US Open winner Andy Roddick defends late finishes amid criticism after Ben Shelton-Carlos Alcaraz thriller, tell me about this news in (https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/us-open-winner-andy-roddick-defends-late-finishes-amid-criticism-ben-shelton-carlos-alcaraz-thriller)

Former US Open champion Andy Roddick spoke out in defense of the US Open’s late-night scheduling following backlash over Ben Shelton’s thrilling quarterfinal victory against Carlos Alcaraz, which concluded at a historic 3:33 a.m. ET. WKMGAddressing the complaintsincluding criticism from commentators like Bill Simmons about matches dragging on for nearly five hoursRoddick pointed out that while critics complain about the late hours, very few offer realistic, workable solutions. He explained that starting the session earlier was not feasible because of the preceding match between Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen running long, making late finishes an unfortunate reality of the schedule rather than poor planning. Fox NewsRoddick strongly defended the traditional best-of-five format and the iconic night sessions at Arthur Ashe Stadium, arguing that grueling five-set battles are what make tennis one of the toughest and most compelling sports in the world. While acknowledging the inconvenience for fans and staff staying up until 4:00 a.m., he emphasized that shortening match formats would diminish the prestige, drama, and test of endurance that make historic thrillers like Shelton’s upset over Alcaraz so special. Fox News+ 1