Djokovic at centre of huge rule change demand after Wimbledon result | Tennis | Sport
Rennae Stubbs has called for Grand Slam matches to be changed to a best of four sets after Novak Djokovic’s gruelling five hour and 15 minite clash with Felix Auger-Aliassime at Wimbledon. The Serbian great met with the Canadian sensation in the quarter-finals of the tournament, securing a 7-6 3-6 6-3 6-7 7-6 win in an instant classic.
However, Stubbs – who currently coaches Serena Williams – believes that major matches need to be reduced to assist player fitness for the rest of the tournament, citing how it “f***ed” Djokovic for his semi-final clash with Jannik Sinner. Speaking on her podcast, Stubbs said: “I think a balance of that could be best of four, if it goes two sets all, we play a 10 point tiebreak. If we are talking about women’s tennis – and no offence to the women or the men – the women are going to be playing longer matches.
“I just feel like they will play longer matches because they don’t have the big serves. You saw the men’s, they are playing long rallies now as well, but they do have huge serves and win a lot of points on their serve particularly on grass. But you are not going to see that quick of a point all of the time, certainly not on clay, where they are playing 40 ball rallies.”
She added: “So I just think if we are going to do it for both, let’s do it for both, and do it two sets all and end it in a ten point tiebreak. What’s the difference? When someone says hold on a second we don’t want to finish a match with a 10 point tiebreak?
“We do! If it gets to 6-6 in the fifth set at every major we play a 10 point tiebreak. So what is the difference? I am a tennis purist and I love watching great tennis, but I don’t want to see it for five hours and 15 minutes, which we had to for the quarter finals with Novak and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
“Arguably that f***ed Novak for the next match against Sinner. He was dead. Jannik played the most perfect match against Novak in the semi-final. I watched it in person and Novak was just a step slower on everything.
“Is that because he’s 39? Probably. Is Jannik the best player in the world when he’s on? Probably. But if he doesn’t go five and a half hours and goes four hours instead, does he have a little bit extra in his tank? Probably.”
