Iga Swiatek is calling for changes and earlier starts after Novak Djokovic late-night finish at the French Open as the Polish world No. 1 suggests that matches starting and finishing late doesn’t benefit anyone, from players, on-site workers to viewers and fans.
After starting his French Open third-round match on Saturday night, Djokovic spent on the court four hours and 29 minutes before sealing a 7-5 6-7 (6) 2-6 6-3 6-0 win. By the time the last ball was played, the clock was at 03:08 local time.
While Djokovic didn’t want to bash the French Open organizers afterward, he did acknowledge that recovering would be tough. And many among Djokovic’s fans but also the general argued that finishing late can put a player in a disadvantageous position – in this case, it is the Serb.
Addressing the Djokovic case, Swiatek agrees finishing this late can only create problems for the record 24-time Grand Slam champion.
Swiatek on Djokovic’s late finish: It’s not easy…
“Well, that’s true. Obviously, everybody kind of thinks about themselves, and that’s why I was always looking from the player’s perspective,” Swiatek said.
“It’s not easy to play and then it’s not like we’re going to fall asleep one hour after…