Why was Sinner allowed to leave the court for a 15 min MTO in the middle of the third set?

[vive le beau jeu !]

Djoker about to lose set - MTO time

 

[FranzS]

Don't tell me that most players who use MTO really need it, cause I don't buy it.

I agree. But do you think this was the case?

 

[rigged]

I agree. But do you think this was the case?

I did't said it was. I said "We don't know for sure if he was really feeling sick or not".

 

[Robert F]

I’m in favour of the approach that @insideguy mentioned. Remove the incentive for MTOs to be used tactically by creating a penalty for having to invoke them.

I don’t like the idea of limiting a set number of MTOs because it doesnt remove the incentive for people to use them tactically, it only limits the amount of times they can use them tactically.

The only thing they really need to be careful about with @insideguy concept is what the penalty is for invoking a MTO.

Id hate to see a situation where a player tries to hobble through an injury and aggravates the injury further because they are scared of being penalised a game by calling for an MTO.

Yes but if you are really injured and hobbling, taking a point or game penalty is worth the MTO.
VS MTOs taken to change momementum or MTOs taken in a tourney the week before slam for a mild tweek.

If there was a penalty, I'd also be supportive of MTO for cramping/heat injury.

 

[Robert F]

They're superhuman bc they are on something that's making them jittery sir

At the very least some kind of stimulant. Epinephrine, caffeine pills, maybe adderrall.

I'm also thinking Tiafoe's puking was probably the result of taking a diuretic. For what purpose....to get something out of your system of course

Certainly possibilities, but it could also be these guys are playing at a higher intensity than before combined with the heat. Playing 100% on almost every point.

Yes in many ways these guys might not have all the variety or net game of previous generations, but the game is faster and harder. Demanding more of your anaerobic fitness which can really burn you out. That has been my fear for Carlos, the way he plays all points at 110%. JUst don't know if the body can repeatedly sprint for 5 hours straight. Hence, even more important to have a good aerobic base to help recover for the anaerobic intensity from point ot point. Probably part of why Djokovic is so successful.

 

[Robert F]

The concern is not that matches will be formally "canceled"; it's that the relative unavailability of an MTO, or the penalty associated with an MTO, will determine the outcome of the match and/or possibly help end it prematurely.

For example, what if the game you "give up" is at 5-6 in the third set, with sets at 1-all? Your choice at that point is to take an MTO, and lose the game and the set (and probably the match), or to play when you're hurt or feeling sick, and thus probably lose the game and the set (and probably the match). Either way, you're probably screwed. The system is sending a pretty strong "you might as well just retire" message in this scenario.

Also, I don't think it's true that the equivalents of MTOs always come with formal negative consequences in other sports. In every major American team sport, if a player is seriously injured on the field, the game simply stops for as long as it takes to attend to that player, whether that be three minutes or 15 minutes. The player's team is not penalized for the delay. And for less serious injuries or other problems, the player simply leaves the game and is replaced by someone else. In U.S. football, basketball, and ice hockey, the injured player can return later if fit. In baseball, the player is out for good, but the team still receives no penalty just because one of its players got hurt. But in tennis, since no replacement can be inserted, obviously the rules have to be more lenient with respect to delays while treating the player, since there's no other way to continue the match.

Yes but because other players can be replaced, you don't see the same level of gamesmanship that you do in tennis. Soccer has a similar motivation for injury with flopping at key parts of the game.

I'm pro a penalty for an MTO. And have no issue with long time outs for serious injury, but then if there is a serious injury shouldn't the match be done anyways?

Since tennis has no subs and there is so much benefit for the tournatment/sponsors and maybe the player to play on when injured, time to deal with injuries is needed but it clearly causes a big opportunity for gamesmanship. We are talking about the ATP, but it has been pretty horrid on the WTA too.

 

[Subway Tennis]

Yes but if you are really injured and hobbling, taking a point or game penalty is worth the MTO.
VS MTOs taken to change momementum or MTOs taken in a tourney the week before slam for a mild tweek.

If there was a penalty, I'd also be supportive of MTO for cramping/heat injury.

Yeah, I agree. You’re right. If anything it’s far less impact than a retirement, and players still take retirements all the time when there is a risk of aggravating an injury.

 

[WayneBretsky]

I know the answer but I’m not sure I’m allowed to say it. Rules aren’t the same for everybody.

 

[Drob]

How about if you take a MTO you have to give up a service game? I dont know. I think there has to be some penalty if your body cant hold up as well as your opponents. Thats part of the sport isnt it? Its not like they give a marathon runner an MTO and let them go back to where they were before they take a break.

you hit it. you take MTO and opponent serves two consecutive games. Simple, brilliant.