Introduce best-of-3 at Slams to help others beat Novak Djokovic & Big 3: Ben Rothenberg
It has been pure dominance by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer over the last decade and a half. Starting with Federer’s first Slam title at Wimbledon 2003, the trio have collected 56 of the last 67 Major championships - and the run doesn't seem like stopping any time soon.
Currently, Roger Federer is on top of the Slam leaderboard with 20 Grand Slams, closely followed by Rafael Nadal at 19 and Novak Djokovic at 17. Novak Djokovic has been the most successful of the three in recent times, having won 16 of his titles in less than a decade, but every member of the Big 3 has a distinguished record in the best-of-five format.
But there have been some calls for men’s tennis to change from the best-of-five format at Grand Slams to best-of-three, given the mounting injury problems on the ATP tour. And the calls have grown even louder this year, as the whole world continues to be in the clutches of a global health crisis.
On the "Match Points" talk show hosted by Josh Cohen for Tennismajors.com, Ben Rothenberg reinforced his long-standing argument that the Slams should switch to the best-of-three format - at least for the time being.
This is the worst time to play best-of-five: Ben Rothenberg
Most ardent tennis fans would know of Ben Rothenberg from Twitter. The American journalist has written for a variety of top publications, but more recently he has come to be known as the flagbearer of the best-of-three format.
"I think it's an amazing idea for 2020. We can re-evaluate for the future after that. I think it's the worst time to get guys to play best of five. For several reasons: they're not in peak physical and mental condition, having been in quarantine, all these odd times going on on tour right now," Rothenberg said on the show.
Rothenberg's preference for best-of-three over best-of-five is hinged on physical conditioning of players and commercial value of the sport. But his argument probably ignores what makes the best-of-five format special: the endurance and strategy required to prevail in it.
If the best-of-five format goes away, the tennis tour will be deprived of matches where the conditioning of Roger Federer, the passion of Rafael Nadal and the mental fortitude of Novak Djokovic are showcased in all their glory.
Best-of-three affairs tend to be more straightforward unlike the best-of-five epics. If the former becomes the norm everywhere, tennis fans wouldn't get to see the Big 3 in the classic wars of attrition that they have regularly put up the last few years.
Novak Djokovic and the rest of the Big 3 will be more under fire: Rothenberg
The American journalist, however, chose to focus on the present. He asserted how the revamped calendar would be too physically taxing on the players if they were made to play best-of-five at the Slams, given the minuscule gap between tournaments.
"And then the ATP schedule, it's going to be stressful at a tournament, being in a bubble, being tested at all times. They will also be playing Masters events the week before the Slams," Rothenberg said. "Physically, it's way too much to ask from these guys. It also undermines the tournaments from the weeks before, in Rome and Cincinnati. So don't make them play Best-of-five sets the week after."
It is also widely believed that best-of-five matches make it tougher for the upcoming players to break through. Players in their early 20s lack the physical stamina and mental endurance to stay with Novak Djokovic and his Big 3 counterparts over five sets.
Clearly exasperated by the vice-like grip that Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have come to establish over the Slams, Rothenberg advocated the shift to best-of-three to give the sport new direction.
"I'm all for anything that tilts tennis in the direction of having some new champions, that puts Novak Djokovic and the rest of the Big 3 more under fire. It's not unfair for Novak Djokovic; it just makes it tougher.”