Brad Gilbert on Medical Timeouts

[borg number one]

Whether a player takes a bit longer for a bathroom break to have the sun not bother him or whether a player takes a MTO for a injury that perhaps could have waited, it's gamesmanship. Federer even admitted as such when asked about it. He has every right to take a bathroom break like that under the rules. If you watched the match and saw the reactions about that break, it was pretty clear that there was a reason when that bathroom break occurred. Pretty obvious. Azarenka also has the right to take a MTO if she thinks there could be a physical issue. Both are ok under the rules. Enforcement in such situations, even if you have rule modifications will always be an issue. Players use things like that to try and disrupt flow and when that happens the other player just has to deal with it and not allow it to impact the level of play.

[Beacon Hill]

An easy rule change would be to allow one timeout per set. You can use it in between any game for whatever you like: regain your composure, ice your opponent, treat an injury, use the toilet etc. Then it would be like a timeout in other sports. No one would need to pretend to be injured, exaggerate an injury, pretend to need the toilet etc.

Years ago the NBA replaced the "injury" timeout with a 20 second timeout. Previous to that it was embarrassing to watch players pretend to be injured for a few seconds so they could call an injury timeout. The rule change was a huge improvement. It's just too difficult for players and officials to have to determine when someone is injured enough or needs the toilet enough to justify stopping play.

[paulorenzo]

perhaps if there is a dire need for a medical timeout on the opponents serve, the player with the injury should concede the opponents service game so the timeout could take place before the injured player's own service game.

[Rabbit]

Rabbit's Rule:

If you're cramping you either play or default
If you're hurt you either play or default
If you've suffered any loss of conditioning you play or default

The injury time out is the worst "innovation" in tennis and should be completely removed. The Japanese player, Shuzo Matsuoka, who cramped at the US Open had two choices, play or default. To his credit, he did everything he could to continue but couldn't. Whether or not he was in pain and suffering is not the issue. He could have defaulted. He had a choice.

The rule that was put in force to help a player like that is now being abused by players who think anything is fair and don't consider the nature of the game or ethics. The rule now gives the players a whole different choice. They can just stop play and claim an injury and ice their opponent.

[Top Jimmy]

Medical TO during opponents service game, server wins the game, problem solved.

[jokinla]

Originally Posted by cknobman

Fixed your post.

Thanks for that, Roddick is the example that comes to mind, must be a *******.

[woodrow1029]

Originally Posted by Rabbit

Rabbit's Rule:

If you're cramping you either play or default
If you're hurt you either play or default
If you've suffered any loss of conditioning you play or default

The injury time out is the worst "innovation" in tennis and should be completely removed. The Japanese player, Shuzo Matsuoka, who cramped at the US Open had two choices, play or default. To his credit, he did everything he could to continue but couldn't. Whether or not he was in pain and suffering is not the issue. He could have defaulted. He had a choice.

The rule that was put in force to help a player like that is now being abused by players who think anything is fair and don't consider the nature of the game or ethics. The rule now gives the players a whole different choice. They can just stop play and claim an injury and ice their opponent.

Medical timeouts were put in place before the Matsuoka incident.

MTO's for cramping were put into place after the Matsuoka incident.

MTO's for cramping are once again now now allowed.

Azarenka's issue was not cramping.

[Rabbit]

Originally Posted by woodrow1029

Medical timeouts were put in place before the Matsuoka incident.

MTO's for cramping were put into place after the Matsuoka incident.

MTO's for cramping are once again now now allowed.

Azarenka's issue was not cramping.

Thank you. I still don't think there is any place for medical time outs in tennis. You either play or you don't simple as that.

[Dedans Penthouse]

Originally Posted by sureshs

He need not shut up if he had been willing to say the some thing about Serena in the past

Fair enough sureshs, a very valid point you bring up:

"Hey Rambo Williams, about that bathroom break at the 2010 AO finals!!"


Victoria's Secret: I think she was simply too embarrassed to own up to the out-of-control flattuce that I (and others) clearly heard as she was walking off the court; it was in perfect sync with each step she took..bwaff!..bwaff!..bwaff!...

That said, it still was a sneaky (& stinky) move by the big lllama.
_________________

[sportlerin]

Originally Posted by arche3

Did you hear pat Mac dissing azi? He is the most unworthy person to accuse a slam champion of using a bush league tactic. Azi "might" of bent the rules but p Mac needs to shut up.

Also brad gilbert should understand the head games. He was all about that.

Now suddenly the rules need changing, right? Until the next time when an MTO benefits our player.

It's always unfortunate when this type of thing happens against American opponents, because then we have to inevitably endure the American tennis press/establishment stomp their hypocritical little feet over it.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by TMF

So if someone actually need to go to the bathroom and request to take a leak between set is gamesmanship?

You're suggesting that every player can only go to the bathroom when the match is over(even if his/her urinary bladder is about to burst).

If you are against MTOs, you should also be against this. If you can't hold it, then retire.

[Vrad]

Originally Posted by borg number one

Gamesmanship, that's all. What was against the rules with Azarenka that can be proven? There's room in both situations to basically ice the opponent. Azarenka likely did it and so did Federer with the "sun" problem.

How do you ice the opponent between sets, when there is already a break, between sets? The only thing this does is extends the existing break by a little bit...

Not at all the same thing as taking a break between games...

[Vrad]

Originally Posted by sureshs

If you are against MTOs, you should also be against this. If you can't hold it, then retire.

Hmmm...I would be against this if he has to take a **** between games.

It was between sets...

[sportlerin]

Originally Posted by sureshs

If you are against MTOs, you should also be against this. If you can't hold it, then retire.

Exactly. Because you can abuse a bathroom break too, to disturb the rhythm of the match. Did the player really have to go? I guess officials can do a 'bowl check' to make sure; if a player flushes before the check it's a point penalty.

[mariecon]

Many players take bathroom breaks between sets. I don't see anything wrong with it. It's not being dishonest.

[sureshs]

What is the difference between a bathroom break and an MTO? Both are disrupting the flow of the match.

[mariecon]

Originally Posted by sureshs

What is the difference between a bathroom break and an MTO? Both are disrupting the flow of the match.

How is a bathroom break between sets disrupting the flow of the match? It might not even exceed the allotted time.

[sureshs]

What if someone takes a bathroom break after every set?

[mariecon]

Originally Posted by sureshs

What if someone takes a bathroom break after every set?

Well I'm not sure. Is there a rule against that?

[heninfan99]

I read somewhere of a guy taking a break, took a full shower and returned to play totally fresh. HAHAHAHA! That's the way to do it.
Maybe it was league play or a Gilbert story.