"I don’t think women are prepared to play five sets": Badosa argues against five-set matches for women

Paula Badosa opined that women are not prepared to play five-set matches like men because they go through periods. The former world No. 2 said that female players are not equally prepared to play such long matches compared to male players.

In recent years, the debate has resurfaced about whether women should return to playing five-set formats like men. Between 1984 and 1998, the five-set format was introduced for women, but it was eventually discarded, and today, matches are always played in three sets.

Badosa opposes five-set format for women

Gradually, Badosa seems to be getting her career back on track after a year full of difficulties due to a back injury. The Spanish player is advancing successfully in the DC Open, following a victory against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, and then advanced thanks to a walkover after Lidumila Samsonova retired during their second-round match when Badosa had taken the first set 6-2.

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While awaiting an interesting quarterfinal clash against Emma Raducanu, Badosa was asked about the possibility of women playing five-set matches. The former Indian Wells champion expressed her opposition to a change in the format: "I personally don’t think women are prepared to play five sets."

According to Badosa, women’s bodies are not the same as men’s and are not equally prepared for such long matches: "Also because of what we go through. For example, we go through periods. Our bodies aren’t like a man’s body, so I really think a woman wouldn’t recover as well as a man does."

Paula Badosa at 2024 Miami Open.

Earlier this year, one of the advocates for the five-set format was former silver medalist Laura Robson. At the Australian Open, she joined the discussion, highlighting that it could even help some players to have another set to overcome nerves, for example, those playing finals for the first time: "I think women absolutely could play best-of-five sets [but] I think it’s a logistical nightmare for any tournament director to try and plan two best-of-five tournaments.

"I don’t see why we don’t play best-of-five from the quarter-finals onwards. Over the last few years, with the nerves of some playing their first finals, it would help them to have another set to work with. If they just had more time out there, you can tell that they’d recover further into the match."

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On the other hand, 3-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray had also commented previously that, while he believes women are ready to compete in five-set matches, he considered the discussion pointless given that most women are against it.

"If it was something that the women were completely against doing, and they were being asked and the tournament were really pushing them to play best-of-five sets, then maybe that’s a different discussion there," said Murray last year. "But my understanding is that that’s not what it is. If the women were asked to play five-set matches I’m sure they would be more than capable and more than willing to do that. But I don’t think it’s their decision, so that’s the end of the argument for me."

Paula Badosa

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