The US Open’s late-night drama has put tennis’ best-of-five format under the microscope. But while the debate over shorter matches continues to grow, the Australian Open has made its position clear: five-set tennis isn’t going anywhere.
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The Australian Open confirmed that best-of-five tennis will remain part of its men’s singles draw for the 2027 tournament, putting to rest suggestions that the format could soon be changed. The announcement came after new Tennis Australia chief executive Andrew Abdo hinted that the tournament could rethink whether men should play best-of-five throughout the event.
Amid this debate about the format’s value, Jessica Pegula’s coach Mark Knowles offered a different way of looking at it.
“I don’t normally weigh in on social media,” Knowles wrote in an X post before explaining that he has long believed the future of five-set tennis could involve a major scoring tweak rather than its outright removal.
He added, “There is always going to be great discussions on the BO5 format in Slams. Tennis is always a delicate balance between the historical past and what we perceive the future of tennis looks like. I have always felt for the last 10 yrs that the future is BO5 with no-ad scoring. The only difference is that the server would have the choice.
“Andy & I first discussed this about 10yrs ago and thought that server having the choice could make it a little less arbitrary than the receiver having the choice as it is in mens doubles on the ATP Tour! Either way lets unite and give a big shout out to these incredible athletes and thank them for providing this insane level of entertainment! #tenniswins”
That discussion arrives at a particularly interesting moment for the sport.
At all four Grand Slams, men currently play best-of-five throughout the singles draw, while women play best-of-three. The Australian Open, first on the Grand Slam calendar before Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open, has also built a reputation for experimenting with the traditional tennis formula. Its recent 1 Point Slam, featuring professionals and amateurs competing for AUD $1 million, is just one example.
Serena Williams’ former coach Rick Macci has argued that the modern calendar makes four- and five-hour matches increasingly difficult for players to handle. He believes the physical toll can disrupt sleep, training, and performance in subsequent rounds.
While Jessica Pegula’s coach offered his opinion on the best-of-five’s future, her take is also noteworthy.
What Does Jessica Pegula Think About the Best-of-five Format in Tennis?
Jessica Pegula has previously highlighted one advantage that five-set tennis gives to players: time.
Speaking about Carlos Alcaraz’s decision to arrive in New York without a tune-up event and the concerns surrounding his right wrist, Pegula pointed out that men have more room to find their rhythm in best-of-five matches.
“It can also be a little different for men with best-of-five-set matches,” Pegula said. “I think that gives them more leeway to gradually get into their matches.”
Her point cuts to the heart of the argument. In a best-of-three match, the format women’s tennis uses, a slow start can be fatal. Lose the opening set while searching for your timing, and suddenly there is no margin left. In best-of-five, players can absorb that early setback and still fight their way back, as seen in the case of Frances Tiafoe against Alex Michelsen in the quarterfinal.
Yet that extra breathing room comes with a price. The US Open has already seen four matches finish beyond 2 a.m., with Ben Shelton’s four-hour, 28-minute battle against Carlos Alcaraz ending at 3:33 a.m. – the latest finish in tournament history. That has inevitably reignited concerns about player recovery and scheduling.
However, some others remain unwilling to sacrifice what makes Grand Slam tennis different.
Frances Tiafoe summed up the contradiction perfectly: “Do I love five-setters? Absolutely not.” Yet he remains a supporter of the best-of-five format because of the unforgettable epics it produces.
Previously, Novak Djokovic has offered perhaps the middle ground. The 24-time Grand Slam champion wants to keep five sets but shorten individual sets, potentially moving to four games and no-ad scoring. His aim is simple: preserve the identity of the Grand Slam match without allowing it to stretch endlessly.
Andy Roddick sees that identity as the bigger issue. He has acknowledged the criticism surrounding marathon matches but argued that the difficulty of surviving one is precisely what separates tennis from other sports.
And that may ultimately be where the debate lands. The Australian Open has chosen not to abandon five-set tennis. Knowles, meanwhile, wants the tradition to evolve a bit.
For now, the answer from Melbourne is clear. Five-set tennis is staying. The real question is whether tennis can find a way to keep its epic battles without making players and fans pay for them deep into the night.