Rafael Nadal advanced to the Rio Open semifinals but walked off the court at 3:18 a.m. local time on Saturday.
What followed was no surprise: Nadal was not happy. "No tennis tournament should end at this time," he said.
"It's tough for the players, but maybe worse for the fans. It very bad on the part of the ATP."
Nadal's late start was made necessary when five matches on Rio's main court went to three sets. And Nadal knew who to blame.
"It's not the tournament's fault. It was the ATP that didn't want to reschedule a match. If it's a grand slam you have a day to rest. It's seems like a terrible error to me."
Having disposed of Pablo Cuevas 4-6, 7-5, 6-0, Nadal now faces a Saturday semifinal against Italy's Fabio Fognini. If there is a silver lining for Nadal after his long night, it's this: Fognini needed nine match points to see off Argentina's Federico Delbonis 6-4, 6-7 (10-12), 7-6 (11-9) in three hours, 12 minutes.
If Nadal is tired, Fognini should be too.
Fognini blew three match points in the second set tie-break. He won the deciding set by coming from a break of serve down.
In case you're wondering: The ATP a 2006 match ended at 3:24 a.m. local time, the latest on record.
Second seed David Ferrer will play Andreas Haider-Maurer in the other semifinal, after both recorded three-set wins.
As for his plans after the match, Nadal said: "I am going to go off to bed and we'll see if I have recovered."
Contributing: Sportal.com.au