Azarenka suggests dramatic overhaul of tennis that would upset traditionalists
Victoria Azarenka has advised an uncommon resolution to the problem of matches being performed into the early hours. In a significant break free from custom, the two-time Grand Slam champion proposed taking part in 12-point closing units to shorten ties. It comes after world No 4 Elena Rybakina slammed the WTA when she finished a match at 3am throughout final week’s Canadian Open.
The scheduling of matches has been the discuss of the tennis world in latest days after Rybakina claimed it was “unprofessional” to have gamers competing into the evening. As effectively as her 3am end, Montreal runner-up Luidmila Samsonova twice discovered herself having to play two matches in sooner or later – together with a 48-minute beatdown within the closing after contesting the semis simply hours earlier than.
Iga Swiatek and Sloane Stephens have already called for something to be done about the late finishes. And former world No 1 Azarenka has now joined the talk, promising a dramatic change that traditionalists gained’t be a fan of.
“I don’t know how it will be received, but if matches could be a little bit shorter,” the 34-year-old mentioned, providing a solution to the issue. “I think the quality of the competition won’t be affected that extremely.
“There’s tradition, but I don’t think it would change the game to the point where it’s unrecognisable. Maybe a third set is up to 12 points. There has to be some innovation possible.”
Azarenka additionally mentioned that she tried to be proactive in proposing options to points that her colleagues had in her function on the WTA Player Council. But the Belarusian was left exasperated along with her ideas going neglected.
“I absolutely lost it yesterday because we work so hard in the Players Council and I just felt so frustrated, like I’m not making a difference and I put a lot of time, a lot of effort,” she added. “I try to be reasonable, I try to compromise, I try to create ideas and we are moving at the slowest pace to get things done.
“This is the only sport in the world where you don’t know when you will play. I look at it as a player, and it’s ridiculous. I look at it as a fan, and I don’t know which matches I’m going to go watch because I have no clue unless you’re very fanatical.”
The 21-time title winner additionally had one other proposition to forestall matches ending at 3am like Rybakina’s conflict with Daria Kasatkina. “We need to appeal to a bigger crowd to watch our sport. The night matches have to start earlier in the 6pm and 8.30pm slots,” she continued.
“If tennis can help itself to have slots of time where we can market, it would be much easier for the tournament.”