The US Open this year is a total madhouse. For starters, Aryna Sabalenka is one to agree. With a clear sign of the masses’ rising interest in the hardcourt Slam, the event scripted a record-breaking attendance of 31,900 fans per night. However, with a new regulation in place, things have proved troublesome for the Belarusian star.

The New York event enforced a new policy. People with tickets to certain areas – namely Arthur Ashe Stadium all the way to Court 8 and 16, can move around whenever they please, even during games. Now that’s a big change in tennis etiquette. The sport’s long-standing tradition, wherein people were not permitted to move between sets or even games sometimes, is now discarded. Amidst the commotion, the crowd hasn’t been wary of the scheduled match timings either. Seeing as the sport is very disciplinary, the World No. 2 isn’t taking kindly to this.

Taking to her social media, the 26-year-old voiced her discomfort with the arena’s atmosphere. She cited that her QF contest was delayed by 8 minutes after fans weren’t seated for the showdown timely. Irked by the hindrance, the Belarusian said, “My only complaint about Ashe night sessions is there isn’t a 7 pm walk. Why are they walking on at 7:08 pm?? You can’t control match length, but you can start on time.” 

Subsequently, tennis fans were also prompted to chime in and address their thoughts on the unsettling situation.

Aryna Sabalenka’s take on US Open’s latest guideline receives mixed response from tennis fans

One tennis fan acknowledged the Belarusian’s grievances, but, urged her to relax saying, “Chill it’s just a few minutes.” Some players had already figured that the new rule will not sit well with most players. American star Ben Shelton also gave his thoughts on the Flushing Meadows’ new policy, confirming that “some players will be annoyed with it this week.”

Daria Kasatkina made a candid admission on the topic, highlighting “When you’re playing in silence and then just some noise comes from somewhere, you notice it.” For the unversed, in team sports like soccer, NFL, and basketball, people are permitted to leave the premises whenever they wish. However, because tennis is played one-on-one, players get distracted by even the slightest movement in the crowd. Another user highlighted that the regulation isn’t alien to the sporting world, stating that is it “pretty much the norm in every sport.”

Another fan suggested that the delay in Aryna Sabalenka’s match might be due to “ESPN intros.” Notably, these remarks possibly point out to the US Open’s official broadcaster, ESPN, running its preview show before the match commenced. Naturally, those preliminary showings could cause a slight delay in showdowns at Ashe, which push the matches even further.

Similarly, one tennis fan also shared a parallel opinion, stating “It’s gotta be financially driven.” However, Shriver wants fans to enjoy prime-time tennis before they go to their bed. “Pro tennis we are crazy to have some of our most important matches being played in the middle of the night. @usopen starts on Ashe Stadium at 12pm plus takes too long between sessions. Let’s trade 12 am-2 am match times for 10 am-12 pm tennis on Ashe. Let’s study how to speed up matches,” she tweeted.

However, one tennis fan empathized with the No. 2 seed before declaring that minor delays as such are inconsequential. “I think all of them should start at the right time and the players should come in to the court at the same hours they put on the schedule the day before. But, overall doesn’t make that much difference.” Tennis matches can go beyond midnight and sometimes even end after 2 am. At the same time, some matches can end far too quickly. Delays can play a role in both situations, which is why they aren’t ideal, and at the same time, they are inconsequential.

In summary, the Belarusian superstar will have to be patient. To much surprise, the Slam’s latest policy hasn’t affected her on-court performance. The No. 2 seed advanced to the semifinals after ousting Qinwen Zheng in straight sets.