Jessica Pegula Proposes Shortening Men's Grand Slam Matches After Wimbledon Exit

Tennis star Jessica Pegula sparked controversy by suggesting that men should switch from the best-of-five set format to the best-of-three sets used in women's Grand Slam matches after her early exit at Wimbledon 2025. Pegula argued that best-of-three matches are harder to win due to less time to recover from setbacks, and she personally finds five-set matches too long and struggles to maintain interest watching them. She believes shortening men's matches could lead to more upsets and make the sport easier to schedule and televise, although she acknowledged the tradition and physical demands of the current format. Pegula's comments reignited the ongoing debate about gender disparities in tennis formats, with some fans criticizing her remarks as tone-deaf while others consider the implications for player health and viewer engagement. Her perspective highlights the tension between maintaining tradition and adapting to modern audience habits and player welfare concerns. The discussion continues around whether the men's format should be changed or if other compromises, such as limiting five-set matches to later rounds, might be viable.