Boris Becker wants to see ‘ridiculous’ rule at | Sports News

Several guidelines have come underneath scrutiny at this 12 months’s French Open.

Novak Djokovic voiced his frustration with the heat guidelines as temperatures climbed into the 90s final week, whereas Jakub Mensik — who had been cramping and collapsed at the top of his second-round match, unable to get up for a number of minutes — was sad that ballkids could not ship towels to gamers, costing them valuable seconds on brutally sizzling days.

Concerns have additionally been raised concerning promoting containers on the court docket, with Katie Boulter and Zeynep Sonmez amongst those that tripped over them, with Sonmez in the end pressured to retire. The French Open additionally stays the one main match nonetheless utilizing line judges somewhat than automated line-calling technology.

However, retired tennis legend Boris Becker has taken purpose at one other “ridiculous” rule — one which has existed within the sport for many years. The six-time Grand Slam champion believes that permit serves ought to be abolished solely.

During a rally, if a ball grazes the web tape and drops over both facet, it’s deemed a legitimate shot. Yet when a participant is serving, if their serve clips the tape, it’s referred to as a let and they’re permitted to serve again.

Becker is asking for that rule to be eradicated throughout the board. “It’s a ridiculous rule. In a normal tennis rally, play continues, even if the ball touches the net,” the German tennis star advised Eurosport.

“I am therefore a strong advocate of play continuing after a net serve. It does have something to do with luck and misfortune, but that’s how it is sometimes in sport and in life.”

That wasn’t the one rule Becker questioned. In a match stuffed with surprises, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner skilled essentially the most vital upset up to now when he squandered a two-set and 5-1 benefit in opposition to Juan Manuel Cerundolo within the second spherical, in the end falling in 5 units.

While trying to close out the match at 5-4, 0-40 within the third set, Sinner started experiencing bodily difficulties and sat down on the promoting indicators on the facet of the court docket. The umpire descended to assess the scenario, and the coach was summoned to the court docket.

The Italian reported feeling nauseous and departed the court docket mid-game for an evaluation with the physio, although he did not request a medical timeout. He returned, managing to secure solely two extra video games as Cerundolo mounted a 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 comeback. Sinner additionally exhibited indicators of cramping at varied factors all through the match.

Mensik equally skilled cramping during the final-set tiebreak in his second-round encounter with Mariano Navone. Players aren’t permitted medical timeouts for cramp — solely therapeutic massage remedy during designated changeovers — and the Czech participant collapsed on court docket following his victory.

And Becker questioned why medical timeouts aren’t obtainable for cramping gamers, notably since opponents may theoretically fabricate different bodily complaints to obtain remedy.

“The rules aren’t clearly defined in that regard,” the 58-year-old added. “A player can take a break if they feel a slight strain in their thigh, but not if they have a cramp. Of course, a player will never admit to having a cramp.”