Iga Swiatek has been backed to be one of the beneficiaries of a potential rule change to women\u2019s tennis that could see them compete to three sets.<\/p>\n
For now, women must win two sets as opposed to the three needed by their male counterparts, but it was suggested during the last Grand Slam that the rule could soon change.<\/p>\n
Craig Tiley, tournament director for the Australian Open, said interest in matches increases the longer it goes on, making the possible five-setter a more appealing product.<\/p>\n
With that in mind, Tiley suggested tennis needed to \u201cevolve\u201d with the possibility of five sets for women as well as men.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the research shows interest grows as the match goes on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a sport, we need to evolve.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are going to be people who say this is ridiculous and others who say it is a good idea. The idea is to have a discussion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Should that rule come into place, former World No.1 Kim Clijsters suggested the high-intensity play of Swiatek would put her at an advantage.<\/p>\n
\u201cCraig said at the end of the tournament that he was looking into some potential big-picture adjustments in the coming years,\u201d Clijsters said. \u201cGetting rid of warm-up time and let-best of five sets for women from the quarterfinals on.<\/p>\n
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Emma Raducanu prize money and rankings update after Transylvania Open defeat<\/a><\/p>\n Rotterdam Open entry list: Alex de Minaur takes top seed as Stan Warwinka given wildcard<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt would definitely benefit a few players. The first one I can think of is Iga Swiatek, I think, who has that really high-intensity kind of tennis built into her game now, and I think it would be really hard to beat her in three sets.\u201d<\/p>\n Clijsters though said she herself would not be a fan of five sets, suggesting it would be tough for players to cope.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe you have a different opinion about this, but the five-setter, when I heard him say that, I was like, ooh, I kind of like that idea. I think I wouldn\u2019t like it as a player,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n As for eliminating the warm-ups, the Belgian said that time can be necessary for a player to focus themselves.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me go back to the first one,\u201d she said. \u201cI think I have more of an issue with no warm-up, because we can\u2019t warm up right before.<\/p>\n