Australian Open Schedule Faces Criticism Following Late

The Australian Open schedule has come under scrutiny as late-night matches extended into the early hours, prompting concerns raised by players, including Novak Djokovic. Despite two straight-sets finishes, the Tuesday evening session witnessed prolonged matches, with Jannik Sinner defeating Andrey Rublev in a three-set quarter-final that concluded close to 1.30am at Melbourne Park.

Novak Djokovic attributed the scheduling challenges to broadcasters, asserting their control over the Australian Open schedule. Djokovic’s victory over Taylor Fritz and Aryna Sabalenka’s win over Barbora Krejčíková contributed to a delayed start for Sinner and Fritz, with their match commencing close to 11pm.

Taylor Fritz expressed the disadvantage of playing in late matches and then having to compete in a day session in the following round. He noted that such scheduling disrupts players’ sleep schedules and poses challenges in adjusting to different match timings.

Djokovic acknowledged that late finishes are suboptimal, despite having two full days to prepare for the upcoming semi-final scheduled for Friday. Jannik Sinner, after finishing his match in a relatively short time, expressed confidence in having enough time to recover.

Organizers responded to the concerns by adjusting the start time for Wednesday’s singles quarterfinals, beginning one hour earlier than Tuesday, aiming to minimize the overlap between the day and night sessions.

Djokovic suggested potential solutions to address scheduling issues, including organizing fewer matches on Rod Laver Arena or holding them in one continuous session. However, he emphasized that TV broadcasters wield significant influence in determining the schedule, as they play a pivotal role in providing a platform for players to reach a global audience.

While discussions were held about the possibility of moving later matches, no changes were made, and players proceeded with their matches as scheduled. Despite the uncertainties, players like Jannik Sinner expressed a preference for playing on Rod Laver Arena, considering it a privilege with its unique atmosphere and walk-on experience.