Australian tennis greats Pat Cash and Jelena Dokic have weighed into the debate over the length of women’s matches.
The Wimbledon champions have differing opinions on the issue, with Cash in favour of best-of-five sets in Grand Slam finals and Dokic against changing the system.
Cash, coach of women’s world No. 9 CoCo Vandeweghe, said he isn’t sure why there has been no change.
Australian tennis greats Pat Cash and Jelena Dokic (pictured) have weighed into the debate over the length of women’s matches
he Wimbledon champions have differing opinions on the issue, with Cash (pictured) in favour of best-of-five sets in Grand Slam finals and Dokic against changing the system
‘I’m all for five sets, certainly a five-set final, I think that’s where it should start and the women are quite willing to do that,’ Cash told the Today show.
‘I don’t know why it hasn’t changed.’
Dokic, who also works as a coach and commentator, said women were happy with three-set finals, and they are working well.
‘I’m not sure whether that would work, if the girls played best of three the whole time and in all of the matches in a grand slam and then turning it into a best-of-five in the final,’ she said, The Herald Sun reported.
Cash, coach of women’s world No. 9 CoCo Vandeweghe, said he isn’t sure why there has been no change (pictured is Australian Open semi-finalist Caroline Wozniacki)
Dokic, who also works as a coach and commentator, said women were happy with three-set finals, and they are working well (pictured is Australian Open semi-finalist Simona Halep)
‘It would be very tough to just play best-of-five in a final because they wouldn’t be used to it.
‘You’d see injuries and retirements and girls not being able to handle four or five sets, because you’re only doing it as one-off – a lot of girls won’t even get to the final stage and have that chance to have a practice.’
In Grand Slam tournaments women play a best-of-three set matches whereas men play a best-of-five.
All four Grand Slams – the Australian Open, US Open, Wimbledon and French Open – have had equal prize money for men and women since 2007.
The women’s singles semi-finals start at 2pm on Thursday with world No. 2 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark playing Belgium’s Elise Mertens.
World No. 1 Simona Halep of Romania takes on German No. 21 Angelique Kerber in the second semi-final at 7pm.
In Grand Slam tournaments women play a best-of-three set final whereas men play a best-of-five (pictured is Australian Open semi-finalist Angelique Kerber)