Former world no.1 Billie Jean King has called for an end to five-set matches for men at Grand Slams.

Lord, who won 12 Grand Slam titles including six at Wimbledon, said men’s matches could keep going too long.

The 74-year-old recommended ladies were eager to play five sets as well yet people needed “quality over quantity”.

“You do not get paid in the entertainment business by how long you play for,” said King at the launch of the WTA Finals in Singapore.

Longer matches and a pressed calendar have been refered to as a conceivable reason for the ascent in genuine wounds among a portion of the diversion’s stars with Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka all anguish genuine wounds in the previous a year.

“Everyone keeps saying women don’t want to play five sets but I don’t want the men playing five sets anymore – it takes too much out them,” said King, who established the Women’s Tennis Association in 1973.

Since 2007, men and women have been paid a similar prize cash at Grand Slams – the main occasions, alongside the Davis Cup, where men’s matches are best of five sets all through – however women are paid essentially less at women-only events compared with similar-sized men’s events.

Novak Djokovic, the leader of the ATP player council, has beforehand called for men to gain more than ladies, saying more people watch tennis.