Lengthy matches at the US Open intensified the debate surrounding scrapping the best-of-five format at Grand Slams.
Frances Tiafoe vs Alex Michelsen and Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton’s quarterfinal matches at Flushing Meadows, meaning the latter match was played until the early hours of the morning.
By the time Shelton defeated Alcaraz on Arthur Ashe Stadium, it was after 3:30am, which many critics thought was unacceptable for players health.
While there has been many calls to scrap the format, several players have argued that the best-of-five set format is what makes Grand Slam tennis great.
Alcaraz has defended the best-of-five format and now his former coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, has offered his view on the potential change.
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In an interview with MARCA, Ferrero was asked about tennis potentially scaling back its scoring system and scrapping best-of-five sets at Grand Slams and he offered a more diplomatic response than Alcaraz.
“I think it’s something that’s going to happen, but I don’t know when. Just like it happened in the Masters 1000s, when they got rid of the five-set finals, or in the 500-level finals,” said the Spanish coach.
“It’s something that would make it lose a little bit of its essence; it already lost it in the Davis Cup, and we’ve been complaining because we see it as very different, and the same thing will happen with the Grand Slams.
“But physically, it’s something that matters for the future careers of the players, and at some point, it’s going to happen. What I’m not sure about is whether I’m going to like it because it’s something new, and we players have always felt that five sets are a special way of playing a tournament, different from the others.”
Many believe shorter matches could save men’s tennis from the injury crisis it is currently embroiled in.
Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz have been forced out of action across the season, with the Spaniard missing Roland Garros and Wimbledon due to a wrist injury.
Sinner, meanwhile, is currently out of action due to a knee injury, which caused him to miss the entire second half of the season since his Wimbledon title victory.
Elsewhere, the likes of Lorenzo Musetti, Joao Fonseca, Jack Draper, Holger Rune, and many more have been forced out of action due to injuries.
While the legacy of Grand Slams might be harmed by the change to the traditional scoring system, it would be hit even harder if more top players were unable to play the majors.
