Novak Djokovic, the record 24-time Grand Slam champion, has proposed four significant rule changes to transform tennis, aiming to make matches more appealing for players and fans alike.
Djokovic's proposed changes
During an interview with Nick Knows Ball, the 39-year-old Serb was asked for a tennis take he would defend passionately. Instead of one, he offered four: reducing sets from six games to four, eliminating advantage points, making all tournaments best of five sets, and keeping matches within a two-hour window.
“We should change the format of the scoring,” Djokovic said. “Not play up to six games in a set [but] play up to four. Possibly no ad, best of five sets, keep the matches within a two hour window. It’s best for everyone.”
Fan reactions
The proposals sparked mixed reactions among fans. Some praised his boldness, with one writing, “Scorching hot take from the goat. Nole is our man.” Another supported the two-hour limit, saying, “Having matches in a 2-3 hour window will make the sport more popular. Yes five-hour classics are awesome but not suited for TV or younger viewers.”
However, not everyone agreed. One critic argued, “Younger him would argue with older him, this format only benefits HIM currently, not anyone else.”
Djokovic's recent form
Despite not winning a Slam since the 2023 US Open, Djokovic reached the semi-finals at this year's Wimbledon and made the final at Wimbledon in 2024 and at the Australian Open this year. He has reached the semis or beyond in eight of the last 11 Grand Slams.
The era has been dominated by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who each have five Grand Slam titles since 2024. Djokovic acknowledged the challenge, saying, “I want to kick their a** every day of the week.” He added that their contrasting styles remind him of his younger self, saying, “I'm like: 'I'm playing myself from 10/15 years ago', and it kind of hurts me to feel that on the court. I mean, I know how to crack the code, but can I?”
