Masters Series, 5-set finals ever coming back?

[Perseverance]

I was quite disappointed when Etienne De V decided to eradicate five set matches. I felt that the five set finals often showed a much truer picture of how players may fair, and fair against each other in the slams. I feel that best of three results may not show if a player would be capable of keeping it up for longer, and ultimately, this is what matters most of all. This is especially true on clay, and an example is winning a set or maybe two against Rafa is far from winning a best of five set match. Now Etienne has left, do you think five set finals will return to the Masters 1000 finals? Considering the top players get a bye in the first round, I do feel that best of three set finals have no benefit, and the matches also have less drama. There have been so many superb best of five set matches in the past such as the Federer and Nadal in Rome, the Coria and Nadal in Rome, the Nadal and Federer in Miami. I do think this is one of the things that need to be changed, as I’m unsure of the place for a best of three in an event that can reward 1000 points.

Is it something being considered for next season? Or are we going to be stuck with these unappealing 3-set matches?

 

[Fedexeon]

I know 5 sets final would be much more exciting but its really tough for the players.

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

Yeah, the 5 set MS finals would do a lot of harm to the players, and probably shorten careers.

/Nadal joke.

 

[fednad]

No, they should not come back.
Some players are exhausted since the first day of the year (so says there gang of trolls here). If they need to play best of five final, they will die of exhaustion.
Moreover, these days, the "real" final may happen before the scheduled final - so what is the point of playing 5 sets in an un-real final

 

[clayman2000]

I do not think they should go back to 5 set finals, but they should go back to 64 man draws. No matter what you are ranked, once you are in a tournament all players should be on the same ground. Its also not fair to the 9 - 16 seeds who in some cases could easily take the guys ranked 7 and 8

 

[jetlee2k]

Watching old days tennis, Becker, sampras, agassi and etc.. they are all play 5 sets do not matter final or not.. talking about fitness.. I am starting to agree with guys say this is a weak era.. Bedsides the top 4, other guys are just not worth watching.... Sorry.. Andy Murray is not worth watching either.. This guy is a Master of pusher.. Winning UGLY is his main tactics..

 

[fedtastic]

I hope they do comeback. I haven't watched a better Masters final than the Federer vs Nadal Rome 2006 final. What a match that was. The rest of the matches should stay 3 sets but the final should be 5.

 

[fps]

5 set finals made masters series tournies more special. apart from their being compulsory for the top players, what really makes them extra-prestigious now? they are devalued by 3 set finals. there should be a less packed schedule.

 

[vtmike]

Nadal & Djokovic played a record breaking 7 hour long five set Masters final. Nobody knows the outcome of this match since everyone except Nadal & Djokovic left the stadium after hitting the 6 hour mark!

 

[fednad]

Nadal & Djokovic played a record breaking 7 hour long five set Masters final. Nobody knows the outcome of this match since everyone except Nadal & Djokovic left the stadium after hitting the 6 hour mark!

I am sure at least three hours in this match will be consumed for a variety of following activities:
ball bouncing
asking for towel between points
pulling up socks
celebrating a point by thumping chest for thirty seconds and then realizing that a pain has started due to thumping
Aliging-Realigning-FurtherRealigning water bottles
Injury timeouts (biggest contributor)
Picking panties
Etc. Etc.

 

[380pistol]

5 set masters finals should comback. They don't effect the players. If a masters event has 48 feild draw, 46 of them will not be affected by the final!!!!!!!!!! So how does it effect ALL the players again???

The problem is the scheduling. If anyone actually believes it's 5 set finals, and not the scheduling, needs to leave Tina alone!!!

 

[tacou]

^ totally agree 380. Only 2 payers have to play a final (which would be way better as a 5 setter) and if AMS events weren't packed back to back all year I don't think one 5 set match would drastically change a players fitness. Especially Madrid, for example; Nadal and Fed might have played an amazing 5-setter and then would have over a week off before their next match.

I also think 64 man draw is a better idea. If Rafa or Roger or Novak get upset in the first round that makes for a more interesting tournament and gives a lower ranked player the chance to go up, opposed to having 8 blank spaces in the draw.

 

[Nadal_Freak]

The finals tend to be the most competitive matches. You are likely going to play some extremely long matches. Also there are way too many Masters Series as it is. Maybe allow Miami and Indian Wells to have them but that's it.

 

[l_gonzalez]

The finals tend to be the most competitive matches. You are likely going to play some extremely long matches. Also there are way too many Masters Series as it is. Maybe allow Miami and Indian Wells to have them but that's it.

Why those two? If anything they are the toughest physically, more matches to play and in very intense conditions. They should have all 9 events play best of 5 sets finals.

I think the only reason why they were abolished was because Rome and Hamburg were on cosecutive weeks, so the finalists of Rome either didn't show up at Hamburg or were exhausted if they did. There are no consecutive clay court Masters anymore so I don't see why they don't go back to it.

 

[thejoe]

TMC should still be 5 sets at least.

