Mcenroe slams lack of consistency over tiebreaks

JOHN Mcenroe believes tennis is suffering from a lack of “guidance and vision” and says it is time the various organisations in charge began to work in harmony.

Like many fans and players the American has been left bemused by the four Grand Slams all adopting different ways to finish a match.

Long final sets have been ditched at the tournament in Melbourne, where first-to-10 tiebreaks are being used at 6-6 in deciding sets to bring matches to a close.

This year’s Wimbledon championships will use a regular first-to-seven tiebreak at 12-12 in deciding sets – a move brought in after last year’s semifinal saw Kevin Anderson beat John Isner 26-24 in a marathon fifth set.

While a tiebreak (first to seven) has long been the preferred system for final sets at the US Open, the French Open will continue to allow matches to run and run at least this year before, inevitably, the organisers have another look.

“So this guy or this girl, they are tennis players, right?” former world number one Mcenroe said.

“They are at the Australian Open and the score is 6-6 in the fifth for him or in the third for her. And suddenly, they start panicking... what’s next? Is there a tiebreaker? If there is a tiebreaker, is it at 6 games all or 12 all? Is it first to seven points? Or first to 10 points? 6-6? 10-10? 12-12? Where am I? Paris, New York? London, Melbourne? What do I do? Who am I?”

Mcenroe pointed to British player Katie Boulter’s premature celebration in her first round match against Ekaterina Makarova, having reached seven points in the third-set tiebreak.

“Four Grand Slams and four different rules to conclude the fifth set! Hello? Is there a federation here, someone who is supposed to harmonise this kind of thing,” Mcenroe added.

With the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) revamped Davis Cup facing competition from the newlybranded ATP Cup, Mcenroe says it is another example of the governing bodies not singing off the same sheet.

“This sport needs guidance and vision. Someone who can think beyond the childish rivalries between, the ATP, WTA, ITF, Grand Slams,” Mcenroe said. | Reuters SIMONA Halep, pictured, might be the current number one in women’s tennis but the Romanian believes the best player in the world will be awaiting her when she takes on Serena Williams in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

The 37-year-old American took a year off after the birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia in September 2017, before returning to action last season when she reached the finals at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Serena was eight weeks pregnant when she won the last of her 23 Grand Slam titles at Melbourne Park and, though she has played selective tournaments since motherhood, the American is still the player to beat in the women’s draw at Grand Slams.

French Open champion Halep has topped the rankings since October, 2017.

“In my opinion, to be number one in the world and to be the best player in the world, it’s a little bit different,” Halep said yesterday after a 6-2 6-3 third round win against the older Williams sister, Venus.

“In this moment, I’m number one in the world, so I will take that. I feel like I have been there many months, many weeks.

“But for sure she’s the best player in the world because she won so many Grand Slams.” | Reuters