'No one even told us': Noskova questions roof closure delay after loss to Sabalenka
Tennis player Linda Noskova questioned the timing of a roof adjustment at the US Open during her quarterfinal match against Aryna Sabalenka. The delay caused shifting shadows on the court, which Noskova felt impacted a crucial stage of the match.
Why it matters
It highlights the intersection of tournament infrastructure policies and player performance in high-stakes professional sports.
Linda Noskova was made to serve as sunlight gave way to shadows during a key stage of her US Open quarterfinal loss to Aryna Sabalenka on Tuesday, after a delay meant the roof above Arthur Ashe Stadium could not finish adjusting in time.Sabalenka was leading 5-4 in the third set when Noskova stepped up to serve. At that point, most of the court was still in sunlight. By the time Noskova played her first point, the shadow had moved close to the middle of the court. After she won that point, almost the entire court was in shade when the next point started.“I did notice the roof closing right after the point, although it started closing even before the point, so it was weird,” Noskova said. "No one even told us about it, I guess.
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