Carlos Alcaraz, the Spanish tennis star, left the US Open quarter-final match against Ben Shelton with a smile, despite losing in a grueling five-set contest that lasted four hours and 28 minutes. Alcaraz had not played in his first tournament in over five months due to a wrist injury that caused him significant daily pain. As a result, he missed the French Open and Wimbledon, only confirming his participation in the US Open a week before the event. Despite the loss, Alcaraz called the match a "gift," saying he enjoyed the experience and appreciated the chance to compete again, even though it came with physical challenges. The US Open this year saw several matches extend into the early hours of the morning, with the latest finishes in the tournament's history. Alexander Zverev, who would go on to win the title, played three of his first five matches past 1am, and Venus Williams concluded her first-round match at 2am. Alcaraz voiced concerns about these late match times, suggesting that starting matches earlier could lead to better crowd attendance. He proposed a rule limiting matches to finish by 11pm. Alcaraz, who is 23 years old, is among several top players who have missed significant parts of the season due to injuries. British player Jack Draper, for example, ended his season early due to an arm injury, and Alcaraz's main rival, Jannik Sinner of Italy, missed the US Open entirely because of a knee injury. Alcaraz indicated that he will continue to prioritize his health by skipping some tournaments in the future to remain "mentally and physically healthy." In September, Alcaraz will represent Team Europe in the Laver Cup, a team-based tennis tournament held at The O2 in London. The event features Europe, led by Yannick Noah, competing against the United States, captained by Andre Agassi. Alcaraz described the experience of playing with the world's top players as "a weird feeling but it's beautiful." He noted that the intensity of their play made the Laver Cup an exciting event to watch. Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have split eight Grand Slam titles between them from 2024 to 2025, creating a notable generational rivalry. They have only met once this year, with Sinner winning the Monte Carlo Masters final to claim the world number one ranking. Alcaraz mentioned that he has sent messages to Sinner after his victories, mostly early in the year. He expressed that he misses competing against Sinner and that their rivalry motivates him to improve. Fans are eagerly anticipating their future matches.