"It needs to be a little bit quicker and more exciting": Former Dutch No.1 believes ATP top 20 has become weak, sides with Tiafoe over potential rule changes

Former Dutch number one Robin Haase spoke about tennis and the way it's going feeling that the sport needs to catch up with the rest of the world in the 21st century.

Haase has played for a long time on the tennis tour with plenty of success. The Dutch former number one player played at a time when the big three was at their peak so he got to experience the Tour during its golden days. According to Haase the level of tennis has overall improved compared to the past but he does feel that the top 20 is a bit weaker than in the past:

“Depends how you look at it. Ten years ago you would have a really unbelievable top 20 or top 15. When going deep in Grand Slams there were only few surprises in the last 16. Now that top I would say is as not as strong as before. You had [Andy] Roddick,[Lleyton] Hewitt, [Stan] Wawrinka, [Nikolay] Davydenko, [Kei] Nishikori. If you compare with now, it’s a little bit different. It’s a little bit weaker."

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He continued:

“But top one to 100, or 250; maybe even 400, is much stronger. The broader level of tennis is much better than it used to be. Now the guys that play Challengers, they can do well on the ATP level. 10-15 years ago it was much easier to win a Challenger. It’s pretty tough now.”

Like many, Haase believes that the sport needs to modernize in order to catch up to the 21st century:

“Not boring, but it needs to be a little bit quicker and more exciting. What is funnier to watch? Three sets up to 6, or 5 sets up to 4? It’s not shorter. One of the rules that has been tested in the Next Gen Finals. Why I think we should play up to 4? You win a set 6-4. Next set, the first game, the second, the third…is very boring. People go out and drink something. But now, you win 4-1 and next set you win your serve and break, you are pretty close to make another set."

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And continued with some suggestions:

“Much more exciting for fans, but also tougher for the players, because players sometimes don’t care much about the first games of the set. Imagine you won the first set, then you are one all. Other guy serving 40-15. They are sometimes like ‘that point doesn’t matter’. But when you know the set is up to 4, you don’t have much chances to break, you better want to play that shot and win that game. I’m not saying we should change it now, but we can experiment more.”

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