“It might be good to shorten five-set matches” – interview with Gabriela Sabatini

There is a lively conversation in tennis all the time: are matches way too long? Gabriela Sabatini joins it.

“It’s an interesting subject, and I believe that five-set matches should be cut down,” she told CLAY in an interview at Wimbledon 2024.

“I think making the game a little faster is good for the fans because it makes it more fun.”

Novak Djokovic is 37 years old and has broken a lot of records, but the Argentine likes that he is still motivated. She thinks that part of that drive is still there because he has run into the crowd so many times, which drives him. She also loves Italian Jasmine Paolini and says, “I love her attitude.”

On the green hard courts of Flushing Meadows 34 years ago, Sabatini stood and kissed the US Open prize. It was her first title. In front of a huge crowd, she beat Steffi Graf in straight sets in 1990.

The former world number three is now living the life of a tennis legend. When she goes to events, she is treated like a star. People will still be talking about her this Wednesday when she goes back to the competition where she had her best performance. She will play a practice match with Juan Martín del Potro in New York at Arthur Ashe Stadium against Andy Roddick and Venus Williams.

A chat with Gabriela Sabatini

– What would you change about the rules of tennis if you could?

– They’re trying to add new features and speed up the game, which I think is good for fans because it makes it more fun. That’s where they’ve moved. Tennis has a history, so you have to be careful about what you change. I don’t know what else they might change. Men’s tennis matches should always be best-of-five sets in the Grand Slams. This is something that is always up for debate.

– That is a tough question. I think the players should always have a say in the matter. The process can take a while for both people on the ground and people watching. I think it should be looked at more for a health reason than anything else. We need to find out if five-set matches are too hard on the body and if they are the long-term cause of so many illnesses. The most important thing in this discussion is to pay attention to what each side has to say. It’s an interesting subject, and I think it might be a good idea to make them shorter.