Rafael Nadal: Scoring changes would go against the 'values' of tennis

Rafael Nadal is not in favor of reducing the length of matches, saying that epic encounters help the sport create a connection with the public.

Nadal was speaking from experience, as his lengthy, legendary encounters against such rivals as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have grabbed massive amounts of attention in recent years.

"I don't remember no[t] one match in my life—not of me, or tennis in general—that the match finished in one hour," he told reporters in Beijing. "I think [it] is not in the memory of the people, these kind of matches. The kind of matches that stays on the memory, and on the history of our sport, are a little bit long matches and dramatic matches that become emotional; the physical issues, everything.

"You need to put everything together to create a great show, to create a show that the people emotionally feel involved."

Nadal was reacting to recent suggestions by WTA CEO Steve Simon that the WTA would look at reducing the length of singles matches by bringing in no-ad scoring and super tiebreaks, which are currently used in doubles.

"Depends on what you are looking for," said Nadal, who has frequently argued that longer rallies are more interesting and entertaining for the crowd. "If you are looking for just hitting balls and don't think much, yes. I mean, if you're looking for [a] little bit more on the longer points, the things that really makes the people involved on a tennis match, [it] probably is a mistake.

"I don't remember a match that the people remember with just serves and winners, and mistakes and short points. I am not sure if the people are looking for that."

The Spaniard would prefer to see. other changes to increase the competitiveness and intensity of matches.

"All the sports needs to improve and adapt to the new things," he said. "But the tennis has values that we need to follow, in my opinion ... I am not sure if that's the way—to make the matches quicker, make the timing between points quick, with matches at four games. I think there is a point with other solutions to make the people involved.

"Do you remember a match with just 50 aces? Do you think that create emotions on people? I don't think so. So what we really need is to have a show that the people, when [they are] watching our sport, really gets emotional and really enjoy the game."

The ATP has not suggested that it is looking at making any changes to singles scoring.

Nadal is the second seed at the China Open in Beijing.