Best of Five Set Masters Finals: Let's Bring Them Back

Novak Djokovic wins Monte Carlo

Back in 2012 I wrote an article for Eurosport asking whether some Masters finals on the ATP tour should be restored to best of five sets.  

I think Masters tournaments are in need of a shake up. The dichotomy is that if I were to contact the ATP now, they would tell me how well the tournaments are doing, how much success they have had and how much money they generate, and there would be no need to change anything.  They would also think I am out of my mind but would probably be too polite to say it.

But precisely the reasons why the ATP do not think there needs to be change, are the reasons there needs to be change.  There is no doubt in my mind that Masters finals exclusively becoming best of three sets has stifled competition and kept those at the top, at the top.  Why?

There are a host of reasons for this.  The first thing to say is when best of five sets were jettisoned in 2007, it coincided with a big increase in ranking points apportioned to masters, grand slams and the end of year ATP World Tour Finals. It has become inherently difficult if not almost impossible to dislodge the top players or win some of the big titles on offer.  But to the matter of the Masters finals first. Before 2008 best of five occurred in seven of the nine tournaments:  Those events were Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Italian Open, Hamburg, Paris Bercy and the end of year championships.  Also, many smaller tournaments on the ATP calendar had best of five finals.  In the case of Indian Wells and Miami, when Indian Wells was best of five, Miami would be best of three; then the next year Indian Wells would be best of three and Miami best of five, and so on.  This was one of the reasons the Indian Wells Miami double was so prestigious and so difficult to attain.  Pre the change to best of three sets, only Jim Courier, Michael Chang, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Marcelo Rios and Roger Federer did the double in the same year. 

However, since the change to best of three set finals, the top players can afford to only play the Masters and not really participate on the rest of the tour other than a very few tourneys such as the Dubai championships.  Whereas in the past you would see the number 1 player in venues like Marseille, Rotterdam, Los Angeles, Lyon, Vienna and other smaller tournaments, today you will find Novak Djokovic only needs to play the Masters tournaments, Dubai, Asian hardcourt tournaments in September and that’s about it.  As Djokovic wins the majority of the Masters tournaments and is so far ahead in the rankings, he can be completely refreshed for all of the grand slam tournaments, in fact, he doesn’t even need to play warm up tournaments before the Australian Open or Wimbledon.  It is also gives the impression there are two tours taking place, one for the very elite who do not have to play many events other than the Masters series, and the rest where they have to pick up titles and points at the smaller events like Rotterdam or Valencia.  It is also worth noting how many of the smaller tournaments have fallen off the calendar since 2007.  Los Angeles, Estoril, Washington, San Jose, Indianapolis have all left, Japan is now played in September and Beijing has been added along with the China Open, I imagine Djokovic plays Beijing, China Open and Dubai due to the more prize money and prestige they offer. 

This two tier system now in place maybe great for the elite players and the marketing men in the ATP, but I don’t think it is good for tennis in general.  The cause and effect is this; as I mentioned earlier, Djokovic by only playing a small select number of tournaments can stay fresh for the grand slam tournaments, which in turn allows him to stay at the top as he always gets to the latter stages.  Meanwhile the next generation of Raonic, Dimitrov, Nishikori and others have been unable to break through substantially.  The likes of Tsonga, Berdych, Monfils have been beaten physically and mentally.  Wawrinka has had success breaking through to win the Australian Open and Monte Carlo in 2014 then Rotterdam in February but has remained inconsistent.  Marin Cilic has not performed at all since winning the US Open last September.  

The Masters count is also getting confused and I would venture to say is now becoming meaningless.  Djokovic won his 23rd Masters title at the Monte Carlo event recently, nearly all of those would have come in best of three set finals.  Federer and Nadal are also both over 20 Masters wins but started winning Masters titles when finals were best of five sets.  Federer and Nadal were involved in memorable five set finals against each other and other opponents like Guillermo Coria and David Nalbandian.  There is no question it is possible to rack up the title wins, Djokovic could be looking at 40 Masters wins before his career is over.  The reason being they have the feel of any other ATP final, other than the fact they offer more prize money and play in a bigger stadium.

To put this into perspective, there are nine tournaments of this calibre every year, a lot of finals not to recall many memorable moments.  The last two Indian Wells finals between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have been very good, as was the 2013 final of between Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin Del Potro.  Prior to the change in 2007, there were many memorable matches to call on, some still talked about up to this day.  As for the end of year World Tour finals, the best final took place in 2011 between Federer and Tsonga but that was four years ago.

The argument of tiredness no longer applies.  With the points system currently in place, as long as the top players go far in the big events, there is no need to play a huge amount of small events; consequently players can be fresh for a select number of five set finals if they were restored.  The Indian Premier League took place over an extended period in the close season and players often manage to play exhibitions during the season; there can be no excuse not to play best of five finals at Masters level.

Now is as good a time to reconsider introducing best of five set finals at select tournaments at Masters level on the ATP tour.  Currently Masters finals do not offer value for money for the punter or viewer on pay television; the system needs a shake up.