OrangePower
Legend
This topic deserves it's own thread...
We need a countdown shot clock like in basketball. It needs to be visible to everyone (players, umpire, spectators), and enforced objectively.
The intent should be to limit excessive time taken between points, for the benefit of spectators. We really don't need to be watching players toweling off for 30 secs after serving an ace, for example.
The is not to penalize any individual player, or to degrade play (by forcing players to recover immediately after a long point). Therefore, players should have the ability to call a limited number of timeouts, which they could then use at their discretion.
I would propose rules something along these lines:
1. Shot clock is activated when umpire calls time (e.g. after a changeover), or following a point once the ball is dead.
2. Shot clock counts down from 25 secs.
3. Server must make contact with the ball before time expires. Ball-bouncing does not stop the clock, neither does catching an errant toss.
4. Server may call a timeout at any time before the clock hits zero.
5. Receiver plays to server's pace, subject to calling a timeout.
6. Notwithstanding point 5 above, the server shall not serve before 10 seconds are left on the clock if the receiver is not yet ready. Once 10 seconds or less show on the clock, the server may serve at any time regardless.
7. Server and receiver each get one 15 second timeout per game, plus an additional timeout each if the game reaches deuce. Timeouts may be called for any reason.
8. Penalties remain as they are today - loss of first serve, followed by loss of point.
9. Umpire has ability to suspend/restart the shot clock in the event that there is an external disturbance.
The exact parameters can be tweaked as needed, but I think in principle this would work.
We need a countdown shot clock like in basketball. It needs to be visible to everyone (players, umpire, spectators), and enforced objectively.
The intent should be to limit excessive time taken between points, for the benefit of spectators. We really don't need to be watching players toweling off for 30 secs after serving an ace, for example.
The is not to penalize any individual player, or to degrade play (by forcing players to recover immediately after a long point). Therefore, players should have the ability to call a limited number of timeouts, which they could then use at their discretion.
I would propose rules something along these lines:
1. Shot clock is activated when umpire calls time (e.g. after a changeover), or following a point once the ball is dead.
2. Shot clock counts down from 25 secs.
3. Server must make contact with the ball before time expires. Ball-bouncing does not stop the clock, neither does catching an errant toss.
4. Server may call a timeout at any time before the clock hits zero.
5. Receiver plays to server's pace, subject to calling a timeout.
6. Notwithstanding point 5 above, the server shall not serve before 10 seconds are left on the clock if the receiver is not yet ready. Once 10 seconds or less show on the clock, the server may serve at any time regardless.
7. Server and receiver each get one 15 second timeout per game, plus an additional timeout each if the game reaches deuce. Timeouts may be called for any reason.
8. Penalties remain as they are today - loss of first serve, followed by loss of point.
9. Umpire has ability to suspend/restart the shot clock in the event that there is an external disturbance.
The exact parameters can be tweaked as needed, but I think in principle this would work.