How is the winner of a match determined in the fifth set? This question has recently been answered very differently at the tennis Grand Slams. That is to be put to an end now.
Uniform match tiebreak instead of confusing rules: The same counting method for determining the winner in the deciding set is to be applied at the Grand Slam tournaments in tennis from now on. In future, a tiebreak up to ten points will be played at the French Open, just like at Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open at 6:6 in the final set.
Grand Slam Committee: “Improve experience for players and fans “
After “extensive consultations” with the WTA and ATP players’ associations, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and tennis professionals, the Grand Slam Committee made the decision “to make the rules of play at the Grand Slams more consistent to improve the experience for players and fans”, it said in a press release. Until now, all four majors had different rules.
The French Open (22 May to 5 June) now marks the beginning of a one-year test phase. Up to now, the last set was also played in the traditional counting system, so that the winner needed a two-game lead. The innovation will be used in the qualifying, men’s singles and doubles, women’s singles and doubles, wheelchair players and juniors.
In Paris, Melbourne and New York, the match tiebreak replaces the third set in the doubles competitions. In Wimbledon, a third round will also be played in these classifications, which will then be decided in the match tiebreak at the latest.
After the end of the test phase, an analysis is to follow and possibly the step towards a permanent rule change.