Novak Djokovic has called for further rule changes to tennis, proposing shorter matches to appeal to younger audiences with limited attention spans. The 24-time Grand Slam champion raised the issue after his straight-sets second-round victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon on July 2, 2026.
Djokovic Advocates for Shorter Match Formats
Speaking after his 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win, Djokovic, 39, emphasized the need to modernise the sport. "How do we attract new fans, younger fans, younger audiences, that has a short attention span?" he asked. "Tennis is a very dynamic, exciting sport. One-on-one. But sometimes it can go on for too long. If you're not a diehard tennis fan, maybe it's not as interesting for other people to watch something for three, four, five hours when they have everything available on their screens."
This is the second consecutive press conference where Djokovic has addressed match duration. After his first-round win against Yibing Wu, he stated: "In my opinion, we have to change the format, the tours, have the tournaments have shorter matches, more dynamic, be able to have something more interesting and shorter length 'cause this is too long."
Injuries and Tournament Impact
Djokovic linked the need for change to the high injury rate affecting major tournaments. He noted that top players like Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu, and Jack Draper missed Wimbledon 2026 due to various injuries. He argued that shorter formats could reduce physical strain and keep stars on court.
Innovation Beyond Microphones
When asked about players wearing microphones during matches, Djokovic expressed reservations. "I don't know if I'll be comfortable being mic'd up during the performance. Practice is fine," he said. However, he stressed broader innovation: "As I mentioned in the previous press conference, I think we also have to look into the format of competition and the rules of how we play on the respective tours."
Frustration with Lack of Progress
Despite his advocacy, Djokovic expressed doubt that meaningful change will occur. "As I can hear or see in the last 15 years, there are a lot of people talking about how we can all improve the sport. Not much is happening on that end or changing. It still stays in the theory rather than in reality," he said. He attributed the stagnation to conflicts among governing bodies: "There's a lot more conflict within the governing bodies of our sport than there is unity."
Djokovic remains open to discussion but acknowledges his limited power: "Obviously, I'm not in a position to have the magic wand and change and decide what needs to be changed. I'm always open to discussion. Happy to use my platform or whatever influence we can collectively improve the game."
Preserving Tradition While Innovating
Djokovic concluded by balancing tradition with innovation: "I'm all for innovation and change because we have to retain the culture and history of our sport, which I've always respected." He suggested that Grand Slams could retain best-of-five formats, but tours should experiment with shorter matches to attract a new generation of fans.
