JOAO FONSECA REJECTS DJOKOVIC'S TENNIS SCORING REFORM PROPOSAL

Joao Fonseca rejected Novak Djokovic's proposal to shorten tennis matches by adopting a modified scoring system. Speaking at the Canadian Open, the Brazilian player said Djokovic's push for the change reflected the Serb's advancing age and physical demands of longer matches. Fonseca stated he had experience with shorter formats through the Next Gen ATP Finals but questioned Djokovic's motivation for reform.

Djokovic has proposed experimenting with the Fast Four scoring system, used at the Next Gen ATP Finals, for Grand Slam matches. This format involves sets played to four games instead of six, no-ad scoring at deuce, and best-of-five-set structures that would conclude faster than traditional tournaments. A set that might finish 6-4 under current rules would conclude 4-2 under the proposed system, whilst a 3-3 score would immediately proceed to a tiebreak rather than potentially extending to 7-5. Djokovic stated the changes would reduce physical demands on players and make match lengths more predictable.

Fonseca and Djokovic met at the French Open, where the five-set match demonstrated the physical toll on Djokovic, with the younger player showing greater endurance in the final set. Tennis has modified its scoring rules previously whilst maintaining its traditional structure. Fonseca's rejection of the proposal has generated responses from other players on the professional tour regarding Djokovic's suggested format changes.