Alcaraz says five sets key to Grand Slam legacy, urges calendar reforms instead

Oct 1 : Carlos Alcaraz said Grand Slam tournaments should remain best-of-five sets as shortening men's matches would damage the legacy of tennis' four majors, as the world number three stressed the need for changes to the packed tour calendar instead.

A growing debate about player workload, late finishes and the demands of the calendar gathered momentum at the US Open last month after Ben Shelton ended Alcaraz's title defence in a quarter-final that finished at 3:33 a.m.

While the Spaniard has joined calls for measures to prevent matches spilling into the early hours, he said at the Japan Open on Wednesday that the answer was not to dilute the format that has long defined the sport's biggest prizes.

"The beauty of the Grand Slams is playing best-of-five sets. If we take away that and play best-of-three sets, we're killing the legacy of the Grand Slams and killing the Grand Slams," Alcaraz told reporters in Tokyo.

"We've been playing best-of-five sets in the Grand Slam since the very beginning, and I think that's what makes those tournaments different and special. I wouldn't touch anything from that and for me, it's okay to play best-of-five."

Novak Djokovic has previously proposed best-of-three matches in the initial rounds of Grand Slams, while new Tennis Australia chief Andrew Abdo said at last month's Sport NXT conference that the majors could explore alternative formats or scoring systems.

Abdo's comments were followed by a clarification from the Australian Open that while innovation was a part of the Grand Slam's DNA, five-set tennis was "here to stay" and it would reveal more ahead of the 2027 tournament.

CLOSER ENGAGEMENT WITH PLAYERS

The four majors have nevertheless sought closer engagement with players through a newly