Long live five-set tennis

Is there a point where we accept change is part of an unstoppable evolutionary force or should we hold true to tradition?

With the next round of Davis Cup ties to start this weekend, once again we are left to ponder the perennial argument of five-set matches in men’s tennis.

These longer matches only exist in Grand Slams, Davis Cup and at the Olympics.

But five set matches are only played at these events because they are special, and should be decided in a manner that leaves little doubt as to the most deserving winner.

No one is going to gift a tournament of any type to their opponent, but some trophies are more valuable than others.

Men’s tennis consists of a hierarchy of tournaments from 250 and 500 events, through to Masters and Grand Slams. At the same level as Grand Slams, although a different event altogether, is Davis Cup.

To be a Grand Slam holder or part of a winning Davis Cup squad is an achievement above winning a tour-level event. This isn’t to say that tour events are not important, or these smaller events don’t entertain us – quite the contrary – the tour-level events shape the sport.

But certain events require something special, which is what the tradition of five-set tennis brings to the table.

Some of the arguments for changing the traditions of tennis are nestled in the belief that Millennials do not hold an attention span much longer than a goldfish. And growing audience share for any sport is based around catering to new, which often means younger audiences.

One of the problems with this mindset is that it suggests younger audiences are utterly alien to older ones. But is this really so?

In our high-tech, constantly connected world, we are led to believe that it is only us relics from the previous century that have any interest or capability in engaging with something for more than ten minutes.

Have we really become so challenged by sitting still that we can’t cope with the idea of concentrating on something for any extended period of time or is this all bit of a con?

There is no doubt that the way we consume not just sport but entertainment that was once delivered to us through the television in our living rooms, has changed.

Today, rather than sitting in front of the telly, with our feet up and a refreshing beverage within arms’ reach, we consume media on our phones, tablets, and computers in any number of varied environments, such as through Twitter, Facebook and other apps.

Because of these changes we are being told that wholesale changes to the sport are now required.

But I don’t buy this.

Yes, we may argue that our attention spans have changed via our engagement with technology and new methods of media delivery, but the attributes of tennis that attract viewers in the first instance hasn’t.

The argument that due to technological changes in viewing we should change the rules of the game, ignore how tennis has always been viewed.

Tennis allows viewers to move in and out of matches, like watching cricket or cycling. Sure, there are those who watch from beginning to end, but there are also those who come and go.

Getting rid of five-set matches won’t change this. Viewers will still move in and out of three-set matches in the same way that others will be there for the whole kit and caboodle.

Doing away with five setters will also deprive fans of some of the most thrilling encounters.

Who can forget Novak Djokovic’s gripping Australian Open final win over Rafael Nadal in 2012?

Or what about last year’s thrilling Davis Cup final? Until the reverse singles rubber on the final day, Juan Martin del Potro had never come back from being two sets to love down, but in Zagreb he did. His victory over Serbia’s Marin Cilic gave Argentina the Davis Cup for the first time.

It is because winning a Grand Slam or participating in the Davis Cup is so special that these classic moments exist. These events are the pinnacle of tennis and as such they should be played over five deciding sets.

It’s not just for the enjoyment of fans that five setters should remain. In matches played over three sets, there can be question marks over if the winner really was the best. Sometimes there’s a sense that the victor just managed to hang on rather than being truly the better competitor. A five-set match eliminates this question.

This weekend, stay tuned to whatever device you choose to consume tennis on – hopefully we’ll see some thrilling, five-set tennis.