Sakkari and Haddad Maia Battle in Late-Night US Open Thriller
It was another one of those nights at the US Open where tennis stretched deep into the early hours, testing both players and fans alike. On Saturday, Maria Sakkari and Beatriz Haddad Maia didn’t step onto the Louis Armstrong Stadium court until 11:28 p.m., just minutes before midnight. By then, much of the day’s energy had already been consumed by a marathon men’s match that delayed the schedule for hours.
The reason for the late start was a nearly four-hour clash between Félix Auger-Aliassime and third seed Alexander Zverev. That showdown ended with Auger-Aliassime pulling off a four-set stunner, eliminating Zverev and sending shockwaves through the men’s draw. By the time the dust settled, the women were finally given the chance to play their third-round match.
Despite the late hour, Haddad Maia wasted no time. The Brazilian star took control of the match and wrapped things up in just 70 minutes, finishing at 12:38 a.m. on Sunday. Her victory not only secured her place in the fourth round but also won her admiration from the crowd that stayed behind long after most New Yorkers had gone to bed.
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“Thanks everyone who stayed to the end,” Haddad Maia said in her on-court interview. She smiled as she acknowledged the dedication of those fans who had endured the late start. “I know it’s very, very late, and you guys are supporting women’s tennis, and this is very, very important for us.”
The timing of matches at the US Open has been a growing debate. A policy was introduced last year giving referees the authority to move matches that haven’t started by 11:15 p.m. to another court. According to a USTA spokesperson, the decision to keep Sakkari and Haddad Maia on Armstrong was made after Auger-Aliassime and Zverev wrapped up their fourth set. Had their battle stretched into a deciding fifth, the women would have been moved elsewhere.
This was not the latest start in the history of the tournament, but it still ranked as the seventh-latest at Flushing Meadows. Exactly one year ago to the day, Aryna Sabalenka and Ekaterina Alexandrova set the record when they began their night match at 12:07 a.m. And for Haddad Maia, this wasn’t unfamiliar territory either. Back in 2022, she began a match against Bianca Andreescu at 11:38 p.m.
Late-night scheduling has been under scrutiny across all the majors. The French Open and Australian Open have also faced criticism for marathon matches spilling into the early hours. Wimbledon, by contrast, enforces an 11 p.m. curfew to avoid such late finishes.
As all of this unfolded, matches were still running on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Iga Swiatek had mounted a comeback earlier in the evening, and Tommy Paul was locked in a long duel with Alexander Bublik that stretched well past midnight. In fact, Paul’s tournament ended just after 1 a.m. in a grueling five-set loss.
So while Haddad Maia’s late-night victory over Sakkari may not have set a record, it underscored the ongoing debate in tennis: how late is too late for the sport’s biggest stages? For the fans who stayed and for the players who gave their all, the answer on this night was simple—sometimes greatness is worth the wait.
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