Martina Navratilova has stepped into the debate over the US Open’s late-night scheduling after Ben Shelton’s dramatic win over Carlos Alcaraz ended deep into Wednesday morning.

Shelton defeated Alcaraz 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) in a quarter-final that lasted four hours and 28 minutes. The American, 23, has now reached his second semi-final at the New York Grand Slam and will meet Frances Tiafoe on Friday.

The contest began after 11pm on Tuesday and finished at 3:33am on Wednesday, making it the latest finish in US Open history. For Navratilova, that was another sign that the tournament has pushed the schedule too far.

In response to a tweet from tennis writer Christopher Clarey about the night-session setup, the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion wrote: “Something has got to give… this is not ok and it is not normal … no other sport might start at 11 AM or 11 PM. In the same event,”

The Shelton-Alcaraz match was not the only one at this year’s event to run into the early hours. Alexander Zverev’s five-set victories in the first and second round finished at 1:55am and 2:15am.

The women’s event has also produced extreme start times. Sofia Kenin’s opening-round win over Venus Williams began at 12:13am, setting a US Open record for the latest match start time, and ended just before 2am.

Navratilova expanded on her concerns after the Kenin-Williams match while speaking on Sky Sports. “It was the latest start for a women’s match ever. After midnight, and it could have been later. Tennis is the only sport that does this. I think it’s crazy,” said the former world No 1.

She added: “I think they need to fix the night session. It’s too late. I think they should play men’s singles and then maybe a doubles match. If you do women’s singles you can still have another doubles match, or another women’s singles. You’ll see get four sets of play minimum.

“Even if you put the women’s match on first and it’s three sets, the guys start by 10pm. If a men’s match goes five sets, you start at midnight.

“You’re never on the court at midnight and you never start a match at midnight, so it’s counterproductive for everybody, spectators and the players.”

Ben Shelton outlasted Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic US Open quarter-final that stretched deep into the early morning in New York. The match unfolded on Arthur Ashe Stadium and needed five sets before the American finally closed it out, securing one of the biggest wins of his career.

It was a contest that rarely looked settled, with both players finding spells of control before the balance shifted again. In the end, Shelton had enough firepower to move through to the US Open semi-finals for only the second time in his career, while Alcaraz fell short of defending his title.

Even with the defeat, Alcaraz leaves Flushing Meadows with positives. He arrived at the tournament carrying injury concerns, yet still produced a strong run. His mood after the loss reflected that view, and he spoke openly about wanting to turn the page and get back to work.

Speaking to Alex Corretja on Spanish television, Alcaraz said: “We’re leaving very happy; we’ve walked off the court smiling. It’s not pleasant to lose, but you have to see the positive side of matches like these.

“In the end, you play for matches like this one. I’m eager to get back home, to train, to compete, and in the end, this is what we’ve been missing, and getting back home healthy is the most important thing.”

Alcaraz’s next event is already set, and it will bring him back into contact with Shelton. He is confirmed for Team Europe at the Laver Cup, which will be staged at The O2 Arena in London from September 25 to 27.

That event will be Alcaraz’s first in the UK this year after wrist problems forced him out of Queen’s and Wimbledon. It will also mark his third Laver Cup appearance, with a 6-2 record in singles and doubles and 15 points earned for Team Europe from his previous two outings.

Former world No. 4 Greg Rusedski has pressed the US Open to rethink its scheduling after the quarter-final between Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz created a fresh controversy.

Shelton came through a dramatic five-set battle, winning 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) in 4 hours and 28 minutes in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match did not finish until 3:33am in New York, setting a new US Open record for the latest-ever conclusion.

Speaking on his Off Court With Greg Rusedski podcast, the 1997 US Open runner-up said the tournament needs a better answer to nights like this.

“There has to be some sort of solution,” said the 1997 US Open runner-up.

He then outlined possible ways the event could reduce the risk of such extreme finishes. “I mean, the question mark [is] what do you do? Do you put one on Arthur Ashe [Stadium]. Do you put one on [Louis] Armstrong [Stadium] and sell two tickets at the same time for the quarter-finals?

“Because now that we’re in the semi-final stage, it’s really easy to organise everything, and this happened to be the longest day because every match went the distance.

“And I think that’s the the other option is you put the quarters, one on Louis Armstrong, one on Arthur Ashe, and you start them at the exact hour where [it’s] 7, 7:30, especially in the men’s singles, and then you figure out, or you put one men’s [and] one women during the day, and you mix it up that way and you find a solution.

“Finishing off at three o’clock in the morning, by the time Ben finishes his recovery and gets back to the hotel at 6 am… good luck getting to sleep as well.

“And after you’ve done your massage, your treatment your eating, no practice, complete day off.

“And it gives Frances Tiafoe a little bit of an advantage in that respect, because when they come out the next day for the semis on Friday, recovery is going to be difficult. It’s not going to be easy.”