"I'm scared to disagree with Billie Jean King but I would"- Andy Roddick rejects legend's call for men to play same amount of tennis as women

Andy Roddick reluctantly disagreed with Billie Jean King's suggested change to tennis. King believes men and women should play the same number of sets, with her preference being the best of three. However, Roddick argued the extended format is essential for filling hours in the later stages of tournaments.

In a video posted on her X account, King proposed three changes to tennis. First, she suggested updating the scoring system to attract younger fans, replacing the traditional 15-30-40 format with 1-2-3.

Second, she recommended that players wear jerseys with their names and numbers, similar to team sports, to boost player promotion.

Finally, King advocated for men and women to play the same number of sets to ensure equal pay based on media content, with her preference being the best of three-sets format.

During a live session with Tennis Channel, Roddick was asked about his views on King's suggestion of playing an equal number of sets. The 2003 US Open champion believes three out of five set matches help fill hours and fulfill TV contracts.

"I don't know that I'm much of a fan of that. I think, especially later on in tournaments, you look at slams where, you know, it's tough scheduling the first week of a slam, but by the end, you need the extended format just to fill hours, right?" Andy Roddick said.

"If we can, offer for TV contracts eight hours of tennis versus five hours of tennis, I feel like eight hours is worth more value. So again, I'm scared to disagree with Billie Jean King, but I would," he added.

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Andy Roddick looks for positives as Billie Jean King supports Saudi Arabia's interest in tennis

Billie Jean King (Image: Getty)

Saudi Arabia has taken a keen interest in tennis and has been striving to bring the big names to its land. However, supporters of Saudi's interest in tennis including Rafael Nadal and Billie Jean King have come under criticism for various reasons.

Earlier this year, Nadal was named an ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation. Meanwhile, King advocated for tennis to move to Saudi Arabia, highlighting its potential to generate revenue and increase engagement.

Andy Roddick also weighed in on the WTA Finals being moved to Riyadh during an episode of his podcast, 'Served with Andy Roddick'. He criticized the WTA’s decision-making, calling it a "disservice" to the female players and their talent, and labeling the event "unorganized."

He belives that Nadal and King's endorsement of tennis in Saudi Arabia may bear fruits.

"If, five years from now, Rafa and Billie Jean King all of a sudden pull this off and things do change, everyone who’s against it has to eat crow a little bit. We do need to have an open mind towards a result that is different from what we suspect or anticipate if it does happen," Andy Roddick said.

In addition to hosting the WTA Finals in Riyadh this year, Saudi Arabia is also gearing up for the '6 Kings Slam' exhibition event. Tennis stars Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune are expected to participate in this blockbuster event, where the winner will take home a $6 million prize.