Nadal, Federer prefer no innovations in the game

Tennis aces Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have expressed displeasure over ATP's new tennis innovations and have asked the administration not to meddle too much with the current format of the game.

Earlier, the ATP has announced a series of rule changes and innovations for experimentation at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan.

The rule changes are aimed at creating a high-tempo, cutting-edge, and TV-friendly product, gearing towards attracting new and younger fans into the sport.

The rule changes applied include, shorter format-- first to four games sets (tie-break at 3-all), and best-of-five sets, with no-ad scoring-- shorter warm-up, shot clock, one medical time-out, player coaching, etc.

"We need to think, take seriously all these rule changes if ever you're going to do it because once you do it you don't want to bounce back and forth with changing something and then you don't like it later on," Sport24 quoted Federer, as saying.

The world number two emphasised that the long format does not require much tampering as it helps a player to stretch a lead.

"I don't see that much wrong with our Tour right now that it needs that much fixing, especially the shorter sets. I know it can be somewhat intriguing but at the same time the longer sets allow you to stretch a lead, it's more comfortable at times," he said.

The Swiss player added, "There are positives and negatives to it but I don't want to see anything change on the Tour that much to be honest."

Meanwhile, world no 1 Nadal, who is battling with a knee injury and is unsure over showing up in the ATP, also bid for no changes in the format.

"If you asked me 'do you want changes?' I will say 'no'," he said.

However, the Spaniard added that if some changes can make the game more attractive, something can be done about it in future.

"I am number one in the world, I have achieved a lot of things but if the game needs something to be more attractive for the fans, that's the way that the game will move forward.