In the tennis world, there has been a long debate surrounding the best-of-three sets versus the best-of-five format. But it has been mostly involved with the men’s events during the major tournaments. Different players have different opinions on this. For example, on one side, there were players like Djokovic who believed that playing best-of-three in Grand Slam events is the “right thing to do” in the middle of grueling schedules. But on the other side, players like Dominic Thiem claimed, “Majors should stay best-of-five.“ According to Pat Cash, “best-of-five sets is the ultimate test of mental and physical stamina; it’s what’s worthy of a Grand Slam event,” while renowned tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg calls “Best-of-five is carnage“. This debate was previously mostly around the major tournaments, but recently, former ATP pro-John Millman came up with an interesting proposal for the Masters final, and his proposal has now drawn reactions from several tennis bigwigs, including Serena Williams’ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs.
Just before the heavyweight clash between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the final of the 2025 Italian Open, Millman proposed to reintroduce the best-of-five format for the Masters finals. He tweeted, “Men’s Masters finals should go back to Bo5.” For those who are unaware of this, the ATP changed some rules in 2017, which led ATP Masters tournament finals being held in a best-of-three format. It was done mainly to reduce players’ physical strain and help them cope with the demanding nature of the Tour in a better manner.
Currently, the major tournaments are the only tournaments where players have to play the best-of-five format. The last best-of-five Masters final match was at the 2007 Miami Open, where Novak Djokovic defeated Argentina’s Guillermo Canas by 6-3,6-2,6-4. What does the tennis world think about Millman’s proposal, though? Well, Serena Williams’ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs turned down his proposal, saying, “No no no no no no! They play enough already John. They’re already beating each other up, they’re playing 20+ ball rally’s and then trying to be ready for a tournament in a week. I LOVE a 2 1/2 final or 3-hour match, esp if Alcaraz and Sinner player at their best. It’s enough.”
No no no no no no! They play enough already John. They’re already beating each other up, they’re playing 20+ ball rally’s and then trying to be ready for a tournament in a week. I LOVE a 2 1/2 final or 3 hours match, esp if Alcaraz and Sinner player at their best. It’s enough.
— Rennae Stubbs (@rennaestubbs) May 17, 2025
Even Coco Gauff’s ex-coach commented on this post, saying, “Especially for 2 week events that you have days off afterwards and 1000% the yearend championships final should definitely be B05.” There has been a lot of buzz surrounding a few things in the ATP recently. Just a few weeks ago, Carlos Alcaraz asserted that one-week Masters 1000 tournaments are “better for tennis” as he questioned the ATP’s move away from the original format.
In 2023, the ATP announced that they are going to extend the Madrid, Rome, and Shanghai events to two weeks (12) and increase the number of players in the singles draw to 96. Then in 2024, the expansion happened at Indian Wells, Miami, and this year will also be introduced at the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open. Even Stefanos Tsitsipas has been very vocal about this, and he once even tweeted, “The two-week Masters 1000s have turned into a drag. The quality has definitely dropped…” Amid all these proposals to revamp the formats and scheduling, Carlos Alcaraz is all set to take on Jannik Sinner for the eleventh time in his career! What does Serena Williams‘ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs have to say about this match?
“CANNOT WAIT” – Serena Williams’ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs showcases her excitement for the Italian Open final
After showcasing a dominating performance throughout the tournament, Jannik Sinner faced a narrow escape at the hands of America’s Tommy Paul in the SF. He lost the first set by 1-6 but then came back in the next two to seal the match by 1-6,6-0,6-3. Reacting to his performance in the first set, Sinner said, “That was a straight punch to my face.“
However, now after securing his spot in the final, Jannik Sinner will be chasing his fifth Masters 1000 title. He has a 4-6 record against the Spaniard. Can he beat Alcaraz and become the second Italian men’s singles champion in Rome after Adriano Panatta (1976)? Time will tell, but talking about his fierce rival, Sinner said, “We know each other quite well now. It’s always special to share the court with him. I feel like we both know how to play against each other a little bit, so we have to be prepared tactically. Of course, small things are going to be changed. But it’s just a great test for me to see where I am.“
Sinner knows he has to play his “best tennis” to get the better of the Spaniard. Previously, Alcaraz spoke about how badly he wants Sinner to be in the Tour, to push him for excellence. It’ll be interesting to see how far these two push each other in this match, but talking about excitement for this match, Serena Williams’ former coach, Rennae Stubbs, recently came up with a tweet stating, “OMG I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THIS FINAL BETWEEN @carlosalcaraz v @janniksin !!!!!!! I LOVE THESE TWO! Let’s freakin goooooooo!!!!!”
Carlos Alcaraz has always been a strong contender on clay, but with the French Open knocking at the door, Sinner will also be keen to gain some confidence, especially after staying out of action for almost three months due to suspension. Who’s your pick in this match, though?
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