Scheduling issues form part of an ongoing dispute between players and Grand Slam organisers which has been running for years.
Players have been asking for a greater share of the revenue made by the event organisers, citing issues like late-night start times, lack of recovery time, increases in media duties, and pension contributions.
At Roland Garros and Wimbledon, Players including Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner restricted their media duties in protest at what some players see as unfair conditions.
The dispute led to Wimbledon and the US Open increasing the prize money available to players in 2026, and the creation of a Grand Slam players advisory council which will launch after the US Open concludes and give players a greater say on how the majors are run.
Whether the council will aim to force the end of late finishes is unclear, but their unpopularity with the majority of players is evident.
If a change is brought about amid player pressure, organisers may find broadcasters aren’t willing to play quite as much for TV rights, and then players could in turn see their prize money reduced as the overall revenue pot is smaller.
For now, though, the tug-of-war between finances and players’ rights means the matter remains unresolved.
