Daniel Vallverdu defends five-set format after US Open quarter-final matches

Following recent five-set matches at the US Open, former coach Daniel Vallverdu has publicly advocated for maintaining the existing best-of-five format in men’s tennis. His comments follow a marathon session at Arthur Ashe Stadium where Ben Shelton defeated Carlos Alcaraz 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 to reach the semi-finals. Earlier, Frances Tiafoe also secured a victory in a full five sets against Alex Michelsen. The discussion regarding potential format changes gained traction after Tennis Australia CEO Andrew Abdo suggested the Australian Open might explore shorter match durations for men’s singles. While officials consider ways to engage audiences, proponents of the traditional format maintain that the five-set structure remains a unique test of mental and physical endurance. Ben Shelton is now set to face Frances Tiafoe in the US Open semi-finals.

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