When Steve Brown checked the time after the last sale at the U.S. Open's flagship souvenir shop, it was 4:11 a.m. on Wednesday. Mr. Brown, the store's manager, locked the doors six minutes later and was stunned to see so many people still at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The fans had witnessed a historic night: the fourth straight match in over 16 hours of tennis in Arthur Ashe Stadium. It began at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday and ended when Ben Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a fifth-set tiebreaker at 3:33 a.m., the latest U.S. Open match finish ever.

Yet work continued—players gave interviews, ushers guided fans out, cleaning crews swept up, and photographers filed shots. The last two communications staff, Brendan Mc Intyre and Patrick Mitsch, left at 5:05 a.m. Veteran photographer Geoff Burke noted the stadium was "at least 40 percent full" in the lower bowl. Matches stretching past midnight are part of U.S. Open lore, though some suggest using Louis Armstrong Stadium for backlogs.

Workers like Dean Whylie marveled at the crowds exiting just before dawn. The U.S. Open's head of talent acquisition, David Konecky, confirmed workers receive overtime pay and rotations were adjusted for recovery.