Tennis rules may change for 2016 Rio Olympics

Rome: Tennis officials are considering adding third-set tiebreakers at the 2016 Rio Olympics after marathon matches in London this year. Also, bronze-medal matches could be eliminated to lighten the loads of players entered in multiple events.

ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti told The Associated Press at the European Olympic Committees meeting in Rome that the matches this year were "very balanced and very long and that ruins the scheduling somewhat."

Roger Federer beat Juan Martin del Potro 3-6, 7-6 (5), 19-17 in the London semi-finals and was soundly beaten by Andy Murray in straight sets in the gold-medal match.

Adding third-set tie-breakers and eliminating bronze-medal matches are the changes being mulled upon.

If bronze-medal matches are eliminated, it would mark a return to handing out two bronzes for each of the semi-final losers, as happened at the 1988 Seoul Games.

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