Tie-Breakers in Slams?- Djokovic, Federer Disagree

The talk to introduce tie-breakers in the fifth set of the majors has been haunting the media, players and the spectators alike. However, so far only US open has incorporated the rule to introduce tie-breakers in the fifth. Roger Federer recently featured in the second edition of the Laver Cup, where the rules were a little different. Tie-breakers were played to decide the outcome of the match after a couple of sets.

Federer was asked if this format was preferred by the players. “We haven’t talked about it”, said Federer. “I’m not a big fan of changing things around too much, as you know. I think things are okay the way they are on the tour. I don’t think there needs much tinkering, you know.”

Federer says that at exhibition events, it is okay to incorporate new rules that reduce the effort and stress on the players. However, the tournaments on the regular tour needed no changes. “I think for an event like this it’s okay, because the idea was that the players wouldn’t have to work, you know, to the edge so they come out of the weekend completely broken”, said Federer. “Here it keeps the matches shorter, more exciting, and it’s a different concept, really, entirely”, he added.

“If you have a third-set tiebreaker, again, you’re talking about the day is going to finish so late, the matches are so much longer. That’s why I think it should stay the way it is at slams, at Masters 1000s, and here, as well”, said Federer.

Even Novak Djokovic voiced his support of Roger’s take on the issue. “Yeah. Yeah, I agree with everything Roger said”, said Djokovic. “I think there is so much going on now in the last, you know, five years with new events coming up and changes and obviously the format of the Davis Cup.”

“Obviously the whole, you know, general aspect of kind of bringing in the change is positive as long as, you know, it doesn’t disrupt the tradition of how this sport was built and developed. So I guess, you know, not every change is great in its implementation, so it does really depend.”