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Novak Djokovic wants to change the sport of tennis, this has been clear since the founding of his players union PTPA in August.
A major concern of the players’ union is that money is distributed more evenly so that even lower-ranking professionals can make a living from the sport. Djokovic himself would not benefit from it, as number one in the world, one of the big winners of the current distribution formula. But Djokovic wants to change tennis, as he points out again at the ATP finals.
In particular, the five sets at Grand Slam tournaments do not need them in his opinion, as he unequivocally says in London: “I am a supporter of the best of three – everywhere”. However, he doesn’t know if there is an opportunity for change.
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What does Djokovic have to object to the five-man movement?
On the one hand, Djokovic thinks about the weight of the players, as five-set sets are often extremely exhausting. However, tennis pros have the longest season of all sports: “Every week from January 1 to the end of November there’s a tournament somewhere,” said the 33-year-old.
But player health isn’t the only reason the Serbian wants to lead the change. Djokovic is also interested in the marketing of this sport: “The attention span of the fans – especially those of the younger generations – is shorter. To improve the tennis product commercially and in terms of marketing, I think we have to adapt to the younger generation. “
According to him, therefore, something must change. “I don’t see any reason why we should play best of five.” Tradition can speak out against change, but you have to keep up with the times. A Sports Business Journal study showed that “the average age of tennis fans around the world is 61,” said Djokovic. This is “shocking”. However, the study doesn’t describe the whole truth and should definitely not be taken at face value.
Nadal: “I’m totally against”
Addressing the traditionalists, Djokovic says: “We have never tried new options such as changes in score or number of sentences. We have never entered this terrain. Whenever it is mentioned, there is no support. ”But it’s important to discuss it. Djokovic looks seriously worried about the future of tennis if everything stays the same.
As for the exile of the five-man movement, it receives headwinds from another champion. “I’m totally against it,” says Rafael Nadal when asked in London. Because the truly epic games are those that are decided in five sentences. Many tennis fans should view it in a similar way to the Spanish. But Djokovic should also score points in many places with his arguments.
Wednesday night (21:00 live ticker) Djokovic will meet Daniil Medvedev at the ATP Finals. One thing is already clear: there won’t be five movements in London.
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