French Open: ‘Not fair’ – Novak Djokovic’s 3am finish at Roland-Garros ‘not healthy’, says Coco Gauff – Eurosport

Coco Gauff has voiced her opinion on Novak Djokovic’s late-night match at the French Open, calling the world No. 1’s 3am finish “not healthy” and “not fair”. 

Djokovic came back from two sets to one down to beat Lorenzo Musetti in a mammoth five-setter that did not finish until the early hours of the morning in Paris. 

Tournament organisers had scrambled to squeeze more matches under the roofs on the show-courts after numerous cancellations and suspensions thanks to persistent rain delays in the French capital, and Djokovic’s match with Musetti did not start until 10:37pm local time. 

Gauff, the women’s world No. 3, was asked about the matter following her 6-1 6-2 victory over Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the fourth round. 

“People think finishing at 3am [means], ‘Oh, you’re done,’” Gauff said. “But you play till 3am, and then you have press, and then you have to shower, eat, and then do treatment, so then you’re not going to bed until five at the earliest, maybe six or even seven. 

“It’s not healthy, and maybe not fair for those that have to play late, because it does ruin your schedule. I haven’t been put in a super late finish yet. 

“What can be done? I know on the tour side they’re thinking about putting a [rule in where] matches can’t start after a certain time. 

“I don’t know if it’s going to be a Grand Slam rule. That’s something to look at, especially if a match is going long, possibly moving courts. Then it’s tough because – especially here – there’s only one night match and people have paid for those tickets. 

“It’s a complicated thing, but for the health and safety of the players, it would be in the sport’s best interest to avoid those matches starting after a certain time. Obviously, you can’t control when they finish.”

Djokovic is set to play Francisco Cerundolo, the Argentine 23rd seed, in the last 16 of the men’s draw, while Coco Gauff faces the winner of Clara Tauson and Ons Jabeur in the last eight in the women’s.