Should the MTO exception rule be allowed to remain as is?

[Moxie]

I am strongly agains MTOs for cramping. Because cramping is lack of preparation and conditioning.

I don't believe you should be given time to get a full body massage and fluids to remedy it.

The problem is, that's the easiest problem to fake. You can just say you have a pulled muscle, and you will get the same massage and the fluids you would get as if you were cramping.

Oh I know. It's just a personal annoyance of mine lol. I doubt they could/would do anything about it.

I get the point about cramping and fitness, House, but, yes, I think they just had to inject some humanity in it, if only for the sake of the paying and viewing public. It's bad TV. The rules now do require that a certain amount is taken on faith, which is what Carlos Ramos was essentially explaining to Stan when Rafa went off last night. Yes, there's room for abuse, but it probably also prevented, in this case, a final that would have stopped in the 2nd, or with Nadal just standing there watching balls go by. No one wants that. As it was, Nadal was given a plausible chance at coming back, and Wawrinka got to win it, outright. I don't see how anyone could object to that.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Tennis is probably the sport where fans look for problems where there are none the most. Should we eliminate the let chord? Medical time outs? Should we install a clock for how much time is taken in between points? And so many other questions...

I'm not saying none of the above is an issue, but they're really minor issues, in the grand scheme of things. Medical time outs have their draw backs, but the benefits far outweigh them, which means they need to stay. It's that simple. As far as players risking their health by continuing to play, that's up to them. They have a choice to stop or continue.

Cramping is a different thing. Obviously some matches are way too physical, but if you're cramping and your opponent isn't, it's just means he's in better shape, and that's part of the game.

 

[DarthFed]

I think the time in between points is a huge issue and one that isn't subjective like trying to determine if a player is abusing MTO's. This is still a spectator sport and if the reasonable time between points is 20 seconds then that is what should consistently be enforced. I see no reason they can't put some sort of shot clock on court.

 

[Rose]

I honestly can't believe Front though both these photos -- the second in particular -- are authentic. I guess that's what happens when you have an agenda.

For sure those are not "real" photos of Rafa. But he did indeed look better before the knee problems and it is just not a case of not carrying around extra weight. Rafa can not train/practice like he used to at all because all that training/practicing plus all the Matches played led to the knee problems in the first place. So he had to cut back on a lot he was doing so he isn't shaped the way he used to be for "real".

 

[masterclass]

I think the time in between points is a huge issue and one that isn't subjective like trying to determine if a player is abusing MTO's. This is still a spectator sport and if the reasonable time between points is 20 seconds then that is what should consistently be enforced. I see no reason they can't put some sort of shot clock on court.

I think it's a good idea in theory, but it needs to be thought out so it doesn't become a distraction.

For example, unlike other sports, I don't think it should be visible to the crowd on court. I think it would be too much of a distraction. I can just hear the crowd counting down, or wondering why the time stopped or not started, when the umpire had some reason to stop it, etc.

I think it should be some small display where only the players, the umpire, and a TV camera could see it.

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[Rose]

I feel as old as dirt because I remember when tennis players couldn't even leave the court to go to the restroom!

I know...I remember a time where a towel was only used during a changeover ...:wow:

You know I'm so old my memory failed me about that! I'm sure I only remembered the part about the restroom because I always wondered what they did, if they were in a middle of a tennis match and had to go to the restroom? Jimmy Connors in his book "The Outsider" told how he handled one restroom problem, but what he did wouldn't work for another restroom problem for sure :blush:

 

[Denis]

So I just read uncle Toni was able to ask Rafa what was going on during the MTO and Rafa said it was over. Question: are coaches allowed in the MTO-area? If so, that should be banned immediately. Clearly, that is just an open invitation to abuse (coaching) to the crypto-WTA players on the men's tour.

 

[Tennis Miller]

So I just read uncle Toni was able to ask Rafa what was going on during the MTO and Rafa said it was over. Question: are coaches allowed in the MTO-area? If so, that should be banned immediately. Clearly, that is just an open invitation to abuse (coaching) to the crypto-WTA players on the men's tour.

was that a reliable source?

Cheers
TM

 

[Denis]

So I just read uncle Toni was able to ask Rafa what was going on during the MTO and Rafa said it was over. Question: are coaches allowed in the MTO-area? If so, that should be banned immediately. Clearly, that is just an open invitation to abuse (coaching) to the crypto-WTA players on the men's tour.

was that a reliable source?

