"Third set up to 12 points" might solve scheduling issues says Azarenka

Wednesday, 16 August 2023 at 20:30

Victoria Azarenka defended the idea of shorter matches and called for a third set tiebreaker to twelve points after her victory at the Cincinnati Open.

The Belarusian had a successful start at the Western & Southern Open, defeating the world No. 11 Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 7-5 to advance to the second round. In the post-match press conference, Victoria Azarenka expressed her views on match scheduling, which often lead to matches finishing late at night.

"The night matches have to start earlier: 6 PM, 8:30 PM slots. We have to have other courts having night matches because, I understand if there’s no match on Center Court, it’s difficult for the tournament,” said Azarenka.

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“But we need to have a back-up that can be moved to another court. We need to expend a little production on other courts to make sure we cover more for the World Feed and for the TV," 2-time Grand Slam champion added.

Regarding possible changes, Azarenka suggested that there should be innovation to make matches shorter and find a formula that is commercially beneficial:

"I believe that would help a little bit more, and we won’t be talking about this every week. If tennis can help itself to have slots of time where we can market, it would be much easier for the tournament."

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"I don’t know how it will be received, but if matches could be a little bit shorter. I think the quality of the competition won’t be affected that extremely. There’s tradition, but I don’t think it would change the game to the point where it’s unrecognizable. Maybe a third set is up to 12 points. There has to be some innovation possible,” former world No. 1 concluded

In her next match, 'Vichka' will face Donna Vekic, who previously defeated Jennifer Brady 7-6, 7-5. The head-to-head (H2H) record between Azarenka and Vekic is 2-1 in favor of the Croatian.

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The two-time Cincy champion is through 👉 @vika7 battles past Krejcikova, 6-3, 7-5. #CincyTennis

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6:52 PM · Aug 15, 2023

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Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

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