Bill Simmons suggests shortening tennis sets to reduce match times

Bill Simmons is calling for changes to tennis match structures to address increasing event durations. Citing recent US Open scheduling issues, Simmons proposed reducing sets from six games to five to prevent matches from regularly exceeding four hours. The critique points to a shift in entertainment consumption habits, noting that ATP data shows grand slam matches have increased from an average of 2:21 in 1999 to 2:54 in 2023. Recent tournament play featured a 4-hour, 36-minute loss for Novak Djokovic to Mariano Navone, while Botic van de Zandschulp required 5 hours and 13 minutes to eliminate Arthur Gea. The commentary follows Major League Baseball’s implementation of a pitch clock to successfully reduce game times, though critics argue that fundamental changes to tennis rules present a more complex challenge for officials.

• 1:30 PMYahoo Sports — Bill Simmons says tennis matches are too long