 

[tudwell]

Better not go back to five set finals. That's just one more thing for Nadal to complain about.

 

[harrpau7]

Best of 5 finals and 64 man draw.

Now that the Masters appear to be beter spaced out can't see the problem.

 

[nickynu]

Bring Back compulsory 5 set finals - Its what made them special, Nadal Vs Coria springs to mind.

 

[RCizzle65]

Best of 5 finals and 64 man draw.

Now that the Masters appear to be beter spaced out can't see the problem.

I would love for this to happen

 

[rfprse]

I was quite disappointed when Etienne De V decided to eradicate five set matches.

Same here. It was such an idiotic overreaction that should have already been revoked.
At least, the choice should be left to the tournaments. Except for back to back masters series, there doesn't seem to be a good reason for not allowing the tournaments to choose to have 5 set finals.

 

[CyBorg]

Preferably I would like to see best-of-five finals for Indian Wells, Miami, Rome, Shanghai and the Masters Cup.

Players are already sufficiently appeased. The top eight get automatic byes to the second round in most events.

 

[tacou]

Yeah maybe only for a select few, or maybe one for each area of calendar, i.e., one of Miami and IW, one clay court, one of the summer HC and one of the year end indoor, plus TMC.

 

[Nadal_Freak]

Yeah maybe only for a select few, or maybe one for each area of calendar, i.e., one of Miami and IW, one clay court, one of the summer HC and one of the year end indoor, plus TMC.

Fair enough. I also think that all Masters Series should not give equal amount of points. Ones with 5 set finals should be given more.

 

[Bud]

MS tournaments should have 5 set finals.

 

[gj011]

I disagree. No tournament should have more sets in final then in the rest of the matches. Makes no sense to me.

Also top players who regularly go deep in tournaments, already play too much.

So no need for best of 5 finals in Masters.

 

[tacou]

I disagree. No tournament should have more sets in final then in the rest of the matches. Makes no sense to me.

Also top players who regularly go deep in tournaments, already play too much.

So no need for best of 5 finals in Masters.

there is sort of a discrepancy in the final being different than the rest of the tournament, but I don't agree top players should get preference. ATP shouldn not differentiate between pros, it's really not fair.

for instance I know you're a huge Novak fan, but do you think he should receive better treatment than Tipsarevic?

64-man draw would help this, anyways. If you make it to the final, congrats, but you have to play 5 sets (possibly)!

 

[tennis-hero]

YEs how dare they demand that player play 5 sets

dont they realise that players get tired!

what do they think these people are? World class atheletes or something?!?!

soon they'll demand that you stick to 25 seconds between points, like its some kind of rule or something!

 

[gj011]

there is sort of a discrepancy in the final being different than the rest of the tournament, but I don't agree top players should get preference. ATP shouldn not differentiate between pros, it's really not fair.

for instance I know you're a huge Novak fan, but do you think he should receive better treatment than Tipsarevic?

64-man draw would help this, anyways. If you make it to the final, congrats, but you have to play 5 sets (possibly)!

I don't think it is preferential treatment. Top players simply go deeper in tournaments on average and play way more matches. Because of this I think it is fair as is.

ATP should do other things to help lower ranked players (maybe more equal price money and for sure different points distribution - they should go back to last year's W/F/SF/QF/lower roudns points ratios, ...).

But I don't see 56 players draw in masters or not playing best of 5 finals as a problem.

 

[IvanAndreevich]

I hope they do come back. So many epic matches stolen from us, the fans

 

[tacou]

I don't think it is preferential treatment. Top players simply go deeper in tournaments on average and play way more matches. Because of this I think it is fair as is.

ATP should do other things to help lower ranked players (maybe more equal price money and for sure different points distribution - they should go back to last year's W/F/SF/QF/lower roudns points ratios, ...).

But I don't see 56 players draw in masters or not playing best of 5 finals as a problem.

wellll it's two different arguments here. neither are a problem really, I just prefer them both the other way.

first, the 56 vs 64 draw for masters (though some are 48 and others 96). 64 over 46, in my opinion, is a no brainer. the gift of being seeded is not facing another seed until the given round. why not play the first round?

as for 5 set final, I'm not up in arms upset. I'd just rather see them.

 

[vtmike]

I am sure at least three hours in this match will be consumed for a variety of following activities:
ball bouncing
asking for towel between points
pulling up socks
celebrating a point by thumping chest for thirty seconds and then realizing that a pain has started due to thumping
Aliging-Realigning-FurtherRealigning water bottles
Injury timeouts (biggest contributor)
Picking panties
Etc. Etc.

Hahahaha LMAO!!

 

[Bloodshed]

Bring Back compulsory 5 set finals - Its what made them special, Nadal Vs Coria springs to mind.

I couldn't agree more.

That match, Fed vs Nadal in Rome 2006, Fed vs Nadal Miami 2004, Fed vs Nalby TMC 06, etc... The final best 3 out of 5 makes those final specials. Why getting rid of something that was good about it? Stupid decision of eradicating them in the first place.

It makes those MS even more prestigious.