Concern in tennis over the latest announcement from the Australian Open: “We will reveal more soon”
The Australian Open has released a message that, far from calming the tennis world, has done exactly the opposite. “While innovation is part of the AO's DNA, best-of-five sets are here to stay. We will soon reveal more about what will come to AO 2027.” These words seem to confirm this, but they hide a much bigger question: what exactly does it mean that best-of-five sets are here to stay?
The message published on the tournament's official social media comes at a time when Melbourne has been positioning itself as one of the great laboratories for tennis innovation. And the statement has a peculiarity: it confirms that the five-set format will continue, but does not specify that this will be the case for the entire tournament or in all its rounds. That’s where the mystery begins.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) September 10, 2026
Could the traditional format be maintained in the final rounds and modified during the first week? Is there a system being studied that would reduce the duration of certain matches? Will there be changes in the early rounds, perhaps with a different format that allows the tournament to save time and space in its very tight schedule?
A revolution that still has no name
Because if the Australian Open announces a “small revolution” for 2027, it seems clear that some pieces will have to shift. The tournament cannot innovate without changing anything. And if the five sets are confirmed, we will have to look elsewhere to discover what they will be cutting.
The organization has not given any further hints. And perhaps there lies the strategy: to let tennis make its own bets. For now, one thing seems certain: there will be best-of-five sets at the Australian Open 2027. The big unknown is how many matches will actually need five sets to reach the end. And that difference, which may seem small, could hide a much deeper reform than it appears.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Inquietud en el tenis ante el último anuncio del Open de Australia: “Pronto revelaremos más”