From Carlos Alcaraz to Boris Becker: How the tennis world has become divided over the debate of 5-set matches at Grand Slams
Tennis stars have recently been facing questions regarding the five-set match format at Grand Slams, as opposed to the three-set system used in other tournaments. Additionally, these questions are doing the rounds during the ongoing 2024 Wimbledon Championships and have received mixed views from current and former tennis stars.
From defending champion Carlos Alcaraz to Boris Becker, the youngest tennis player to clinch the gentlemen's singles title in London, there have been a few tennis players who have either strongly disagreed or spoken in favor of the current five-set match format in majors.
With that said, let's take a look at what a few tennis players have to say about the said debate.
#4 Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev is one of those who believes that the current format does not need any changes and dismissed the idea of eliminating five-set matches in the majors.
The German is seeded fourth at the ongoing edition of Wimbledon and is on to face American tennis player Marcos Giron in the second round after defeating Roberto Carballes Baena in straight sets in the first round. However, during a press conference before the tournament, the World No. 4 was asked about the format of five-set matches in Grand Slams and whether he thought that the said system required changes.
Answering the question, Zverev stated that tennis does not need any changes or any new rules and said (via Wimbledon Press):
"Tennis is fine, it's one of the oldest sports there is. We don't need new rules all the time, we don't need to invent things every few years. It's a sport that everyone likes. The difficulty of winning a Grand Slam is the five-set matches, the physical part, so you work in the pre-season." (04:11)
#3 Boris Becker
Former World No.1 Boris Becker expressed his disagreement with journalists questioning tennis players about the current five-set format during pre and post-match conferences at Wimbledon.
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz was asked about the same, following which Becker took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the journalists asking the same question. He said:
"Don’t really understand, why every player is asked same question…best of 5 is a must for GrandSlams !!! It’s like asking football players whether they prefer to play 45min instead of 90min ! Come on guys!
Back in 1985, a 17-year-old Becker won the gentlemen's singles title at the Wimbledon Championships, making him the youngest tennis player to achieve this feat.
#2 Carlos Alcaraz
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz started his 2024 Wimbledon journey by defeating Mark Lajal in straight sets. In the post-match conference, the Spaniard was asked if the current five-set format should be changed to best-of-three.
Favoring the former, the Spaniard said that he prefers the five-set format as he sees himself as a better player in the fifth set. He said:
"Five sets. I think it’s more difficult to defeat the big players in five sets. I see myself as a really good player in the fifth set. If I have to choose, I’d prefer playing five sets rather than three because I feel like I have more time to come back. If I’m two sets down or two sets to one down, I feel like I have more time to come back."
The 21-year-old is off to the third round after his second-round win against A. Vukic 7-6, 6-2, 6-2 last evening.
#1 Daniil Medvedev
Unlike some of his competitors, World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev prefers the Grand Slam format to be best-of-three sets instead of the current five-set format. Claiming the current format to be more physically draining and prone to injuries, Medvedev said (via The Tennis Letter):
“I always said I completely understand it and I think it’s very spectacular and good. If you ask me, I would prefer three sets. That’s just my personal opinion. I don’t even have like a valid explanation for this. Just how I want it. But what’s true is it makes it much more intense mentally, and physically. Like the Australian Open I did this year was pretty special memories because of the five set matches I won.”
According to the Russian, barring a few matches that create history, viewers often disengage from the five-setters instead of being hooked to the screens throughout the match.
He added, "Five sets is much tougher for the body. So you can get more injuries. From what I hear from many people, on TV, if you have a crazy five-setter that goes five hours, it’s great and it stays in history. But if it’s like a little bit up and down four setter that goes for three hours & 30, I think many people stop watching it from time to time and they go in and out."
Claiming to be "somewhere in the middle" and leaning towards the three-set format, Medvedev said that perhaps with a three-set format, tournaments could have different record holders.