Tennis needs to put an end to its absurd, self-centered, and detrimental practice of playing matches until 3am, according to journalist Sean Ingle.

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A few years back, California researchers proposed a fascinating hypothesis. Could insufficient sleep impact an individual’s willingness to assist others? To investigate this idea, the scientists conducted an experiment.

Initially, 24 adults were selected and divided into two groups. One group stayed up all night while the other slept regularly. The participants were then asked a series of questions and were given a social cognition task while their brains were being scanned with an MRI. The experiment was repeated, with the groups switching roles.

What was their discovery? That lack of sleep can cause us to become more hostile. Their study, titled “Lack of Sleep Results in Decreased Willingness to Help Others in Individuals, Groups, and Societies at Large”, revealed that 78% of the subjects showed a decrease in their willingness to assist others after a night of no sleep. Interestingly, this applied not only to strangers but also to their close acquaintances.

Additionally, the MRI scans revealed that the lack of willingness to assist others was linked to the deactivation of critical brain nodes. This deactivation was connected to the ability to consider the mental state, emotions, and personal needs of others.

Can I offer a recommendation to the Centre for Human Sleep Science, the group behind this intriguing research? I suggest booking a flight to Melbourne as soon as possible. You may have discovered a viable explanation for why the Australian Open organizers seemed confused when Thursday’s matches ended at 3:39am on Friday, when Daniil Medvedev ultimately defeated Emil Ruusuvuori after five intense sets.

Let us be blunt. It was a preposterous, idiotic and extraordinarily selfish act – and the organisers should be ashamed. At 3.39am there is only one thing we should be doing: sleeping.

Unfortunately, the small audience was able to observe the third-latest conclusion in the tournament’s past, as Medvedev did not retire to bed until 7am. However, he received a generous payment for his efforts. What about the employees and press who had to remain on site? Or the ballboys and girls who received no compensation except for a gift bag and food allowance? This behavior would even make Ebenezer Scrooge feel ashamed.

There is nothing inherently wrong with volunteering. I am familiar with past members of the Wimbledon ball crew who chose to do it for the camaraderie and unique experiences, and they received a payment of around £200 every two weeks. However, when it involves teenagers and young adults staying up past 4am, it seems like exploitation.

The Medvedev-Ruusuvuori match was not a singular occurrence. In 2022, Carlos Alcaraz’s quarter-final victory against Jannik Sinner at the US Open ended at 2:50am, making it the latest finish in the New York tournament. Additionally, in Melbourne last year, Andy Murray’s defeat of Thanasi Kokkinakis did not occur until after 4am.

It may seem like this would result in a despairing night. However, according to the Guardian’s tennis reporter, Tumaini Carayol, there has been less commotion over the late endings in Melbourne this year.

Karen Khachanov, a Russian tennis player, spoke out against the late start time of 11pm, stating that it is not beneficial for players to recover. This is a known issue in the tennis community, as demonstrated by Elena Rybakina’s experience last year. After her match with Daria Kasatkina ended at 2:55am in Montreal, Rybakina described herself as “destroyed” and struggled physically in the following weeks.

Admittedly tennis is not the only culprit. The NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins this month was played in -20C temperatures which was not only grim on the players but led to more than 30 fans being treated for hypothermia. Meanwhile at the 2022 World Cup, I was at a Lionel Messi press conference that started about 2.30am after Argentina beat the Netherlands – and, much later, in a huge queue with fans at the Lusail metro station.

Unfortunately, late endings are a regular occurrence in the tennis schedule compared to other sports. Although there are new regulations from ATP and WTA stating that matches cannot begin after 11pm, this only applies to regular tournaments and not grand slams.

The organizers of the Australian Open may argue that the tournament will now begin a day earlier, theoretically allowing for more time between matches. However, skeptics believe this change is motivated by financial gain rather than avoiding late games.

This issue should not be difficult to address. The Australian Open and US Open could opt to hold one night match, like at the French Open. Alternatively, they could begin their evening sessions earlier and implement a midnight curfew, extending an hour past Wimbledon’s 11pm conclusion. Utilizing faster tennis balls that do not fluff up as much would also result in shorter matches.

Perhaps they should take the opportunity to educate themselves on the many research studies that demonstrate the harmful effects of sleep deprivation on both our physical and mental well-being.

The CIA has utilized sleep deprivation as a form of torture due to its detrimental effects on our physical and mental well-being. Lack of sleep impairs thinking, weakens the immune system, and can negatively impact heart function, reaction times, attention, and learning abilities.

It is not surprising that research conducted in hospitals has revealed that employees who lack sleep are more likely to make twice as many mistakes related to attention. However, there are instances where we do not require scientific evidence to lead us towards making the correct decisions. Simple human decency should be sufficient.

Source: theguardian.com