Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner smashed the record for latest finish in US Open history on Wednesday night—or Thursday morning, actually—with Alcaraz fighting off a match point trailing 5-4 in the fourth set and eventually completing an epic 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-3 victory at 2:50 a.m.
LATEST FINISHES IN US OPEN HISTORY
- 2:50am - Alcaraz d. Sinner in QFs in 2022, 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-3
- 2:26am - Nishikori d. Raonic in 4th Rd in 2014, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (6), 7-5, 6-4
- 2:26am - Kohlschreiber d. Isner in 3rd Rd in 2012, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
- 2:26am - Wilander d. Pernfors in 2nd Rd in 1993, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4
And at five hours and 15 minutes, Alcaraz's quarterfinal victory over Sinner was also the second-longest match in US Open history, period, after Stefan Edberg’s five-hour, 26-minute semifinal victory over Michael Chang 30 years ago.
LONGEST MATCHES IN US OPEN HISTORY
- 5:26 - Edberg d. Chang in SFs in 1992, 6-7 (3), 7-5, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-4
- 5:15 - Alcaraz d. Sinner in QFs in 2022, 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-3
- 5:09 - Sargsian d. Massu in 2nd Rd in 2004, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4
“I feel great to be in my first semifinal in a Grand Slam. I feel better reaching semifinal here in US Open,” Alcaraz said in his post-match press conference.
“This tournament is amazing. The crowd is amazing, I would say the best in the world. I mean, the energy I receive in this court at 3 a.m., it was unbelievable. I mean, probably in other tournaments, other place, everybody went to their house to rest. But they keep in the court, supporting me. It was unbelievable.”
And there’s more, if you can believe it: the 19-year-old Alcaraz is now the youngest man to reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam since Rafael Nadal at 2005 Roland Garros (Nadal was a younger 19), and the youngest man to reach the semifinals of the US Open since Pete Sampras in 1990 (Sampras was a younger 19, too).
Nadal and Sampras both went on to win their first Grand Slam titles at those events.
Sinner, who already created a lot of history with his run to the quarterfinals in Flushing Meadows—becoming the first player born in the 2000s, male or female, to reach the quarterfinals at each of the four majors in their career—also met the press.
“I had some tough losses, for sure. This is in the top list, I think so,” he said. “Concering also the rest of the tournament, no, yeah, I think this one will hurt for quite a while.
“But tomorrow I wake up—or today, I wake up—trying to somehow take only the positives, trying to take away the other part. But it’s tough, for sure. Next tournament I will play Davis Cup. Before I want to practice again in the best possible way, trying to improve. Maybe next time I can win this, no?
“As I said, this kind of level was very high, for sure. It was a good match. I hope also for spectators. Yeah, last time I won, and this time he won, that’s it.”