U.S. Open changes finals schedule for 2013
The U.S. Open will push the women's final to Sunday afternoon and the men's championship match to Monday in 2013.
The USTA announced schedule changes Friday that include moving the women's semifinals to Friday afternoon and keeping the men's semis on Saturday. The 2013 finals will be played Sept. 7 and 9.
The change ends the U.S. Open's "Super Saturday" that had featured the women's final and the men's semifinals on the same day since 1984. No Saturday night matches will be played during the second week of the tournament.
The switch comes in part as a response to player complaints of having semifinals and finals on consecutive days. The U.S. Open was the only Grand Slam event to follow that format.
The new schedule will include a built-in day off between the semis and final.
"I'm pleased that the USTA has modified the U.S. Open schedule to include a day of rest between the semifinals and final," defending men's champion Andy Murray said. "Together with the prize money increase, it's good that they've taken on board the players' concerns."
The Open will boost the total prize money available by $4 million to $29.5 million.
"Both the prize-money increase and the addition of a day of rest are great for the players," defending and four-time Open women's champion Serena Williams said. "These moves make the tournament stronger than it's ever been for all players."
A scheduling decision on future tournaments likely will come after the 2013 event.
"We recognize the increased physicality required to compete at the highest level of the sport, and we have responded to the players' request for a scheduled day of rest between the singles semifinals and finals," USTA chairman and president Jon Vegosen said.
