Rafael Nadal on how tennis is changing: 'Players are taller and have more power'

Tennis ace Rafael Nadal is of the view that modern tennis needs to be made more attractive for fans as the sport evolves over the years.

The 14-time Grand Slam winner, who is currently participating in the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, defeated Guido Pella in his opening match 6-3, 6-2.

Following his win, Nadal spoke on how tennis has been changing over the years when asked what changes he would like to see in the sport.

"I don't know [what change I would make]," Nadal said as quoted on Tennis World USA. "I am just a player. But the most important thing for our sport is to change our sport to the way that is more attractive for the people, for the fans. That's my feeling."

The 30-year-old noted that modern players have evolved from those in the past and as a result, the time required to win points has become shorter, he explained.

"It's obvious that every time people are taller, every time people have more power, serve is going faster, points are shorter, I'm not sure if that's the way that we need to move our sport," he said.

"So we need to find a way to manage, keep having a good show and keep having emotions. And people get emotional when the matches are becoming more dramatic, and people don't remember a lot of matches just with serves and aces.

"People remember matches with long points, rallies. And for sure you can have aces, and that's part of the sport and it's nice, the ace and the good serves, too, no? But cannot be that easy."

Nadal specified that he was talking about the overall sport and not just his generation of players as he joked that he is fine with the current format as it is led to a lot of success for him.

"But [it] is true that looking forward, you know, looking five, ten years in front, you see every time the people are taller," the Spaniard noted. "Every time people have the chance to serve faster, and if we want to maintain, I think, good points, if we want to maintain a good show for the people, it's something we need to do, no?"

"We need to start from the younger generations. So you need to put at that line and say in seven years that's gonna change. We cannot change things like this. Tennis will need changes. The net is still at the same altitude. People are not the same. People are much more taller now than 50 years ago. So it's obvious that we're gonna need some changes in not a very long period of time," he added.

Nadal will take on fellow countryman Fernando Verdasco in the round of 32 on 14 March.