Danielle Collins Calls for Five-Set Matches to Be 'Flushed Down the Toilet'
Danielle Collins is making a bold statement that has sparked debate in the tennis world. In an interview with Tennis Channel's The Big T Podcast, Collins argues that the best-of-five-set format is outdated and should be eliminated. She believes that these matches are simply too long and unnecessary, especially when compared to the two-out-of-three format used on the men's side throughout the year.
The former world No. 7's stance is supported by her fellow panelists, CoCo Vandeweghe and Brad Gilbert. Gilbert, known for his work with Andre Agassi and Coco Gauff, expressed his frustration with the constant calls to remove five-set matches from men's tennis. Vandeweghe proposed an interesting compromise, suggesting that men and women should play best-of-three sets until the Grand Slam quarterfinals, after which the five-set format could be introduced.
However, Collins strongly disagrees with this suggestion. She believes that the best-of-three format should be discarded entirely, stating, 'We have to flush that down the toilet.' Collins emphasizes the excessive length of five-set matches, questioning the logic behind the current format. She argues that the inconsistency between the men's and women's formats is confusing and illogical.
Despite the controversy, Gilbert remains a strong supporter of the five-set format. He believes that changing the format would be a significant alteration to the history of men's tennis. The discussion comes at an interesting time, as tournament director Craig Tiley hinted at the possibility of introducing five-set women's matches as early as 2027. This potential change has sparked further debate, with Collins expressing her strong opposition to it.
The debate over the format of tennis matches continues, and Collins' passionate argument has ignited a much-needed conversation about the future of the sport.
