Spanish star Carlos Alcarras called on tennis officials to put an end to matches that extend until late hours in the four major tournaments, following his exit at the hands of American Ben Shelton from the US Open very late at night, an incident that set a record.
Alkaras' journey as the holder of the Flushing Meadows Championship ended against Shelton in an exciting match that spanned 5 sets and concluded at 3:33 a.m. local New York time.
The quarterfinal match began on Tuesday evening and ended 4 hours and 28 minutes later on Wednesday morning, marking the latest late finish time for a US Championship match in US Championship history.
The deadline to stop matches in the Wimbledon Championship was set at 11 pm local time, while the US, French and Australian Championships do not impose a specific time to stop play. For example, the match between Serbian Novak Djokovic and Italian Lorenzo Musetti in 2024 ended at 3:07 am in Paris, and matches in New York and Melbourne often extend until late at night.
Many top players have complained about this harsh schedule. Alcarras, winner of seven major titles, insists it is time for a change in these major tournaments.
The Spaniard said in London, on the eve of the start of the Laver Cup competition this week, saying: “For an athlete, finishing the match at 3:30 in the morning means that he leaves the field at 4:30, and then returns to the hotel.”
He added: “He does not go to sleep before 6:30 or 7 in the morning. “Regarding recovery for the next match, the opponent he faces has an advantage.”
He continued: “It is exaggerated. They have to do something. I am not saying that 3:30 is the appropriate time, but even finishing at 12 at night is considered too late.”
Alkaras suffered from physical and mental exhaustion after that difficult loss to Shelton, which came in the first tournament he participated in after an absence of more than 4 months due to a wrist injury.
The player sees; The 23-year-old said that matches that extend until late at night harm the players and hinder the development of the sport. Because many fans are forced to leave the stadium, and the number of viewers on television decreases.
The third-ranked player in the world added: “It is unfortunate that a match like this does not receive wide audience follow-up. Because people have to go to sleep or wake up early to work the next day.”
Djokovic, who has won 24 Grand Slam titles, recently proposed reducing the current system in which the set is won by whoever wins 6 games, and reducing it to 4 games. This is with the aim of reducing the duration of matches.
But retired American star Andre Agassi disagreed with Djokovic's opinion, insisting that players who achieve glory in major tournaments gain appreciation for their ability to push their bodies to the maximum limits of endurance.
Agassi said; Winner of 8 major titles during his career: “I fully believe in the necessity of keeping it (the five-group system in major tournaments). “I think it is possible to get lucky and win 2 sets out of 3, but I do not think that luck alone is enough to win 3 sets out of 5.”
He continued: “I believe that the victory must be deserved and well deserved. There should be a fundamental difference between winning Grand Slam tournaments, which are the most important tournaments, and other tournaments that are held throughout the year.”
Agassi, who leads the “World Team” in the latest edition of the “Laver Cup,” believes that reducing the duration of matches would harm the history of this sport.
He said: “No one wants to extend matches until very late. It is unfortunate, and I have experienced this situation several times.” He added: “But the last thing we want is for a question mark to be placed next to the history of our sport. We do not want to see a player win just because he performed brilliantly for just an hour and a half and went through some difficult matches.”
He concluded by saying: “We are doing our best, but it remains like the old gladiator fights, and that is what I like.”
Udinese relaunched the career of international defender David Alaba, who has been without a club since his departure from Spanish club Real Madrid in July, and signed a one-year contract with him on Thursday.
The club, which is based in the Friuli region, explained in its statement: “Udinese Club is proud to announce the inclusion of David Alaba, one of the most prominent and decorated football players on the international scene.”
The Austrian defender signed a contract that will keep him with the Bianconero until June 30, 2027.”
Alaba (34 years old) was quoted as saying in the statement: “I certainly did not come here to end my career. I still aspire to this very much, and I firmly believe in my abilities on the field. I want to continue making the effort, perform the best in the Italian League week after week, and achieve achievements.”
Udinese excited its fans for Alaba to join him on Wednesday by publishing a picture of a white plastic chair on his social media accounts, in reference to the chair that the famous Austrian defender raised after Real Madrid's return against Paris Saint-Germain (3-1) in the second leg of the round of 16 of the 2022 Champions League.
By joining Alaba, Udinese receives the services of a veteran central defender, captain of the Austrian national team in the last World Cup, who represented his country 117 times, during which he scored 15 goals.
Alaba, a graduate of the Austria Vienna Youth Academy, spent most of his football career with Bayern Munich, where he won ten German League titles and two Champions League titles (2013 and 2020) between 2011 and 2021. He then wore the Real shirt between 2021 and 2026, adding two Spanish League titles and two more Champions League titles (2022 and 2024) to his track record.
Udinese occupies thirteenth place in the league with 4 points from just one win after five rounds of the new season, and the Bianconeri have conceded 11 goals, making it, since the departure of Danish Thomas Christensen to Atalanta, the fourth weakest defense in the Italian League.
On Wednesday, the Formula E World Championship revealed its new visual identity, before the start of the 2026-2027 season in the city of Jeddah next December, where the Jeddah Corniche Circuit will host the opening two rounds of the season.
The change coincides with the championship entering a new phase that will witness the first competitive appearance of the fourth generation car, in addition to holding the largest number of races in one season in the history of the championship, and making changes in the broadcast system and content accompanying the competitions.
The new identity includes a logo with a geometric design inspired by movement, which includes the first two letters of the tournament’s name, in addition to modifications to the fonts, colors and graphics used in television broadcasts and digital platforms.
Formula E explained that the amendments also included graphics for transmitting races, with the aim of facilitating following competitions and information related to the race, in addition to unifying the visual form used across broadcasts, social platforms and events.
The new identity is based on highlighting three main elements: speed, technology, and competition, while continuing to focus on sustainability and innovation, as they are among the elements that have been associated with the tournament since its inception.
Ellie Norman, Chief Marketing Officer at Formula E, said that the change comes with the growth of the championship at the level of competitions, audiences and partnerships, explaining that the previous identity was linked to a stage in the championship’s journey, while the new identity was designed to keep pace with the next stage.
She added that the championship seeks, through change, to present an image that reflects the nature of current racing in terms of speed, competition and technical development.
Formula E continues to involve a number of car manufacturers in its competitions, including Porsche, Jaguar, Nissan, Stellantis, Mahindra, and Lola Cars, while the start of the new season in Jeddah marks the beginning of the competitive era for fourth-generation cars.
