Gauff And Sabalenka Final Show Women's Tennis Is Ready For 5 Sets
US Coco Gauff plays a backhand return to Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka during their women's singles final ... More match on day 14 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 7, 2025. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP) (Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)
The 2025 French Open Final between world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Coco Gauff was nothing short of an epic. Both players pushed each other to the limit in a thrilling battle of tactics, resilience, and determination. Gauff earning her first French Open title, the match was arguably one of the greatest major finals since the Serena Williams era.
The only thing that could have made it better? A best of 5 set format.
Spectators watch US Coco Gauff (R) playing against Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka during their women's ... More singles final match on day 14 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 7, 2025. (Photo by Thibaud MORITZ / AFP) (Photo by THIBAUD MORITZ/AFP via Getty Images)
In tennis, few stages are as revered or high-stakes as the Grand Slam. These tournaments are where legends are made and careers are defined. Yet, despite all the strides toward equity in the sport, a fundamental imbalance remains: men play best of 5 set matches, while women are still limited to best of 3.
That change doesn't need to be sweeping. Shifting just three matches per Slam, the two semi-finals and the final, to a best of 5 set format would be a modest adjustment, but one with the potential to profoundly elevate the women's game.
The call for best of 5 in women's matches isn't new and it's not just coming from fans. Tennis legend Billie Jean King supports the idea, as does former world No. 1 and French Open Tournament Director Amélie Mauresmo.
In a 2023 interview with The Telegraph, Mauresmo reflected on her playing career and shared:
'What I've always thought, and this was also as a player, is that I would love to play a Grand Slam final as a best of 5. This is something I would have really loved, and it's definitely something I would consider if it could add value to women's tennis.'
Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka plays a backhand return to US Coco Gauff during their women's singles final ... More match on day 14 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 7, 2025. (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP) (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images)
This year's French Open also reignited a related controversy involving the absence of women's matches in the high-profile night sessions. According to Mauresmo, the issue is logistical. Men play best of 5, averaging just under three hours. This makes their matches more predictable for scheduling, leading organizers to prioritize the men's draw.
But the consequences are clear. As ABC Australia reported, since night sessions were introduced at Roland-Garros in 2021, only four women's singles matches have been featured. In 2025, not a single women's match was scheduled for the evening slot.
Sabalenka has called for change:
'There were a lot of great battles which would be cool to see as night sessions. More people in the stands watching these incredible battles… We deserve to be put on a bigger stage with better timing and more people watching.'
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 07: Coco Gauff of United States celebrates her victory against Aryna Sabalenka ... More in the Women's Singles Final match on Day Fourteen of the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros on June 07, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by)
Match length and format influence not only entertainment value but also how the sport is perceived. Longer matches in the women's game could influence deeper rivalries and give players a greater platform to demonstrate their resilience and skill. If men's matches are prioritized because of their format, then true parity means giving women the same opportunity.
Introducing best of 5 in the final rounds of Grand Slams would elevate the women's game and bring fans closer to the experience. It offers space for tactical evolution, emotional momentum shifts, and dramatic comebacks that can define an athlete's legacy, like Nadal vs. Federer at Wimbledon in 2008 or Djokovic vs. Alcaraz at Roland-Garros. These epic showdowns endure in memory because the format allowed them to unfold like a gripping novel, not a short story.
It's time for women's matches to take the next step.
After all, if Sabalenka vs. Gauff showed us anything, it's that women's tennis is more than ready.
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