The ultimate tie-breaks will be limited to 10 points at the Australian Open in January, ending the traditional scoring system. The tournament said Friday that the decision, which had been the subject of many rumors a month ago, but was denied by the Australian organizers, was taken after a discussion with ex-players, others assets as well as managers.
The longest Australian Open match in terms of games contested since the introduction of tie-breaks in the first four sets was played in the second round last year when Ivo Karlovic defeated Horacio Zeballos 22-20 in the fifth set.
Australian International Director Craig Tiley said: “We asked players, retirees and active, commentators, agents and analysts on television, whether or not they wanted to maintain the traditional scoring system at the event last break of equality, and proceeded thus.
“We took the tie-break of only 10 points when the score was 6-6 in the final set to ensure that the spectators could get a great end to the game, because we believe it will stay long enough to allow players to offer one last bounce or one last change of pace.
“This longer tie-break also can lessen some of the serving dominance that can prevail in the shorter tie-break. We believe this is the best possible outcome for both the players and the fans around the world.” Tiley added.
Roger Federer will play at Australian Open 2019. (Source:www.timeslive.co.za)
On the men’s board, the first four sets will be broken by a tiebreak of seven points at 6-6, while the fifth will settle with a tiebreak of 10 points at 6-6. In the women’s, as well as men’s, women’s and mixed doubles, the third and final set will have a tie break of 10 points at 6-6.
Wimbledon announced last October that next year, when the score of the last set will reach 12-12, then there will be a traditional tiebreaker in which the first player to score seven points will be declared the winner.
The US Open was the first Grand Slam tournament to take the ultimate tie-breaks when the score is 6-6, which will declare the first player to reach seven points.
The French Open is for now the only major tournament to have maintained the status quo. The Australian Open will start as of January 14, 2019.