Cheers
TM

Yes. Not English though.

But it's not clear whether it was when he came back on court and they had a chat while he was stockpiling his towels or during the MTO. That's why I am asking.

edit: to be clear, I am talking about MTO's in general for this purpose, not this specific incident.

 

[brokenshoelace]

So I just read uncle Toni was able to ask Rafa what was going on during the MTO and Rafa said it was over. Question: are coaches allowed in the MTO-area? If so, that should be banned immediately. Clearly, that is just an open invitation to abuse (coaching) to the crypto-WTA players on the men's tour.

was that a reliable source?

Cheers
TM

Yes. Not English though.

But it's not clear whether it was when he came back on court and they had a chat while he was stockpiling his towels or during the MTO. That's why I am asking.

edit: to be clear, I am talking about MTO's in general for this purpose, not this specific incident.

It's highly implausible for Toni to have asked him while Nadal was in the locker room during the MTO since it means that Toni got up and left his seat, and I'm pretty sure the cameras would have picked up on that. They probably just exchanged words while Nadal was on court.

 

[Denis]

So I just read uncle Toni was able to ask Rafa what was going on during the MTO and Rafa said it was over. Question: are coaches allowed in the MTO-area? If so, that should be banned immediately. Clearly, that is just an open invitation to abuse (coaching) to the crypto-WTA players on the men's tour.

was that a reliable source?

Cheers
TM

Yes. Not English though.

But it's not clear whether it was when he came back on court and they had a chat while he was stockpiling his towels or during the MTO. That's why I am asking.

edit: to be clear, I am talking about MTO's in general for this purpose, not this specific incident.

It's highly implausible for Toni to have asked him while Nadal was in the locker room during the MTO since it means that Toni got up and left his seat, and I'm pretty sure the cameras would have picked up on that. They probably just exchanged words while Nadal was on court.

Ok, would make sense yes. I still wonder if its possible.

 

[House]

I am strongly agains MTOs for cramping. Because cramping is lack of preparation and conditioning.

I don't believe you should be given time to get a full body massage and fluids to remedy it.

The problem is, that's the easiest problem to fake. You can just say you have a pulled muscle, and you will get the same massage and the fluids you would get as if you were cramping.

Oh I know. It's just a personal annoyance of mine lol. I doubt they could/would do anything about it.

I get the point about cramping and fitness, House, but, yes, I think they just had to inject some humanity in it, if only for the sake of the paying and viewing public. It's bad TV. The rules now do require that a certain amount is taken on faith, which is what Carlos Ramos was essentially explaining to Stan when Rafa went off last night. Yes, there's room for abuse, but it probably also prevented, in this case, a final that would have stopped in the 2nd, or with Nadal just standing there watching balls go by. No one wants that. As it was, Nadal was given a plausible chance at coming back, and Wawrinka got to win it, outright. I don't see how anyone could object to that.

To me, and this is only my opinion, cramping, and watching someone cramp, isn't about humanity and the public. It's a sport. If you aren't conditioned properly you don't deserve the chance to take a break and regroup. I can't think of another sport that does this to the degree tennis does. Maybe I'm just too nostalgic for how it used to be. But I don't look at cramping as an injury. It's caused by a player not preparing like they should.

My issue with cramping being used for MTOs isn't related to last night though. Last night was the perfect example of why MTOs SHOULDN'T be done away with. If Rafa isn't allowed treatment, the match likely stops right there in the second set. Thought for all intensive purposes it did anyways. Still it gave Nadal a chance.

Unless I'm misremembering when Fed last won Wimbledon he hurt his back in an early match, against Malisse I believe, and got time to take an anti inflammatory, or a pain pill, and recovered enough to win the whole thing. Perfect example of why MTOs should be allowed.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

^Like Rafa coming back without his shirt on? Less than dignified, but a crowd-pleaser, nonetheless!

Maybe when he looked like this, yes. And it also shows what I said many times about him losing a lot of muscle mass and definition over the years. He was way more built and chiseled before.

Then...

And now. Not so much for the ladies these days.

rafa's boobs are shrinking :snigger..the muscle marys down the bigboys gym will/won't be impressed.