Kim Clijsters has become the latest former champion to weigh in on Novak Djokovic’s proposal to shorten tennis matches by introducing four-game sets with no-ad scoring.
While the Belgian understands the practical arguments behind the idea, she admits she would struggle to accept such a significant change to one of the sport’s defining traditions.
For Clijsters, marathon contests remain among the greatest spectacles tennis has to offer, particularly when they involve the biggest rivals competing on the sport’s grandest stages.
Kim believes tennis should protect its greatest spectacles
The former Major champion described herself as “old school” when discussing the debate surrounding shorter encounters. Clijsters acknowledged the four – and five-hour encounters are relatively rare.
However, she argued that this is precisely what makes them so special. She pointed to unforgettable battles involving Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and more recently, Jannik Sinner, explaining that those dramatic contests have helped shape tennis history.
In her view, removing the possibility of such epic encounters would take away one of the sport’s most unique attractions. Those physically and mentally demanding battles create memories that remain part of tennis lore for decades.
A couple of weeks ago, Novak fought Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Wimbledon quarter-final, prevailing in a five-setter after five hours and 15 minutes to write more pages of history books.
Business arguments versus tennis tradition
Clijsters also recognized why Djokovic’s proposal has attracted attention beyond the locker room. She noted that broadcasters and commercial partners often prepfer more predictable match lengths, making scheduling considerably easier.