Wimbledon 2022: What is the 5th set tiebreak rule?

Lengthy final sets were quite the staple at Wimbledon until recently. In a bid to shorten the matches, a new format has been introduced. From this year onwards, a new rule has been put in place at the All England Club along with all other Majors, with a fifth set 'super' tie-break deciding the outcome if the occasion warrants it.

Earlier this year, in an effort to bring uniformity across all Grand Slams, it was announced that a 10 point tie-break will be played to determine the result of the match once the score reaches 6-6 in the deciding set. The first player to score 10 points and by a margin of two points, takes the match.

This rule is currently being tested on a trial basis for a year. Any permanent changes will be considered after a review. Caroline Garcia and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina were the first players on the women's and men's side respectively to win their first-round matches at this year's Wimbledon via the new rule.

Before the implementation of this rule, the four Majors each had their own way of deciding the outcome of the final set. The French Open didn't have a tie-break in the deciding set, while the US Open used the usual tiebreak in the final set once the score reached 6-6. The Australian Open, on the other hand, already had a 10 point tie-break in place for the deciding set.

Wimbledon organizers had already changed their fifth set scoring pattern in 2019. Once the score reached 12-12 in the final set, a traditional tiebreak was to be played. Prior to 2019, tie-breaks weren't a part of the deciding set. Instead, the outcome was decided by a player having a two-game lead like at the French Open.

Some fans have rued over the fact that there won't be any more drawn-out epic matches at the grasscourt Major.

The new tiebreak rule at Wimbledon is a death knell for lengthy battles such as the John Isner and Nicolas Mahut match

John Isner (L) and Nicolas Mahut at the 2010 Wimbledon.

John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played the longest match in history at the 2010 Wimbledon. The American won 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 70-68 in match that was played over the course of three days and lasted for a little more than 11 hours. Fans were enthalled by the frequent momentum shifts and with each passing game, the players and the fans knew they were becoming a part of tennis history.

Isner was once again embroiled in a lengthy saga at the grasscourt Major in 2018. His semifinal showdown against Kevin Anderson lasted for six and a half hours, with the South African winning 7-6 (6), 6-7 (5), 6-7 (9), 6-4, 26-24.

It was the fourth longest match in history and the second longest at any Grand Slam, following Isner's 2010 match at the All England Club. With the new tiebreak rule in place, it's unlikely that any matches will go on for this long in the future.