2014 Miami Quarterfinal: Murray vs. Djokovic

[Iona16]

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/03/djokovic-acknowledging-possible-mistake-controversial-call-against-murray/51017/#.UzNnP3_FIv4

Novak Djokovic was caught up in a controversy after reaching over the net to hit a ball in his Miami quarterfinal against Andy Murray. With Murray serving at 5-6 in the first set, Djokovic hit a volley to win the first point of the game. Replays clearly showed that Djokovic had reached over the net to hit the ball, which is against the rules.

Murray argued with the umpire after no call was made, and also questioned Djokovic, who said little. After losing the point, Murray dropped his serve at love to give Djokovic the first set. Murray would go on to lose the match, 7-5, 6-3.

The umpire told Murray that in his view, Djokovic had been in line with the net, but did not reach over it.

Djokovic later said he had reached over the net, but indicated that he thought he had been within the rules.

"It might be my mistake as well," Djokovic said afterwards in an ESPN interview with Brad Gilbert.

''I think I cross the net with the racquet, I didn't touch the net," he said, referring to last year's French Open semifinal against Rafael Nadal, when touching the net appeared to turn the match the Spaniard's favor in the fifth set.

''Maybe the rule is you [can] not hit on his side with the racquet. I'm not sure. You tell me."

Djokovic acknowledged that Murray seemed to be affected by the call. "Obviously that distracted him," he said.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Poor of the umpire alright but either way Novak was going to win that point so it didn't much make difference.

I don't think that should matter. I don't think a mistake is lessened just because you could argue that the player would have won the point regardless. I'll admit I'm not entirely sure but surely if the umpire had realised what had happened the point would have been Andy's or at the very least the point would have been replayed. As I said Andy obviously let it annoy him (his error) but I can see why he was annoyed. As for it been replayed on the big screen - that is a huge error. There is a reason they don't do that in football.

Well, regardless of that point and indeed set I personally thought Andy was going to win in 3 and went upstairs for a shower fully expecting a third set, came back and it was all over. So clearly he let it get to him a bit too much. I can definitely see why he was annoyed too but did he realize Novak had his racquet over the net till he saw it on the screen? Totally agree about showing the replay on the big screen and incidentally I was trying to remember the match they did that to Fed and ironically it was against Andy also..at Wimbledon. The controversial double bounce that was claimed not to have been, but may have been. In the same case as tonight, they shouldn't have shown it again on the big screen as it upsets whoever lost the point and is completely unnecessary, plus probably against the rules and they should know better.

It was in AO this year, front.

 

[ftan]

^^ Thats ridiculous..how can player who has played tennis literally all his life cannot know the basic rule of not hitting the ball while its on the other side.. I don't believe it .. appalling

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Also replays shouldn't be played right after the point on the big screen. They did it to Fed recently too and he quite rightly called them out on it. Shouldn't be allowed.

Fully agree with you. Watching the match on the DVR and saw "the point". Umpire screwed up and the point belonged to Murray. Not showing the point on the stadium screen might have helped Andy avoid unraveling. Nice to see Novak stay as focused as he did today.

While what you are saying is true (i.e., it would have helped Andy avoid unravelling), the
reason not to show it on the big screen is that the audience might improperly think that
one player took advantage and may go against that player.

 

[Front242]

Poor of the umpire alright but either way Novak was going to win that point so it didn't much make difference.

I don't think that should matter. I don't think a mistake is lessened just because you could argue that the player would have won the point regardless. I'll admit I'm not entirely sure but surely if the umpire had realised what had happened the point would have been Andy's or at the very least the point would have been replayed. As I said Andy obviously let it annoy him (his error) but I can see why he was annoyed. As for it been replayed on the big screen - that is a huge error. There is a reason they don't do that in football.

Well, regardless of that point and indeed set I personally thought Andy was going to win in 3 and went upstairs for a shower fully expecting a third set, came back and it was all over. So clearly he let it get to him a bit too much. I can definitely see why he was annoyed too but did he realize Novak had his racquet over the net till he saw it on the screen? Totally agree about showing the replay on the big screen and incidentally I was trying to remember the match they did that to Fed and ironically it was against Andy also..at Wimbledon. The controversial double bounce that was claimed not to have been, but may have been. In the same case as tonight, they shouldn't have shown it again on the big screen as it upsets whoever lost the point and is completely unnecessary, plus probably against the rules and they should know better.

It was in AO this year, front.

My apologies, now that you mention it, I close my eyes and see a blue court, not green

 

[Front242]

Also replays shouldn't be played right after the point on the big screen. They did it to Fed recently too and he quite rightly called them out on it. Shouldn't be allowed.

Fully agree with you. Watching the match on the DVR and saw "the point". Umpire screwed up and the point belonged to Murray. Not showing the point on the stadium screen might have helped Andy avoid unraveling. Nice to see Novak stay as focused as he did today.

While what you are saying is true (i.e., it would have helped Andy avoid unravelling), the
reason not to show it on the big screen is that the audience might improperly think that
one player took advantage and may go against that player.

True, they could get very nasty and boo every shot Novak wins if they feel he cheated Andy when in fact it was mostly down to poor umpiring and even poorer decision to show the point on the big screen immediately afterwards.

 

[Iona16]

My last point on this as I think Novak deserved the win and I genuinely do think he's one of the good guys in tennis BUT he needs to read the rule book. No way he could think this was OK. Still stunned that the umpire missed it.

Good luck to Novak in the next round. Hoping Rafa wins the tournament though.

