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Aryna Sabalenka Backs Best-of-Five Sets Proposal for Women’s Grand Slams

Posted : 04 March 2026

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has voiced her support for introducing best-of-five set matches for women in the latter stages of Grand Slam tournaments. Speaking ahead of the Indian Wells ATP-WTA event, the four-time Grand Slam champion said she believed the format change would benefit her style of play.

“Yeah, let's do that,” Sabalenka said, noting that her physical strength would allow her to handle the longer matches and potentially earn more Grand Slam titles.

The proposal was initially floated by incoming USTA chief Craig Tiley during the Australian Open earlier this year. Tiley suggested that switching to five sets from the quarterfinals onward could increase audience engagement and evolve the sport. “All the research shows interest grows as the match goes on,” he said, emphasizing the potential appeal to fans.

However, not all top women players agreed with the idea. Coco Gauff, the reigning French Open champion, said the change might favor stronger players but expressed reservations about altering match formats mid-tournament.

She suggested that if five-set matches were introduced, it should apply to the entire tournament rather than just the later rounds.

Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek was strongly opposed, questioning whether the audience would enjoy longer matches and warning that maintaining quality over five sets could be challenging.

She also highlighted the impact on players’ schedules, noting that preparing for five-set Grand Slam matches could limit participation in other tournaments.

World No. 5 Jessica Pegula echoed these concerns, acknowledging that while women could physically handle five-set matches, the logistical challenges of scheduling additional weeks could negatively affect both players and fans.

The debate reflects a broader discussion on how best to evolve women’s tennis while balancing competitiveness, physical demands, and audience engagement.

 

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