Should the WTA play best of 5?
- Thread starter Andy G
- Start date
ChanceEncounter
Professional
Only if you want a lot more retires and walkovers.
Well they should, and I think they have to, as long as they don't televise it. Cause two more possible sets full of boredom would be too much.
The topic itself has been beaten to death and I don't think women deserve to be paid like men cause the level of the game is much,much lesser.
The topic itself has been beaten to death and I don't think women deserve to be paid like men cause the level of the game is much,much lesser.
federer_15
Rookie
I think so or otherwise they should earn less money....
effervescence
Rookie
If they played best-of-5 matches I bet lots of the women would start whining about it... lots more retirements, too.
However, I am curious how to see they fare in best-of-5 matches. Maybe it could be done for select tournaments to see how it goes, and if the women can cope then why not?
However, I am curious how to see they fare in best-of-5 matches. Maybe it could be done for select tournaments to see how it goes, and if the women can cope then why not?
uNIVERSE mAN
Rookie
only if they play in separate grand slam tournaments and is untelevised.
kafelnikov
Rookie
We would see a lot of this;
6-1, 2-6, 6-1, 0-6, 3-6
6-1, 2-6, 6-1, 0-6, 3-6
ckthegreek
Rookie
The finals of the slams should be 5. No doubt about it.
ckthegreek
Rookie
yes but not as bad as losing love and 3 in under an hour (see Safina)
T
TheMagicianOfPrecision
Guest
Since they are pais the same in lots of tournaments they should!! Hell yeah i agree. BUT, the level of play would drop soo much in the 4th and 5th set that they would probably lose a lot of fans and the crowd would go home and watch who won it at night on SportsCentre, that is my humble opinion. But we shouldnt take it as far as Richard Krajicek did by saying that-" 80% of the WTA-players are fat cows"
sanchino
Semi-Pro
From 1984–1998, the final of the year ending WTA Tour championships was a best-of-five-set match – making it the only tournament on the women's tour to have a best-of-five-set match at any round of the competition. In 1999, the final reverted to being a best-of-three-set match, as had been the case from 1971–1983.
a list of the matches that went beyond three sets:
1986- Martina Navratilove def Hana Mandlikova 6–2, 6–0, 3–6, 6–1
1987- Steffi Graf def Gabriela Sabatini 4–6, 6–4, 6–0, 6–4
1989- Steffi Graf def Martina Navratilova 6–4, 7–5, 2–6, 6–2
1990- Monica Seles def Gabriela Sabatini 6–4, 5–7, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2
1991- Monica Seles def Martina Navratilove 6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 6–0
1993- Steffi Graf def Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario 6–1, 6–4, 3–6, 6–1
1995- Steffi Graf def Anke Huber 6–1, 2–6, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3
1996- Steffi graf def Martina Hingis 6–3, 4–6, 6–0, 4–6, 6–0
1998- Martina Hingis def Lindsay Davenport 7–5, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
.........while these matches went beyond three sets, as the scores indicate, most were not even close in the closing fourth or fifth sets......their experiment at proving women's tennis was on an equal level as men's failed
a list of the matches that went beyond three sets:
1986- Martina Navratilove def Hana Mandlikova 6–2, 6–0, 3–6, 6–1
1987- Steffi Graf def Gabriela Sabatini 4–6, 6–4, 6–0, 6–4
1989- Steffi Graf def Martina Navratilova 6–4, 7–5, 2–6, 6–2
1990- Monica Seles def Gabriela Sabatini 6–4, 5–7, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2
1991- Monica Seles def Martina Navratilove 6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 6–0
1993- Steffi Graf def Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario 6–1, 6–4, 3–6, 6–1
1995- Steffi Graf def Anke Huber 6–1, 2–6, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3
1996- Steffi graf def Martina Hingis 6–3, 4–6, 6–0, 4–6, 6–0
1998- Martina Hingis def Lindsay Davenport 7–5, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
.........while these matches went beyond three sets, as the scores indicate, most were not even close in the closing fourth or fifth sets......their experiment at proving women's tennis was on an equal level as men's failed
Ambivalent
Hall of Fame
No, it's already a pain to watch WTA players double fault their way through a three setter while waiting for the Federer match.
