Too Dark for Tennis

It was a great match that turned sour late Wednesday in Paris.  Gael Monfils and Fabio Fognini playing in a 5th set, and playing in almost completely dark conditions.

The latest finish of a match was believed to be 9:50 p.m. in 1982. That was between Peter McNamara of Australia and Andres Gomez of Ecuador with them knotted at 9-9 in the fifth set. They had to leave the court because of the failing light and the following day McNamara needed just two games to finish off a 6-1, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 11-9 victory.

Two years ago, Venus Williams seemed to stubbornly ignore the option of stopping in poor light and went on to lose by a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 score to Flavia Pennetta in a match that concluded at 9:47 p.m.

The Monfils/Fognini match was past 9:30 and it was too dark.  For a close match in a Grand Slam tournament to be played in these conditions, well it was wrong.  Either get some lights, or make 9:30 the cut off for play to stop.