Djokovic shares support for new Australian Open deciding tiebreakers

MELBOURNE—Novak Djokovic is backing the new rule introduced by the Australian Open to play a super-tiebreaks in deciding sets.

"I actually thought it was a good change, a good innovation to say you play super-tiebreak,” the world No. 1 said. "I’m more in favor of closing out the match in a tiebreak or super tiebreak rather than going for 11 hours like [John] Isner and [Nicolas] Mahut [at 2010 Wimbledon].

"Those type of matches are part of the history and I understand that those are the matches that you remember. But I think statistically percentage-wise if you see, there is just a lot of matches that people don't recall, that go the distance."

All four Grand Slams now have different ways of ending matches. The French Open is the only Slam that still requires players to win deciding sets by two games, while Wimbledon will enforce a tiebreaker at 12-12. A regular tiebreak at 6-6 is still in place at the US Open. Players that go the distance in Melbourne finish off with a super tiebreak to 10 points.

"In regards to all the four Slams having different, four different rules, it's not something we used to see because they are very united in every, so to say, innovation or change, but I don't see it in any negative context, towards their unit or players," Djokovic said. "It's actually interesting that for them to have a different rule."

Djokovic has yet to play a five-set match in Melbourne.

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