As new USTA CEO Craig Tilley is working through his first US Open at the helm, his successor in Australia has a new suggestion that would drastically change the sport.
Tennis Australia CEO Andrew Abdo, who took over for Tiley last month, said at a conference Monday that Grand Slams may eventually consider shortening matches in an effort to attract a younger audience.
“Maybe in the future, Slams at different rounds or at different lengths of duration. Maybe we’re not playing best-of-five all the way through. Maybe the point-scoring system changes,” Abdo said at SportNXT.
He recognized that tennis “purists” will likely object, but said that other sports around the world have made similar changes that have allowed them to adapt with the times.
“If you’re not thinking about that product in a way that’s contemporary, in a way that’s going to connect with young people, then I think you’re going to be left behind,” Abdo said.
