Its A Miracle! He's Healed...

MADRID (AP) -- Rafael Nadal doesn't expect to miss any tournaments as a result of the back injury that contributed to his loss in the Australian Open final.

A statement from the world's top-ranked player says he will have another medical exam on Monday after doctors in Barcelona examined his back following his return from Australia.

Nadal lost Sunday's final in Melbourne 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka after he injured his back.

Nadal says he still plans to play his next tournaments in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Indian Wells and Miami.

Doctors have prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy to speed his recovery.

How Would You Rule? Two Interesting Scenarios

SCENARIO ONE

In a men's ITA doubles match team A hits a ball that might be going long.  Team B prepares to hit the ball but their coach shouts, "Let it go!" and they move away and let the ball go out.

Here is the rule:

Penalties when coach interferes with play. The purpose of coaching is to
offer advice to the player. Coaches shall not in any way distract or
annoy the opposing player. If a coach in any way interferes with play or
distracts an opposing player at any time, he shall receive a direct
warning from the Referee or Umpire. For any subsequent violation, his
player, on the court where the violation occurred, shall be assessed a
point penalty. Penalties for coaching are not treated as part of the ITA
Point Penalty System, and they do not accumulate.

Question:  Do you call a hindrance and award the point to team A, give the coach a warning, or do nothing?

SCENARIO TWO

In Federer's loss to Nadal at the Australian Open, he complained to the chair umpire about Nadal's grunting. Everyone is aware of the loud shrieking coming from Azarenka and Sharapova and it has even entered into the collegiate ranks.

Here is the rule:

FAC Comment IV.D-17: What should an official do when a player grunts so
loudly that play on nearby courts is affected? The official may treat loud
grunting as a hindrance. If the official concludes that the grunting affected the
outcome of the point on the court where the grunting occurred, the official
shall order that the point be replayed. The official shall advise the player that
subsequent loud grunting that affects the outcome of a point will be treated as
an intentional hindrance and will result in loss of the point. An official should
not order a point replayed on an adjacent court even if the grunting may have
affected the outcome of a point on that court.

What would you do at the pro level?  At the collegiate level?  At the USTA level?  Should there be a difference in how you deal with the problem?

Australian Open: A New Winner (Finally!) And A 7 Minute MTO

STANISLAS WAWRINKA

2014 Australian Open Champion

No, he's now bowing.  Just preparing for a 7 minute medical timeout.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Stan Wawrinka added a win over Rafael Nadal to his list of firsts in a stunning run to his maiden Grand Slam title, extending his rival's injury-cursed run at the Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 upset in Sunday's final.

The 28-year-old Wawrinka had never taken a set off Nadal in 12 previous meetings, but attacked from the start against the 13-time major winner and regained his nerve after dropping the third set against the injured Spaniard.

Nadal appeared to be on the verge of retiring in the second set, when he hurt his back and needed a medical time out, but he refused to quit.

''It's really not the way you want to win a tennis match, but in a Grand Slam final I'll take it,'' said Wawrinka, the first man in 21 years to beat the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked players en route to a Grand Slam title.

Nadal was a hot favorite to win at Melbourne Park and become the first man to win each of the four Grand Slam tournaments twice in the Open era - instead, his injury curse struck again. It remains the only major he's hasn't won at least two times.

''Rafa, I'm really sorry for you, I hope your back is going to be fine, you're a really great guy, good friend and really amazing champion,'' Wawrinka said as he accepted his first major trophy. ''Last year I had a crazy match, I lost it. I was crying a lot after the match. But in one year a lot happened - I still don't know if I'm dreaming or not but we'll see tomorrow morning.''

Warwinka lost in five sets to Novak Djokovic in the fourth round of the 2013 Australian Open, in the longest Grand Slam match of the season. Djokovic went on to win his third consecutive title at Melbourne Park, and then beat Wawrinka again in five sets in the U.S. Open semifinals.

But Wawrinka avenged those losses this time, beating Djokovic in five sets in the quarterfinals - ending a run of 14 straight losses to the Serbian player.

Now he'll move from No. 8 to No. 3. In doing so, he'll surpass Federer, a 17-time Grand Slam winner who lost to Nadal in the semifinals - to become the highest-ranked Swiss player for the first time in his career.

Wawrinka also broke up a sequence of wins for the Big Four - with 34 of the previous 35 majors going to either Nadal, Djokovic, Roger Federer or Andy Murray.

''Stan, you really deserve it,'' Nadal said. ''Luck was against me today but you really deserve it.

