Nick Kyrgios Sparks Debate on Women’s Tennis: Should They Play 5 Sets?
The age-old debate of whether women’s tennis should include 5 sets like the men has been reignited by Australian player Nick Kyrgios. Known for his candid remarks, Kyrgios recently took to Instagram to express his opinion on the matter, sparking discussions within the tennis community.
During a Q&A session on his Instagram, Kyrgios was asked if women should also play 5 sets. In response, he posted a video of himself playing a high-intensity match with the caption “Pls No,” accompanied by an emoji showing tiredness.
The history of the best-of-five-set format in tennis dates back to the medieval era in France. While it has become a standard for men’s singles matches in Grand Slams, the same does not apply to women’s tennis.
Despite calls for equal treatment, the format has remained unchanged for women. Former tennis pros like Anke Huber have expressed confidence in the current system, while others, like Serena Williams’ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs, believe that the current format provides the perfect amount of time for quality matches.
However, tennis legend Billie Jean King has a different perspective. King, a pioneer for women’s equal rights in tennis, believes that the men should not play 5 sets anymore as it takes too much out of them. She also questions the impact of “quality over quantity” in tennis matches.
While opinions on the matter may vary, one thing is clear – Nick Kyrgios’ comments have sparked an important conversation in the women’s tennis world. The debate on whether women should play 5 sets continues to divide opinions within the tennis community.