"I don't really feel like watching matches anymore," Pegula discusses men's Grand Slam tennis format

© AFP

Adrien Guyot

le 02/07/2025 à 06h27

2 min to read

Pegula Wimbledon

Jessica Pegula was one of the four top-10 WTA players eliminated in the first round of Wimbledon this year. The world No. 3, who had just won the WTA 500 tournament in Bad Homburg against Iga Swiatek, fell in her opening match in London to Elisabetta Cocciaretto (6-2, 6-3).

A disappointment for the American, who had already been knocked out in the round of 16 by Loïs Boisson at Roland Garros. Speaking at a press conference after her defeat, the 31-year-old player was asked about the format of Grand Slams and, like Sabalenka, believes women should not play best-of-five matches—even expressing a lack of interest in the marathon matches in the men's draw.

"Do I want to play best-of-five matches in Grand Slams? No! To be honest, I’d even prefer if the men played best-of-three. I don’t think we should all play best-of-five.

For me, the matches are too long, and I don’t really feel like watching them anymore. Of course, some matches are incredible, both physically and mentally. But on the other hand, I think to myself: ‘Do we really need this?’ I don’t know.

Some people love it. Personally, I know I wouldn’t watch a five-hour tennis match in full. People can’t even stay focused on matches that long these days, especially because of phones.

How can they maintain the same level of attention for that long? I think it’s harder to win matches in a best-of-three format. Not physically, obviously, but the best-of-five format will always favor the better player in the long run.

You’d see a lot more upsets among the top players in Grand Slams if the men played best-of-three matches," Pegula explained to the BBC.