Carlos Alcaraz believes Grand Slam tournaments should remain best-of-five sets, arguing that shortening men’s matches would undermine the tradition and identity of tennis’ four biggest events.
The world No. 3 said the focus should instead be on addressing the increasingly demanding tour calendar, as concerns grow over player workload, late finishes and the strain of a crowded schedule.
The debate intensified at the U.S. Open last month when Ben Shelton ended Alcaraz’s title defense in a quarterfinal that finished at 3:33 a.m. The Spaniard has since joined calls for measures to prevent matches from stretching into the early hours.
But speaking at the Japan Open on Wednesday, Alcaraz said changing the Grand Slam format was not the solution.
He argued that best-of-five matches are part of what sets the four majors apart and that efforts should instead focus on improving the scheduling of tournaments throughout the season.
“The beauty of the Grand Slams is playing best-of-five sets. If we take away that and play best-of-three sets, we’re killing the legacy of the Grand Slams and killing the Grand Slams,” Alcaraz told reporters in Tokyo.
“We’ve been playing best-of-five sets in the Grand Slam since the very beginning, and I think that’s what makes those tournaments different and special. I wouldn’t touch anything from that, and for me, it’s OK to play best-of-five.”
Novak Djokovic has previously proposed best-of-three matches in the initial rounds of Grand Slams, while new Tennis Australia chief Andrew Abdo said at last month’s Sport NXT conference that the majors could explore alternative formats or scoring systems.
Abdo’s comments were followed by a clarification from the Australian Open that while innovation was part of the Grand Slam’s DNA, five-set tennis was “here to stay” and that it would reveal more ahead of the 2027 tournament.
The four majors have nevertheless sought closer engagement with players through a newly formed Player Advisory Council, a forum to address concerns over welfare and compensation following protests in recent months.
The Grand Slams have not formally announced the council’s membership, though media reports say it features top players such as Novak Djokovic, Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka, while Alcaraz and top-ranked Jannik Sinner are not involved.
Rather than altering Grand Slam formats, Alcaraz said tennis should focus more on reducing the demands of the 11-month calendar after a season in which he was sidelined by a wrist injury for nearly five months before returning in New York.
Those concerns also feature prominently in the Professional Tennis Players Association advocacy group’s class-action lawsuit against the sport’s governing bodies.
“I’ve always said that it has to change,” Alcaraz added, referring to the calendar.
“Playing a little bit less and not having that amount of tournaments in a row, week after week. So I definitely would change that.”
The ATP did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment outside regular business hours.
Its chairman, Andrea Gaudenzi, defended the crowded calendar last year, saying scheduling remains the players’ choice and that the tour was working to set clear incentives so the right number of matches were played across the season.
