No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka not interested in best-of-five-set matches in women's tennis

Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka wouldn’t want women’s tennis to move to best-of-five-set matches at Grand Slam tournaments — like the men play — fearing higher injury risks.“Probably physically I’m one of the strongest ones, so maybe it would benefit me.

Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka wouldn’t want women’s tennis to move to best-of-five-set matches at Grand Slam tournaments — like the men play — fearing higher injury risks.

“Probably physically I’m one of the strongest ones, so maybe it would benefit me. But I think I’m not ready to play five sets,” Sabalenka said following her two-set first-round victory at Wimbledon on Monday.

“I think it’s too much on the woman’s body. I think we’re not ready for this amount of tennis. I think it would increase the amount of injuries. So I think this is not something I would consider.”

Women play best-of-three sets at all tournaments. Men play the best-of-five format at Grand Slam tournaments, and best of three elsewhere.

There’s no widespread movement for the change, but it’s an occasional talking point — if women’s tennis should move to best of five at the later stages of the major tournaments.