Tennis ace Judy Murray has told how she would like to make the sport more “entertaining” by shortening the matches played by top male stars.
Leading coach Judy, mum to Wimbledon champions Andy and Jamie, said shorter competitions would also make tennis more appealing to a new generation of less patient, younger fans.
Judy, 61, said: “There’s a lot to be said for sport meets entertainment now.
“If we go to watch a football match or a movie, it’s probably pocketed into the best part of two hours.
“How many people – especially of the next generation – will sit for four or five hours and watch a match through from start to finish? I’m not so sure they will.
“Women would be more than capable of playing five sets but my preference would be to see the men playing three sets.
“Playing five sets takes an enormous toll on both players in a match but particularly on the winner because they get 24 hours’ rest and then they play again the following day.
“If you are out there for five hours on your own in what is a pretty non-stop sport, it’s incredibly gruelling.
“Having witnessed the toil Andy has put his body through being successful at Grand Slam level – where you have got to win seven matches, best of five sets, in 13 days to win the Grand Slam – that is absolutely huge.
“I have to laugh when I hear footballers say, ‘We’ve got seven days to recover for the next football match.’ And I’m like, ‘Wow, 90 minutes and there’s 11 of you out there.’
“Five sets also means the male players – the top ones anyway who are likely to survive through into the second week of a Grand Slam – are not going to play doubles or mixed doubles because it’s all going to be too much.
“But the women can play doubles and mixed doubles because three sets doesn’t take quite as much out of you.”
Judy, who led Britain’s all-female Fed Cup Team, added: “I have to say I’ve seen some unbelievable five-set battles – not just involving Andy and Jamie but with others. It’s the height of the sport.
“But I think the world is changing and you have to be able to adapt to that.
“We’ve got to have bums on seats and eyes on screens at the end of the day.”
Andy and Jamie are both set to compete at Wimbledon, which begins tomorrow.
Judy, a huge ambassador for encouraging more girls in particular to play tennis, told the Her Spirit podcast she is delighted to have a reputation for being a fiery campaigner for equality in sport.
She said: “Billie Jean King is the queen of disruption and she’s my absolute hero.
“I still have to pinch myself that she has become a good friend of mine – that I can go out for dinner with her – because she was someone I would watch on TV when I was a little girl.
“She fought for equality for women 50 years ago. She got together with the original nine tennis women who were sick of the men getting 90 per cent of the gate and the women getting 10 per cent, despite them playing to a great level. It was just complete unfairness.
“They took this massive risk, broke away and set up what is now the Women’s Tour.
“They are the reason why tennis is so far ahead of all the other sports in terms of equality in prize money, endorsements, TV coverage etc
“And she continues to disrupt for equality – not just on gender but on absolutely everything.
“She really uses her voice and she has encouraged me to try to use mine.”
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