I think you are underestimating women. They can play some incredibly bad tennis in sets 1, 2 and 3 as well.
sanchino
Semi-Pro
Amen to that
T
TheMagicianOfPrecision
Guest
Funniest post today
drwood
Professional
I think that's a little unfair. Most men's five set matches aren't close in the 5th set either...we've been skewed by the last 2 Wimbledon finals. Even in the 07 Wimbledon final, which is viewed by many as a "classic", Federer beat Nadal 6-2 in the 5th set. The 09 Australian final wasn't close in the 5th set either as Nadal destroyed Federer 6-2.
sanchino
Semi-Pro
Did you not notice the number of 6-0 sets in those matches I listed......most mens matches NEVER have a 6-o set anywhere in them.....much less in a major final!.......Three sets are enough for the women to pretend they are equal
Why on earth should it work that way? If that were true, then 2nd division sportsmen would get paid the same as 1st division sportsmen.
Pay in other sports is decided by the money generated. And men's almost always generates more than females' thus earning them the higher pay. Except in tennis, they fail to see common sense, and give the same pay for no apparant reason.
Motor Kings
New User
They should play a single pro set with no-ad scoring until the semifinals of the slams. That way, there should be fewer good mens matches pre-empted by coverage of Sharapova, Venus, and Serena.
You have answered the question in your response.....A 2nd division sportsman is still 2nd division..he is fighting and striving to be 1st division.....Its about capability, ability and rankings when compared to the field......so the more capable you are, higher you get paid.
I am comparing a 1st grade male player to a female player......if talk about affirmative action in tennis and say on the basis of equality that both should get paid the same.....then by logic a 1st grade female tennis player should be equally capable as a 1st grade male player and should be able to play best of 5 sets....
I accept your logic about the ATP generating a lot more revenue than the WTA........so yes, all logic and reasoning points to Men deserving more
film1
Semi-Pro
Absolutly, a big part of tennis is fitness, look how tired some of the top women get in the second set. Women can handle endurance as good as men and it makes womens tennis a watered down version of the sport.
It's ridiculas, insulting and the names of the trophys would be different if they played the same number of games.
Women should feel insulted, Serena has looked like she was running on empty in the second set a few times and won the match and it's 2009, please.
It's ridiculas, insulting and the names of the trophys would be different if they played the same number of games.
Women should feel insulted, Serena has looked like she was running on empty in the second set a few times and won the match and it's 2009, please.
West Coast Ace
G.O.A.T.
If you run for President of the United States, you have my vote.
It's called Political Correctness. Left leaning folks do things like this so they can congratulate each other for being such good people at wine and cheese and poetry reading events... then they get in their Toyota Prius's and drive home... slow in the left lane... wouldn't want to disrupt the migratory pattern of some obscure butterfly species...
Well yeah, it's all about PC, but it's weird it's ONLY done in tennis. I mean, common sense prevails in other sports.
THUNDERVOLLEY
G.O.A.T.
Absolute fantasy and nonsense.
Ambivalent
Hall of Fame
AHEM...Wimbledon Final 2009, Wimbledon Final 2008, Austalian Open Semifinals 2009, and the list goes on?
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Fedfan1234
Rookie
YES put those lazy women to work! I really don't care if women earn the same, but I do care about the level of play. And as it stands women are an insult to the game of tennis. Some believe they are on a catwalk, others believe they are at home in bed, some really think they are professionals but 50 pounds overweight at the same time. The only player I really liked was Henin, she really seemed to care about the game but then she did something stupid, namely QUIT. Changing to best of 5 probably would result in more bad tennis in the first couple of years but I HOPE the level of play would eventually improve. And maybe people might actually start to see some real matches in WTA for a change.
sanchino
Semi-Pro
When an inferior product is shoved down your throat on a continued basis, after while you are bound to feel a little animosity.....they can play a pro-set, best of three, best of five, or a third set champions tie-break for all I care......and they can continue to be paid the same if it keeps Billie Jean King and the likes of her quiet........I just wish they would completely seperate both tours even at grand slam events so I can completely disregard it then
Lmao, that's what always amused me.
