After watching Roger Federer’s impressive start to the French Open final, I thought that it might finally be his moment. Could the greatest player of all time be on his way to defeating Rafael Nadal for the first time at Roland Garros?
With a 5-2 lead in the first set and appearing to be in complete control, Federer suddenly started to lose his rhythm. The unforced errors began to mount. Nadal won five straight games to take the first set.
I put this momentum swing down to a change in tactics from the Spaniard – instead of constantly flighting balls to the Federer backhand, he started to attack his forehand, forcing the Swiss great to hit his shots at full stretch.
Rather than allow Federer to continue dictating proceedings, the current world number one increased his intensity and fought back.
In the midst of his comeback, the issue of time wasting was, somewhat predictably, raised once again. Fox Sports commentator Wally Masur noted that Nadal had managed to slow the pace of the match down by taking plenty of time between points.
Federer, he said, likes to play a fast game, which was part of the reason for his success against Novak Djokovic in the semi-final. Whilst this has long been a criticism aimed at Nadal, the assertion that such a factor influenced his resurgence does not make complete sense.
Djokovic, like Nadal, is also criticised for the amount of time he takes to serve. With the first set of the semi-final delicately poised at 5-5, the Serb was given a warning for time wasting, before complaining to the chair umpire.
Federer appeared relatively unaffected by the controversy, winning the set and eventually the match. He did so in fine style, playing carefree, attacking tennis throughout. So, claims that Nadal’s tardiness directly impacted upon Federer’s game are irresponsible. It detracts focus from the achievement of the Spaniard and his refusal to accept defeat.
Having said that, whether or not you believe that time wasting had an impact on the final, it is clear that the issue needs to be dealt with more severely. Apart from the controversy that it causes, it is a constant frustration for tennis fans that want to see a fast and action-packed match.
A more strict enforcement of the twenty-second time limit, an actual rule within the game, would allow for a greater spectacle by discouraging players to add unnecessary delays.
It would also allow people to concentrate solely on the effort and skill of the players, rather than questioning the legality of their victories.
Can not watch Nadal
Guest
I love to watch tennis except Nadal and the screaming ladies. He just played some guy in the US Open and won of course because he pulled the pants out of his backside EVERY POINT. How can people watch him???? I don't even notice his time wasting because I am already frustrated by his ugly way of playing. He must have seen the videos on youtube about him butt picking so much!!! No shame?? As with almost everything in this world these days, it's only about the result, not about HOW you got it. Will he ever stop pulling the pants out of his ass? Will we really see him doing this 200 times (actual calculation) per match for the next 10 years?? I wish some player would start to pull his crotch when playing Nadal and do that with every point. Nadal also never steps on a line when walking on/off court. So then that cool player would start to walk ONLY ON the lines. Nadal will even wait for the other player passing so he doesn't have to touch the lines! Watch youtube, it's pathetic! So I would love to see a standoff near the net when they have to pass each other, Nadal off the lines and the cool player balancing on the lines hahaha And my cool player would not wait for Nadal when serving. I didn't know that! Against Nadal that's a perfect cure! Quick serving without waiting! Great! I boycott 90% of women tennis because of the screaming. I wish Seles had never started this stupid screaming! Navratilova already pointed out 20 years ago she couldn't hear the ball hit on the racket of Seles because of the scream. If I can remember right Seles even screamed playing a delicate drop shot. If they would scream because they we're tired it would be less bad, put this is just trying to win by any means. How about the ladies can only scream in the third set?? These days professional players are like robots programmed to get the result with screaming so it will be very difficult to stop it. So being aloud to scream only in the third set they've got something to look forward to hahaha Thank you for letting me share my frustration! By the way, if you ever think "Why are they doing this???????" Well it is because of the MONEY! If people would not got to ladies tennis tournaments because of the screaming = no money, and the screamers will eventually will have to stop it. And if TV channels would notice people are not watching ladies tennis because of the screams, = no money, and the screamers will eventually will have to stop it. Money rules! Thanks!!!
phj
Guest
I agree with your comments. The " injury" timeouts just happen to come when his opponent has the upper hand. In the French open the change in fortune came after he called the trainer to treat blisters. If he is prone to this why not wear protection before coming onto the court. The injuries appear not to have any effect on his play. He took a break after the first set in yesterdays match.............when Andy was playing really well, what a surprise. Its not just the injury timeouts, it is the constant violation of the time allowed between points. Why is this allowed to continue. He obviously has no respect for the rules of the game. He shows no respect for his opponent or the umpire by keeping both waiting for the coin toss and start of the match. Also there is the completely unnecessary shows of aggression clenching his fists and glaring straight at his opponent, often when the other player is just a few feet away. Most players gee themselves up but I haven’t seen anyone else behave like this. I would love to see him play within the time rules, if he is so wonderful this should be easy.
Betty
Guest
What I forgot to say in my earlier comment is: What a strange title for an article - "Talk Of Nadal Cheating To Victory Petty"? Rules are rules. If a player doesn't follow the rules, why is it petty to bring it up? Does one have to PROVE beyond reasonable doubt that Nadal's various antics have directly caused his opponents their victories before one can complain about the fact that he is breaking the rules? It is exactly because there are people out there that would label others "petty" or "sore losers" that Nadal's competitors (including Federer) are reluctant to point the finger at him. Remember, Rome '06? Federer mentioned at the end of the final that uncle toni was coaching illegally and he was promptly told by said uncle to learn how to lose. Federer leant his lesson, no doubt. So, please, don't try and down play the significance and unfairness of Nadal's antics by accusing his detractors of being "petty" or by saying that it is worth discussing because it makes the matches difficult to watch. If the rules are there, enforce them. If the rules are wrong and should be changed or abolished, then do it! Meanwhile, stop smearing those that have the guts and good sense to speak up.
