Tennis has been told they should make a huge rule change in 2026 that would completely transform the Grand Slam experience.
It was a notion likely provoked by Ben Shelton’s match against Adrian Mannarino, which sadly ended in unceremonious fashion, forced to retire due to injury.
The American had been cruising beforehand, two-sets-to-one up and playing some superb tennis.
However, once the shoulder was compromised, his lead swiftly unravelled, and as a fifth set loomed, he had to make the crushing decision to withdraw.
Rick Macci, famed for his role in the early development of both Serena and Venus Williams, has now called for a reactionary change to the tennis rulebook.
Rick Macci calls for tennis to make a big rule change
Taking to X, he has implored the rulemakers to enact a change that is actually the opposite of what many lobbied for after the women’s Wimbledon final.
He wrote: “All Majors starting 2026 should be best of three.
“Ask all the players to vote and it would be a Slam Dunk on steroids. The game has changed the past 5 years. More physical more explosive more dynamic more injuries. Scheduling would be easier for the players fans and tournament. Time to go with best of three and all the players would agree.”
Macci also tagged Novak Djokovic, as a player never shy of lobbying for change in his sport.
Tennis confusion over how many sets to play at Grand Slams
As touched upon earlier, many called for women to play best-of-five sets at Grand Slams after Amanda Anisimova’s crushing loss in the Wimbledon final.
It seems that there is some confusion within the sport about which direction they should lean, with very valid arguments for both.
Best-of-three works best for scheduling and the welfare of players, but throws the tradition and drama of the five-set format to the wayside.
However, with the majors all slowly moving towards a technology-oriented Hawkeye system, it’s clear that tradition is not the be-all and end-all.
Macci’s claim, backed by Pam Shriver, is an interesting one that could spark debate in the coming years.