''Last thing that I wanted to do was retire. I hate to do that, especially in a final. Same time, is tough to see yourself during the whole year you are working for a moment like this, and arrives the moment and you feel that you are not able to play at your best. ''

Nadal has had a terrible stretch with injuries at the Australian Open, and has described it as his unluckiest Grand Slam. He won the title in 2009, and lost an epic five-set final to Djokovic in 2012. But he missed the 2013 edition during a seven-month layoff with knee injuries and illness, and his quarterfinal losses in 2010 and 2011 were affected by injuries.

''It has been a very emotional two weeks - I'm sorry to finish this way,'' he told the Rod Laver Arena crowd. ''I tried very, very hard - this year was one of the more emotional tournaments in my career.''

A possible retirement was looming when Nadal was serving at 0-2 in the second set. He bent over at the waist to stretch his back and then grabbed his lower back with his hand and grimaced in pain. His serve immediately dipped to 141 kph (87 mph).

When Nadal took a medical timeout after falling behind a set and a break, and returned to a chorus of boos without a shirt after 7 minutes, it seemed that an early finish was on the cards.

Wawrinka was aggravated during the time out, demanding that officials tell him why Nadal needed the break. And he came out aggressively to finish off the second set.

Nadal's serve speed dipped even further to 125 kph (77 mph) and then 114 kph (70 mph). The support in the stadium gradually shifted as the crowd saw the Spaniard battling to stay on the court.

His service speed improved in the beginning of the third set, prompting a fan to yell advice to Wawrinka: ''C'mon Stan, no sympathy!''

By the end of the set, Nadal's serve was back up to 174 kph (108 mph) and Wawrinka's error count was escalating.

Wawrinka composed himself after an exchange of breaks in the fourth set to serve it out in 2 hours, 21 minutes. After a muted celebration, he consoled Nadal in the courtside chairs before getting a chance to hold up and kiss his first big trophy.

You Have To Love This Underdog! Stanislas Wawrinka

STANISLAS WAWRINKA

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Stanislas Wawrinka backed up his upset of four-time champion Novak Djokovic by reaching his first Grand Slam final with a 6-3, 7-6 (1), 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4) win over Tomas Berdych in the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday.

Wawrinka ended a 14-match losing streak against Djokovic with a dramatic five-set, four-hour win in the quarterfinals, then followed that with a dominating performance against Berdych, the 2010 Wimbledon finalist.

''I don't know what to say. I'm speechless,'' he said. ''I didn't expect to make a final in a Grand Slam - tonight it's happening.''

Wawrinka will meet the winner of Friday's semifinal showdown between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the 33rd installment of their rivalry and the first at a Grand Slam since Nadal knocked Federer out of the Australian Open at the same stage in 2012.

Whoever he plays, Wawrinka will go into the final as an underdog. He has never beaten Nadal in 12 meetings, and has lost all but one of his 14 matches against his countryman, Federer.

Wawrinka has long been in Federer's shadow as Switzerland's less-heralded No. 2, but he's been slowly gaining confidence in his game since narrowly losing a heartbreaking marathon match to Djokovic in Melbourne last year.

What To Expect From Your Referee.

Since there are a lot of new officials (and a bunch of older ones) who regularly read the blog, it might be good to enumerate those things that an official working a USTA event in the Metroplex can expect.

Here are just a few of the things an official should expect from their referee:

*   A timely commitment to their assignment.  No official should have to be put on hold for days and days and then told the day before a tournament that they aren't needed.  If a referee has this reputation (and believe me, they do) and they ask you to work--run.

*   The referee should be forthcoming about the finish time for your shift.  Don't let them tell you that you will be working a 6 hour shift and they keep you there for 12 hours.  Again--check their reputation.

*   The referee should be providing you with a lunch (or supper if you work past 6:00 p.m.) or a MTOA approved alternative.  That means if there is no lunch provided then you are entitled to leave your site to go get your own lunch.  Never, ever, let a referee talk you into bringing your own lunch and then sitting at the site during the lunch time.  They know the rules and should abide by them.

*   The referee should pay you for time worked.  That means that if the referee asks you to report at 6:30 a.m. then they should pay you from that time.  Don't let them ask you to report "early" for your shift and not pay you.  That also means that you get paid for checking the nets, cleaning the courts, and preparing for the start of play.  If the referee is pulling this unethical stunt and only paying you from the time that play starts then don't show up until play starts.  They'll change their tune pretty quickly...  Again, if this is being done, report it to the President of the MTOA.

*   The referee should pay you in hourly increments.  That means that if you work over an 6.75 hours then you should be paid for 7 hours.  We do not pay in 15 minute increments and don't let anyone do that to you.