People said "it's fair that women get equal pay at Wimbledon cos they put in the same effort accounting for their strength". Well so do the juniors and doubles lol, but where's their equal pay?!
I agree. I've always thought that the Williams girls could go to 5 sets. I'm sure Mauresmo & Safina could too.
sanchino
Semi-Pro
Who cares!......I'll say it again, since the tour is almost completely seperate alrready, go ahead and make it completely seperate so people like me that don't even want to watch ONE set of women's tennis don't have to........I am tired of getting men's matches overlooked to showcase the williams sisters etc........if they are seperate, I'll have nothing to ***** about.......I can't name one WNBA player, but I watch NBA.....I love golf, but can't name one LPGA player......why can't I get that lucky in tennis?
jonnythan
Professional
Someone forces you to watch women's tennis? No wonder you're so bitter.
sanchino
Semi-Pro
I'm not bitter.....I just don't like it!......and I only watch when I'm waiting for mens matches in early rounds of grand slam tournaments.....where women's inferior tennis is forced on viewers who would otherwise not tune in
Parabolica
Semi-Pro
They should definitely play 5 sets IMO. It's quite insulting that there are so many overweight women tennis players. It would certainly force players like Serena to lose some weight, it's embarrasing that she is a professional athelete, making millions of dollars, and winning huge grand slam tournaments.
jonnythan
Professional
Serena would continue to win no matter how many sets they played.
vandre
Hall of Fame
to answer the original question, should the wta play best of 5...
...if you want to drive a stake through the heart of the wta once and for all, then yes, they should play best of 5.
sanchino brought up a point which makes the whole "equal entertainment value" argument moot: involuntary exposure. the wta can't claim equal entertainment if ppl are being forced to watch it against their will just because the network chooses to give us "lesser fare" (they can't claim equal entertainment unless the individual gets to pick atp or wta). just could the spectators in the stands at a women's u.s. open match in the showcourts to see if the equal entertainment argument holds up! if thw wta is mostly what ppl see when they see tennis on tv, then can we blame them when they turn the tv off? this has gotta be at least part of the reason why tennis' popularity is down (in the states anyway).
there needs to be a widely available plan b. espn won't show any men's matches outside the top 4 (and roddick) when somewhere there is a williams sister "winning ugly" over an 18 yr old from bulgaria who can't hold serve. since espn bought the rights, you're not gonna find any other options on cable. (btw, i really really miss hbo's wimbledon coverage!
)
someone smarter than me, please fix this!!!!
...if you want to drive a stake through the heart of the wta once and for all, then yes, they should play best of 5.
sanchino brought up a point which makes the whole "equal entertainment value" argument moot: involuntary exposure. the wta can't claim equal entertainment if ppl are being forced to watch it against their will just because the network chooses to give us "lesser fare" (they can't claim equal entertainment unless the individual gets to pick atp or wta). just could the spectators in the stands at a women's u.s. open match in the showcourts to see if the equal entertainment argument holds up! if thw wta is mostly what ppl see when they see tennis on tv, then can we blame them when they turn the tv off? this has gotta be at least part of the reason why tennis' popularity is down (in the states anyway).
there needs to be a widely available plan b. espn won't show any men's matches outside the top 4 (and roddick) when somewhere there is a williams sister "winning ugly" over an 18 yr old from bulgaria who can't hold serve. since espn bought the rights, you're not gonna find any other options on cable. (btw, i really really miss hbo's wimbledon coverage!
) someone smarter than me, please fix this!!!!
Ambivalent
Hall of Fame
After Henin retired, Womens tennis should be outlawed on public broadcast.
Parabolica
Semi-Pro
Disagreed. No matter how much better she is, if she has no energy, she will not win the close matches.
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