At last year`s US
Open, Nicolas Almagro took a medical time out before serving
for the match because of cramping in his legs in a
second-round match at the last US Open.
|Last Updated: Jan 17, 2010, 11:59 AM IST|Source: Bureau
Melbourne: At last year`s US
Open, Nicolas Almagro took a medical time out before serving
for the match because of cramping in his legs in a
second-round match at the last US Open.
He returned to hold his serve and beat American Robby
Ginepri in five sets.
Under the same set of circumstances this year at the
Australian Open, that scenario could not occur -- taking a
medical time-out solely for cramping will not be allowed under
new rules instituted on January 1 by the International Tennis
Federation and the men`s and women`s tours.
The ATP says the new rule "strikes a compromise between
the rule that has just been replaced and the old rule that
didn`t allow treatment of any kind."
Once the physiotherapist and/or tournament doctor have
determined that a player is suffering from muscle cramping,
then treatment is allowed during two full changeovers or set
breaks, not necessarily two in a row. But a player can`t
receive a medical time out, which is three minutes, solely for
muscle cramping.
A player who stops play claiming to have another ailment,
but is determined by the chair umpire to have cramping, will
be ordered to resume play immediately. If he or she can`t
continue, they`d have to forfeit points to get them to the end
of a game or set break to receive limited treatment.
If muscle cramping is caused by a spasm related to an
injury, the new rule won`t be invoked. And heat illness --
always a threat at the Australian Open -- also is not covered
by the cramping rule because its symptoms -- dizziness, nausea
and elevated temperatures, are far different from those for
cramping.
Bureau Report
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