 

[Riotbeard]

I just watched... the point. I think If you watch the whole chain of events from Novak hit the volley like he had just routinely won the point and nonchalantly walking back to his side of the court, you will see that , while it is amazing novak messed up that rule, it's pretty clear to me, that, at the time, he thinks what he did was legal. I don't think he was trying to get away with anything. Maybe it was just a brain lapse on his part, but I think he thought he had performed a perfectly legal shot.

The ump on the other hand was totally in the wrong. Clearly the point should have gone to Andy.

 

[Front242]

^ Pretty damn blatant from that photo, Iona!

 

[Riotbeard]

Also Novak said to Andy during the discussion, he hit the ball on Andy's side of the net, and he clearly saw that as legal. The ump is an idiot, as it is his job to know the rules in these moments.

 

[Front242]

^ Yup. Novak admitted it to Andy so it's the umpire's fault 100% Hope Andy doesn't feel annoyed at Novak.

 

[Luxilon Borg]

Murray went into this match with no actual intention of winning it. He has never taken wacks at forehands like that or approached the net with any regularity before in any important match. Figured, head to the clay, easier on the back and hip, I'm done..outta here.

 

[Moxie]

Also Novak said to Andy during the discussion, he hit the ball on Andy's side of the net, and he clearly saw that as legal. The ump is an idiot, as it is his job to know the rules in these moments.

It all happens fast, and is not so easy to see in the moment, as a freeze-frame is, in retrospect. To give Novak the benefit of the doubt, he mentioned the touch in last year's RG SF. I think he was being careful not to do that again. While wrangling the other parts of his body around the net, he may just not have been aware that his racquet was over the net. The intention wasn't wrong. He was running towards the net, and probably on high alert, based on past experience. The ump got it wrong. Reaching over the net isn't that usual of an occurrence, and I don't expect Novak to be thinking like a rule-book at that stage of an important match. That's why there's an umpire. He went with what the umpire saw.

I'm guessing we won't be seeing that umpire in big matches for some time.

 

[Front242]

Murray went into this match with no actual intention of winning it. He has never taken wacks at forehands like that or approached the net with any regularity before in any important match. Figured, head to the clay, easier on the back and hip, I'm done..outta here.

Eventhough typically most would say clay is easier on the body, Andy's doctor bizarrely said clay is harder on his back because of a knee condition so I dunno really. Either way his back seems pretty much fine now to me at least.

 

[Iona16]

Also Novak said to Andy during the discussion, he hit the ball on Andy's side of the net, and he clearly saw that as legal. The ump is an idiot, as it is his job to know the rules in these moments.

I'm not 100% sure as I didn't rewind it but I read that the umpire made the point to Andy that Novak had said nothing to him. Not sure why the umpire expected Novak to do his job for him. Ultimately it was the fault of the umpire but it's not the first silly call made at this tournament and it won't be the last.

 

[Front242]

Also Novak said to Andy during the discussion, he hit the ball on Andy's side of the net, and he clearly saw that as legal. The ump is an idiot, as it is his job to know the rules in these moments.

I'm not 100% sure as I didn't rewind it but I read that the umpire made the point to Andy that Novak had said nothing to him. Not sure why the umpire expected Novak to do his job for him. Ultimately it was the fault of the umpire but it's not the first silly call made at this tournament and it won't be the last.

Yup, between blind linespeople and umpires who don't know the rules it's pretty damn high on the atrocious scale.

 

[Iona16]

Murray went into this match with no actual intention of winning it. He has never taken wacks at forehands like that or approached the net with any regularity before in any important match. Figured, head to the clay, easier on the back and hip, I'm done..outta here.

Eventhough typically most would say clay is easier on the body, Andy's doctor bizarrely said clay is harder on his back because of a knee condition so I dunno really. Either way his back seems pretty much fine now to me at least.

To my knowledge no doctor connected with Andy has ever spoken out about his knee condition. The BBC and a leading British newspaper consulted medical expects and asked them to explain why clay is problematic for Andy. Murray to his credit doesn't mention the knee.

 

[Front242]

Murray went into this match with no actual intention of winning it. He has never taken wacks at forehands like that or approached the net with any regularity before in any important match. Figured, head to the clay, easier on the back and hip, I'm done..outta here.

Eventhough typically most would say clay is easier on the body, Andy's doctor bizarrely said clay is harder on his back because of a knee condition so I dunno really. Either way his back seems pretty much fine now to me at least.

To my knowledge no doctor connected with Andy has ever spoken out about his knee condition. The BBC and a leading British newspaper consulted medical expects and asked them to explain why clay is problematic for Andy. Murray to his credit doesn't mention the knee.

I'm surprised to be honest given his superlative defensive capabilities that he hasn't done better on clay. Of course he did reach the RG semi final in 2011. Considering he played practically nothing on clay last year he's naturally going to do better there this year I'm sure he'll do well actually.

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GH-Hhxv3co[/video]

 

[Riotbeard]

Also Novak said to Andy during the discussion, he hit the ball on Andy's side of the net, and he clearly saw that as legal. The ump is an idiot, as it is his job to know the rules in these moments.

I'm not 100% sure as I didn't rewind it but I read that the umpire made the point to Andy that Novak had said nothing to him. Not sure why the umpire expected Novak to do his job for him. Ultimately it was the fault of the umpire but it's not the first silly call made at this tournament and it won't be the last.

I watched the replay with incident in mind, and audibly says he went over the net, but argues (incorrectly) that he was within the rules, that is why I believe Andy cited Novak's words as evidence that Novak's racket passed the plane. The ref is just nuts...