Madrid Open general managing director Gerard Tsobanian told a debate hosted by Eurosport in the shadow of the French Open in Paris that viewers were losing interest in the traditional match format.
“I think tennis matches are too long,” said Tsobanian. “People want to get to the drama more quickly. I would have shorter sets, and I think the 4-4 proposal is reasonable. There is a lot of competition in the market so it is important to keep the attention of the viewers. You can’t expect people to sit and watch a tennis match for eight hours.”
However, Tsobanian acknowledged his suggestions would be difficult to push through in a sport that appears to have a complicated hierarchy and convoluted decision-making processes. “Tennis has been less innovative than any sport in the world over the past century,” he added.
“We have been having this debate for 20 years, but there are too many different opinions and too many people involved in the decisions to make changes,” Tsobanian continued. “Someone needs to step up and take action, but who’s that going to be?” The latest edition of the hard-court Madrid Open concluded on May 8, and the tournament is one of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events – the tier below the four Grand Slams.
Tsobanian’s suggestion was rejected by fellow panellist Michel Grach, director of media and sponsorship at the French Tennis Federation. “We have to be open to new ideas, but I believe the tennis structure is good, with five sets and two weeks for a Grand Slam,” said Grach.
