Novak Djokovic targets tennis’s long-form format in bid to win over younger fans

Novak Djokovic has called for radical changes to tennis scoring and match lengths, saying sets should be played to four games instead of six and that matches should be limited to two hours to make the sport more appealing to younger audiences.

The Serbian, whose comments were reported by Marca, also proposed removing the deuce and advantage system. He said the changes should apply even to Grand Slam matches, which are played under a best-of-five-sets format in the men’s game.

“We have to change the scoring system. Sets should no longer be played to six games, but to four. I would also remove advantage. If Grand Slam matches continued to be played as best of five, they would last about two hours. That would be better for everyone,” Djokovic said.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion is one of the most successful players in tennis history, but he has also been involved in some of the longest contests the sport has seen.

His most recent marathon came against Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime at the latest Wimbledon tournament. Djokovic eventually won 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4) after a match lasting five hours and 15 minutes.

That contest was the longest quarter-final in Wimbledon history and the fifth-longest match ever played at the tournament.

Djokovic’s latest proposal is part of a wider argument he has made about the need to modernise tennis and adapt it for younger generations. He has previously questioned whether the traditional structure of the sport is suited to the way audiences consume entertainment today.

Speaking several weeks earlier, he said: “How do we attract the new generations? They might watch the Grand Slams, but not much more than that. They are not going to sit for four or five hours a day to watch a tennis match. Their ability to concentrate is different, and we have to understand how the market works today.”

The current scoring format requires players to win six games, with a tie-break normally used if the score reaches 6-6. A player must generally win a game by two points after the score reaches deuce, with advantage determining who is closest to taking it.

Djokovic believes reducing the number of games in each set and removing advantage points would help bring matches within a more predictable timeframe. He also suggested that best-of-five Grand Slam encounters could remain in place while still being completed in roughly two hours under his proposed system.

His comments add to an ongoing discussion about how tennis can preserve its traditional identity while making matches easier for new audiences to follow. For Djokovic, shortening the time commitment could be central to ensuring the sport reaches fans whose viewing habits and attention spans differ from those of previous generations.