Betty
Guest
IHateNadal: Very well said. Nadal has got away with murder for far too long. At FO '11, in one of Federer's earlier matchs, the TV showed that Federer was taking on average 17 seconds between points while his opponent was averaging 18 seconds. Both were playing within the rules, which restrict players to no more than 20 seconds between points. Nadal, on the other hand, has consistently taken a lot more than 20 seconds. A couple of years ago during Wimbledon, I did a little experiment and used a timer to track the time that Nadal was taking between points. He was averaging 35 seconds. The umpires have all failed in their duty. And I won't even bother to comment on his medical timeouts and his uncle's oncourt coaching. Everyone knows what's going on and yet for some reason the Nadal family has been allowed to act in whatever way they choose while describing themselves as "correct". What a sorry excuse of a (former) world number one!
IHateNadal
Guest
At least with Schiavone it's a grunt rather than a shriek. Maria Sharapova puts off the opponent and there is no need for it. Quite frankly, it's cheating. Not saying Schiavone is 100% innocent, of course, but Maria Sharapova is by far the worst.
IHateNadal
Guest
Please, correct me if I am wrong, but when the umpire calls 'time' then the players return to the court and serve IMMEDIATELY. Not half an hour later, as is often the case with Nadal. May I remind you all that the server is NOT obliged to wait until the other player gets to the court if the time has already been called. Federer's good manners of waiting were simply that: good manners. They were not necessary. I say this because Nadal always - nine times out of ten, you watch him and count - wastes time. For the life of me, I don't understand why the umpire doesn't pull him up for it every time he does it. He wastes time by fiddling around with his water bottles and pulling at his socks - and don't forget, pulling his underwear out of his arse, which quite frankly, is disgusting. If you watch Nadal - actually watch him, instead of saying 'oh look, it's Nadal, isn't he a wonderful player' like some sort of fanclub - you'll see that he wastes time every match. This is classified in the rules as cheating. I do not understand why the umpire does not pull this cheater up every time he does it. Nadal's victories are, frankly, not victories. I have seen a match in which the umpire pulled him up for time wasting. What happened in this match? Nadal went to pieces, because he didn't get to catch his breath by wasting time. For the love of God people, wake up and watch him clearly. He cheats every game, and it's disgusting. He does not deserve to be the world number one, since he is a dirty cheater. I have no time for the man, and feel disappointed any time he makes it to a final, since his matches are always incredibly dull - his game-play is, obviously, to bore his opponent to death. To all of you people who watch him and say 'oh he's a great player, you have to admire him, what a fantastic tennis champion' - WAKE UP! Either that, or read the rules of tennis.
Hoy
Roar Guru
I still find it odd that in tennis and golf, you have to be quite as a spectator, yet in football etc, the crowd is going beserk as a player kicks the winning penalty.
Ben Murphy
Roar Pro
Searly, spot on!! While players like Nadal and Djokovic shouldn't have their victories clouded by poor excuses, they should be held accountable for making tennis difficult to watch at times. Don't get me wrong, both are exciting when the ball is in the court, it's just the constant delays which are the problem. A longer break at the change of ends, as you suggested, could be a feasible solution.
jameswm
Guest
Or that Italian woman - Schiavone. I can't watch her - she's too offensive. How can they not make this illegal? It's so obviously designed to put the other player off.
Searly
Guest
My issue with it is not necessarily one of gamesmanship, but purely from a spectator's perspective I think it makes tennis a very difficult sport to watch. The very first point of the match on Sunday night is a case in point. The players are completely fresh and unfatigued, Federer serves an unplayable serve (if memory serves correctly), but then rather than the two players just walking straight to the other side of the court to play the second point, we had towels being called for and clay dust being swept off lines etc. It must have been at least 20 or 30 seconds before Federer was able to serve the second point of the match! When you're in for a possible five sets of this sort of thing, it rapidly makes other pastimes (like sleeping)more appealing than sitting down to watch the tennis. I accept that Nadal has his little superstitious idiosyncracies, which I'm generally OK with, but the game just goes on too long these days and it's all because of the delays between points. I'd be happy to see them enforce the time limit but then give them a slightly longer break at the change of ends to allow for rest if necessary considering how physical the sport has become these days.
Brett McKay
Guest
It could be worse Ben, he could be screaching like Maria Sharapova...
Ben Murphy
Roar Pro
Bino, i completely agree. There are far better excuses for losing than this. Nadal has a set routine which he carries out before serving each time, as do all players. The only reason that he is in the spotlight for time wasting more often than others is because of his success. A lot of players also exceed the time limit, but are not mentioned. The ITF needs to do something to enforce this 20 second rule properly, so that it cannot be used as an excuse for losing anymore.
bino
Guest
Correct me if I am wrong, I did not hear any single warning from the umpire against Nadal in the final. Some players like Federer prefer to serve quickly say within 10 sec. Others like Nadal prefer to execute it in slower and calm fashion but do not necessarily violate the 20 sec between points as they may seem. I think there are other better excuses for losing the match than this.