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Novak Djokovic Weighs in on Legal Moves

Posted By: Stick
Date: Friday, 28 March 2014, at 5:23 a.m.

In Response To: Novak Djokovic Weighs in on Legal Moves (Bruce Farquhar)

Short version and longer version of Djokovic illegally striking the ball on the opponent's side of the net.

There is no video yet for his post match interview but in it Djoko appears to have said ""Look, it might be my mistake," Djokovic said. "I think I crossed the net with the racket. I didn't touch the net. Maybe the rule is that you are not allowed to pass on his side with the racket. I'm not sure. You tell me." He also went on to say if he had known that was the rule he would have conceded the point. Yahoo article.

Now it may strike you (rightfully so) as absurd that Novak may not know this rule but it is possible. I personally have never understood people who do something at the level he does/for a living and aren't intimately acquainted with the rules. I don't know if anyone remembers Serena v. Stosur US Open 2011 where Serena screams clearly before the point is over. This is a hindrance and the umpire got the call correct.

I was watching at the time and can't find a good link now but (John) McEnroe was commentating with someone and neither of them knew the rule either. Just like the commentators here who initially thought it should be a let and the point replayed. I was shocked as I've known this rule for as long as I can remember. The rule Djokovic claims he's unsure of is much more common than this in my opinion.

As for the chair umpire in Djoko's situation, he isn't allowed to use the video to make the call. That they replayed it on the jumbo screen was a faux pas. The fact is that in real time nobody knew if he had went over the net and then hit the ball. The commentators clearly didn't as can be witnessed in the video and Murray didn't either until he saw the replay. Djoko himself seems to admit to Murray in the video that he went over the net so I don't feel like he was exactly hiding anything and maybe he really didn't know the rule.

Of note:

  • Murray is and will always be a whiner and not a winner.
  • Serena is a four letter word that I haven't used on the forums before and I won't start now.

None of that has anything to do with how the rulings should go just thought I'd throw it in.

Stick

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