Daria Kasatkina wouldn't mind seeing longer changeovers at Grand Slams, especially in men's tennis considering the ones right now are too short.
Changeovers are a vital part of a tennis match allowing tennis players a breather after a few games and rallies. The rule in place isn't set in stone though as grand slams have a different rule compared to regular events.
For example at regular events, 90-second changeovers are in place on the WTA Tour, but at Grand Slams, it's only one minute. Kasatkina feels it's too short because in her mind the shot clock starts too early as it starts immediately after a rally ends, not really when the players sit down.
Kasatkina, who recently also spoke about the WTA's calendar, pointed to men's tennis where matches at Grand Slams are best of five instead of best of 3 making the rule make even less sense. After her most recent win at the 2023 Roland Garros, she was asked about what rule she would like to see changed and she named the changeovers.
Actually, I'm okay with most of the rules. One. On the slams, changeovers are just one minute. Excuse me, like one minute. The shot clock starts. I feel like the shot clock starts during the last rally of the game, to be honest. It's like you see it and there's 45 seconds left.
I'm sorry, but it's nothing. Especially for the guys who play five sets, for me it's a joke. It shouldn't be like that. But honestly, we're the ones who play. I mean, two games can be, like, 10, 15 minutes, crazy rallies playing in the heat, and then you go and you have 45 seconds to sit and to breathe. This is for me not good.
Kasatkina was also given a chance to explain how she would make it and she simply gave a response that it should be like it is at the rest of the events as there isn't much sense in having different rules in place for Grand Slams and regular events.
One minute, 30 seconds, like what we get used to, actually. I don't know why it has to be different. When it's actually more difficult to play, especially for the men to play five sets. They play longer and they have less breaks.
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