John McEnroe Proposes Matchbreaker Instead of Current Best-of-Five Set Structure

Since Wimbledon was founded in the late 19th century, Grand Slam men’s singles matches have been played in a best-of-five format. Modern tennis now looks very different from the game’s initial form, and some critics believe that the scoring model needs to change. John McEnroe is the latest former player to throw his two cents in.

McEnroe’s Matchbreaker Proposal

On the Rushmore podcast, John McEnroe proposed a Grand Slam matchbreaker as a middle-ground solution to the problem of best-of-five matches. He did so in response to Novak Djokovic’s suggestion that a set should be played up to four games, with the possible abolition of the advantage rule at 40:40” and that matches “would be played until someone wins three such shortened sets. That way, matches would not last longer than two hours.”

In McEnroe’s solution, players would split the first four sets (2-2) and then play a tiebreaker that would be won by whoever first wins 10 points. This would replace those same competitors playing a full six-game fifth set. The Laver Cup uses a similar scoring format by deciding best-of-three matches with a 10-point tiebreaker instead of a full third set.

McEnroe also rejected the narrative that Djokovic’s proposal comes from his lack of fitness, saying, “I have no concerns about him. Play as long as you want, don’t discount him. He’s a great champion. He still has that belief. And you know, let’s see what happens next year. He’s gonna be playing next year.” And he was certainly right, given the Serbian player’s triumphant return in Beijing.

Response to McEnroe’s Proposal

Like any past attempt to change the scoring model, McEnroe’s proposal was met with immediate criticism. On the Inside In podcast, former ATP No. 14 Jan-Michael Gambil went viral for labeling the whole suggestion a joke, saying “I’m not a proponent of taking away the fifth set.”

“I think especially if you work so hard,” Gambil continued, “you play four sets and then you're going to play a 10-pointer for the fifth. I mean that's a joke, I think that's an actual joke and that sells athletes short. It sells what's really hard short.

The Best-of-Five Issue

McEnroe and Djokovic are far from the only voices asking for best-of-five matches to be eliminated or at least reduced. In early September, Tennis Australia chief executive Andrew Abdo suggested that the Australian Open might make major changes to the current scoring system to keep audiences entertained and engaged.

The best-of-five format has also come under fire due to the rise of player injuries. According to a study by the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), arm injuries in the first quarter of 2026 were up 116% compared to the same period last year, and upper-body injuries were up 42%.

Length of the ATP Schedule

Some players have suggested that the real issue that should be addressed is the increasingly long ATP Tour season. In a Japan Open post-match interview, Carlos Alcaraz criticized the focus on removing or reducing best-of-five set matches, saying, “If we take away that and play the best-of-three, I think we’re killing the legacy of the Grand Slams.”

“We have been playing best-of-five matches at the Grand Slams since the very beginning,” the young Spanish player continued, “and I think that is what makes those tournaments different and special. So I wouldn’t touch anything from that, and for me it’s okay to play the best of five … I would say the calendar. I’ve always said that it has to change.”

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