Novak Djokovic's tennis match shortening proposal sparks debate

Tennis professionals are debating a proposal by Novak Djokovic to shorten match durations to make the sport more appealing to broadcasters and fans. Djokovic suggested reducing sets from six games to four and potentially introducing no-ad scoring, which could keep matches under two hours.

Former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters has voiced opposition to the change, arguing that long, multi-hour battles are a defining feature of Grand Slam tennis. While she acknowledges the business and television benefits, she believes the spectacle of endurance matches is vital to the sport's history. Clijsters suggested a compromise where shorter formats could be used in early rounds, while maintaining the traditional format for later stages.

Former player Julien Benneteau also criticized the idea, comparing the proposal to shortening a football match to ten minutes or removing the initial stages of the Tour de France. He argued that the drama of tennis relies on the build-up and tension that long matches provide.