Federer vs. Nadal on time violations: starting to get prickly?
Rafael Nadal responded to Roger Federer's comments that the time taken in between points is being violated and that officials do not properly enforce it enough. At the Grand Slams, the ITF allows 20 seconds between points, while the ATP allows 25 seconds.
Federer said on Wednesday that, "I'm not complaining a lot, but I don't know how you can go through a four-hour match with Rafa [Nadal] and he never gets a time violation."
On Thursday at Indian Wells, Nadal responded by saying: "The rules are there, but we cannot expect to play six hours and play rallies of crazy points and rest for 20 seconds for nobody. If the umpire considers that he has to put a warning because the player is not doing the right thing between points, I think the players have to accept. The rule is there but I think it is more the [interpretation] of the umpire, that's my way to understand the rule. Everyone understands different ways and you can understand to some its 15 seconds under normal conditions. But you have to understand how the match goes and that's the role of the umpire. They have given me a lot of warnings in my career and I have accepted almost every one, because sometimes they are right, and the same for Novak [Djokovic] having to do it a few times, too. It's part of the game and we have to follow the rules, but we don't have to [put blinders on]."
from tennis.com via "Paul Murphy" on TW
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Chin Be on
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Rafa does take a long time in between points. I don't know who to side with on this one but if most 99% adhere to the rules, why shouldn't we expect a few to obey them as well?
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Permalink Reply by Tim Prapong on
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Is it 99%? I don't mean to be argumentative, but I see it broken more often than that, especially nowadays. You got the fake injury time outs, the less than sincere ball challenges to gain extra time, the bathroom breaks, the change of equipment, etc.. I watch the old matches of the nineties and the eighties, they got right down to business more often, excepting the Mac tantrums, or the elder Connors towel off, or Lendl's racquet changes. That's just my impression.
I side with Fed for sure, but Nadal's answer sure is interesting! Maybe he does need a few more seconds. ;)
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