A 3:33 am finish at the US Open isn’t history. It’s a problem.

NEW YORK — Quick question for you: Have you ever done anything productive in your life at 3:30 a.m.?

Before you think long and hard, chances are the answer isn't even close to yes (and in this case, sleep and other nighttime activities that can't be mentioned here don't count).

The only two people on Earth who can answer that question confidently in the affirmative are Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz, whose five-set quarterfinal thriller on Tuesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium had the tennis world buzzing – and those who didn't stay up were probably shocked to find out when the match ended.

When Shelton's serve on match point found a place that Alcaraz's couldn't reach, the time was 3:33 a.m. Eastern. After four hours and 28 minutes, the No. 8 seed's 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) victory came along with the headline of the match having the latest finish in US Open history. Like, that's some great accomplishment, or something to be proud of.

To reiterate, no sporting event should start at 11 p.m. or 12:13 a.m., as Venus Williams' first-round match with Sofia Kenin began last week.

But when you have matches ending in the…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/sports/