Elena Rybakina defends the 5-set format for women’s matches.

The recent proposal by the director of the Australian Open, Craig Tiley, is generating a wave of controversy in the world of women’s tennis. Tiley announced his intention to implement a significant change in the competitions, suggesting that women’s singles matches in the later stages of the tournament be played as best of five sets starting in 2027. This idea, which aims to equalize women’s matches with men’s in terms of format, is far from being well received by all players.

“I believe that women should play best of five set matches and we are considering introducing this change starting from the quarter-finals. If we conclude after analysis that it is a positive change, we could implement it by 2027. There is nothing in the rules that prevents this, but we need to carefully consult the players,” Tiley said. The director referred to the memorable impact of the men’s semifinals of the Australian Open this year, stating that women could also provide spectacular matches under this new format.

However, the 2026 Australian Open champion, Elena Rybakina, did not hesitate to express her concerns about this proposal. In statements made from Doha, where she is currently competing, Rybakina voiced doubts about the viability and quality of matches if the change were to take place. “I would prefer to continue playing matches to the best of three sets; five is too many. I’m not sure the quality of matches would be as high in five sets, and I don’t know how many players would actually be in favor of this decision, but I see it as quite difficult,” Rybakina stated.

It is important to remember that in the past, the WTA Finals final was played to the best of five sets between 1984 and 1998, a format that was abandoned due to concerns regarding physical strain and logistics. Rybakina’s resistance, along with that of other players like Jasmine Paolini, suggests that the women’s tennis community may not be ready for this radical change.

The question now is: will Tiley’s proposal be effectively implemented? Or will it just be another topic of debate without a clear solution? The future of women’s tennis may be teetering between tradition and innovation, and the players have a crucial role in this discussion.