on Saturday.
Read more »
Roland-Garros chair umpire rescues pigeon that landed on courtThis one's for the birds: A pigeon landed on the court during a French Open match Saturday, leading the chair umpire to use a towel to rescue the fallen fowl.
Read more »
Shelton's painful shoulder, slower serve speeds hurt during Roland-Garros lossBen Shelton compared himself to a Major League Baseball left-hander after a painful shoulder prevented him from playing his best in a 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 third-round loss to Felix Auger-Aliassime at the French Open that concluded on Saturday after being suspended a night earlier because of rain.
Read more »