Serena Williams' coach Rennae Stubbs calls for radical tennis revamp after Novak Djokovic left 'dead' for Jannik Sinner clash at Wimbledon
Published 14/07/2026 at 19:07 GMT+1
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Serena Williams’ coach has called for a major change in the format of matches following Novak Djokovic’s disappointing Wimbledon exit on the back of the longest quarter-final in the tournament’s history.
Highlights: Sinner and Zverev book Wimbledon final as Fery-tale ends
Video credit: TNT Sports
Jannik Sinner cruised past Djokovic in straight sets in the semi-finals at the All England Club after the Serb took more than five hours to overcome Felix Auger-Aliassime in the last eight three days earlier.
The epic Centre Court contest went to five sets, leaving Djokovic ”dead” for his semi-final, according to Williams’ coach Rennae Stubbs, who has put forward an alternative decider for when matches reach two sets each.
”I think a balance of that could be best of four. If it goes two sets all, we play a 10-point tie-break,” she said on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.
”What’s the difference? When someone says, ‘hold on a second, we don’t want to finish a match with a 10-point tie-break’, we do!
"If it gets to 6-6 in the fifth set at every major, we play a 10-point tie-break. So what is the difference?"
The Australian, a six-time major champion in doubles, continued: ”I am a tennis purist, and I love watching great tennis, but I don’t want to see it for five hours and 15 minutes, which we had to for the quarter-finals with Novak and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
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Highlights: Djokovic, Gauff dig deep as Sinner races through to semi-finals
Video credit: SNTV
”Arguably that f****d Novak for the next match against Sinner. He was dead. Jannik played the most perfect match against Novak in the semi-final. I watched it in person, and Novak was just a step slower on everything.
”Is that because he’s 39? Probably. Is Jannik the best player in the world when he’s on? Probably. But if he doesn’t go five and a half hours and goes four hours instead, does he have a little bit extra in his tank? Probably.
"I think there is one way to get around this, and we can satisfy everybody. I would like to say from the semis you play best of five, and it’s best of four with a 10-point tie-break.
”What an amazing culmination of four amazing sets to go, 'let’s go 10 points for the match'.”
Sinner beat Djokovic 6-4 6-4 6-4 on Friday, before the Italian defended his title with a victory over Alexander Zverev in the final on Sunday.
Djokovic carved out just one break point against the world No. 1, which he failed to capitalise on.
”I was just half a step late in any shot,” the 39-year-old said afterwards.
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”It's as simple as that; he was just a level or more better than I was, and I was just not sharp enough, not reactive enough, not balanced enough to play him. There was not much I could do.
”I was okay, feeling physically fine, maybe not the freshest, obviously, like at the beginning of the tournament."
In 2018, tennis icon Billie Jean King also called for the five-set format to be scrapped at Grand Slam events.
”Everyone keeps saying women don’t want to play five sets, but I don’t want the men playing five sets any more – it takes too much out of them,” the 18-time major singles champion said, as per BBC Sport.
Discussing the five-set format at this year’s Wimbledon, world No. 10 Taylor Fritz told Tennis Channel: ”[I'm] fine with it. I think it’s good at Slams. I think the better player will typically win more often in a best-of-five match, so I like that for the Slams.
"I think it wouldn’t feel great at a Slam to just show up nervous, drop two sets and be done.
”I think some of the two-set-down comebacks are what makes slams memorable and fun. Obviously, I’d love to play less, but I think it’s good with best of five.”
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