{
  "id": 6020218,
  "title": "Empty seats, tired stars: The US Open’s post-2 a.m. finishes spark a pushback",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/empty-seats-tired-stars-the-us-opens-post-2-a-m-finishes-spark-a-6020218",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-06T19:03:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/tennis/2026/09/06/empty-seats-tired-stars-the-us-opens-post-2-a-m-finishes-spark-a-pushback"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "New York (AP) — Players at the U.S. Open are growing weary of playing matches that extend past 2 a.m. This year, the tournament has witnessed three post-2 a.m. finishes in the first six days, raising concerns about the impact on players and the audience. With empty seats filling the courts, top-seeded Alexander Zverev expressed frustration during his post-match press conference, stating that everyone is \"tired\" and wants to go to sleep. Jessica Pegula, the third-ranked women's player, echoed these sentiments, questioning whether it's fair for players to finish at 2 a.m. when many fans need to leave. Wimbledon and the French Open have implemented curfews, while the U.S. Open's extended match times have become the norm, but some players feel the timing is too late, especially for those who don't watch matches on television.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Three post-2 a.m. finishes in first six days at U.S. Open",
    "Top-seeded Alexander Zverev and Jessica Pegula express fatigue",
    "Wimbledon and French Open have curfews, U.S. Open norm persists"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Empty seats, tired stars: The US Open’s post-2 a.m. finishes spark a pushback",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/empty-seats-tired-stars-the-us-opens-post-2-a-m-finishes-spark-a",
        "published": "2026-09-06T19:02:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "Empty seats, tired stars: The US Open’s post-2 a.m. finishes spark a pushback",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/empty-seats-tired-stars-the-us-opens-post-2-a-m-finishes-spark-a-6022772",
        "published": "2026-09-06T19:23:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}