Murray Says Sometimes It Is The Receiver Who Delays Play

Written by: Staff on 18th April 2013

Murray Says Sometimes It Is The Receiver Who Delays Play |

Andy Murray added his opinions to the ever growing debate on the umpiring of the time violation rule, maintaining the officials should be as diligent in monitoring the delaying tactics of the returning player and they have been with the server.

Murray was first warned and then docked a point by Irish official Fergus Murphy during his Monte Carlo Rolex Masters win over Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin. Consequently the world no.2 became involved in a frank exchange of views with supervisor Tom Barnes.

Before the start of the 2013 calendar, umpires on the ATP World Tour were instructed to be more vigilant this year on strictness around the 25 seconds allowed between points.

Despite moving forward without too many other problems to meet Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka, Murray was more than happy to make his views known on the subject afterwards.

“The only issue I have is since the new rule came into force this year, over a period of four months, I have yet to see the returner receive a time violation,” said Murray.

“It’s always the server that gets given the warning. But you are not allowed to serve if your opponent is not ready. Sometimes you are left waiting if your opponent is adjusting his strings of whatever.”

Murray maintained this was the case when he received the point penalty against 81st ranked Roger-Vasselin. “It’s important the umpire checks both players because it’s not always the server that is playing slow,” continued the Scot.

“The first warning I agreed with. The second I was looking across the net to him (Roger-Vasselin) and he was doing his strings. So that’s why I waited another three or four seconds and that’s why I lost the serve.”

Roger-Vasselin bore no malice and was very complimentary of Murray’s clay prospects over the next couple of months. “I believe he’s not bad on this surface, even if it’s not his favorite,” said the Frenchman. “He moves very well on clay. I asked several players for advice, and not a single one was able to help me. They all said: ‘Don’t make mistakes and play well’ – as if I didn’t know that.

“It’s difficult to find a solution to his game. I couldn’t find the balance between being aggressive and not making mistakes. But I didn’t give up. I kept fighting. Otherwise the match would have been finished very quickly.”

Murray’s displeasure was minimal compared to that of Ernests Gulbis who received a game penalty after venting his anger by smashing his racket against the chair of umpire Mohamed El Jennati during his Monte Carlo exit against Juan Monaco.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Andy Murray, Atp World Tour, Edouard Roger-Vasselin, Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, time violation