*   The referee should "have your back" when there is a dispute with players and/or parents.  Even if you have made an error in judgment or knowledge of the rules there is no excuse for a referee embarrassing an official publicly.  Those are discussions that need to be held in private.

*   The referee should know the rules.  Believe it or not, there are some that don't.

*   The referee should be on site or easily reachable by phone.  Do not ever work for a referee that is "out of town" during the tournament because you're only asking to be set  up to fail.  If a referee does this, report them to the President of the MTOA and appropriate action will be taken.

*   If the referee is on site then he/she always need to be available to assist you if there is a problem of any kind.  They are the ultimate authority and need to make their presence visible.  Most problems will disappear when they are around.

*   The referee should be respectful to those who are working for him/her.  We are all officials and need to be treated with respect when we are working together.

The Evolution of the Tennis Officials Chair

The beginning edition.

The bare essentials.

The new sun protector.

For the shorter and smaller official.

For the studious official who is still learning the rules.

Keeping Mama happy!

Higher is always better.

The new 2014 model.

The chair designed with a Waco official in mind.

Home Depot model.

Higher yet still modern.

The contour shape is in this year.

Built with the executive in mind.

Compact and probably uncomfortable.

 Just imagine how high you really are!

Designed for those who fear heights.

The ultimate in chair officiating.  Probably built with the "elite" programs in mind.

How Would You Rule? Two interesting scenarios.

SCENARIO ONE

In a men's ITA doubles match, the coach of Team B disagrees with a non-overrule by the chair on a second serve that had been called out by Team A.  The coach of Team B is standing on the far side of the court from the chair official and then proceeds into the service box of Team A to point out the place on the court where he said the ball landed.

Here is the rule for a player in this situation--how would you rule when a coach does it?

"Players shall not cross the net to point out a mark or discuss a problem.
A player shall not cross the net to point out a mark or discuss a
problem. A player who does shall be penalized under the ITA Point
Penalty System."

SCENARIO TWO

In a women's ITA doubles match, team A serves a second serve let.  Team B calls the ball a fault and Team A protests the call and receives an overrule.

How should the chair official rule?

Clarification Of Penalty For Lateness In An ITA Dual Match

Since the ITA dual matches have been operating on an experimental basis this spring there has been some confusion about the penalty for a player reporting late for his/her match. Since there is no warm-up time in a dual match, it is imperative that a player report on time for their match.

Here is a quote from the ruling sent down by the ITA today:

UPDATED:  Lateness penalties will apply consistent with "ITA regulation I.N. "Penalties for Lateness at Start of Match"  P. 274 in 2014 FAC.

Here is the rule from the Friend at Court:

N. Penalties for Lateness at Start of Match

     1. Default after 15 minutes. In all ITA events (singles, doubles & team), the
Referee, after consultation with the Games Committee, may default a
player or team for being 15 minutes late for the starting time of the match.

    2. Game penalties for lateness. If a court is available, the Referee may
penalize the late player or team one game for each 5 minutes or fraction
thereof of lateness. The late player or team also loses the toss. No more
than three games shall be assessed for lateness.

How Hot Is Too Hot?

Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray at the Australian Open

The big news coming from the Australian Open this week is the heat--and lots of it.  Players are wilting and defaulting everywhere and only solution being offered is the "Extreme Heat Rule."  This rule says that play can be suspended on the outer courts until 5:00 p.m. and the roofs closed on the show courts before play can be resumed.  But, is this enough?

During the summer ITA tournaments the heat regularly goes over 110 degrees and the heat at the Australian Open is only 109.  Last summer we placed a thermometer on the court and it registered 145 degrees!  Now that's really hot...

There are a few extreme heat rules but basically there isn't much that can be done in temperatures of 145 on a tennis court.  In the ITA tournaments the players play 2 singles matches and 2 doubles matches in a day--and yes, there are a lot of defaults and exhausted players.  If its bad for a 20 year old, just imagine what it does to some of the adult players in summer tournaments.

What's the solution for players?  Not really sure but it includes the following:

*   Stay hydrated.
*   Be careful what you consume before and during a match.  One player drank a glass of pickle juice in the 3rd set and all he accomplished was throwing up green junk all over the court.
*   Remember that it takes a while to get bananas and pickle juice into your system so don't eat and drink a bunch in the middle of the final set.
*   Keep some mustard packets in your bag.  This is the best treatment for cramps.
*   Get in the shade on the changeovers.  Noone is impressed with your hurrying through the changeover so you can stand at your end and tap your foot waiting for the other player to come on court.
*   Stop playing if you get light-headed or cramps.  No tennis match is worth losing your life or health.
*   Listen to what people tell you.  If someone says you look sick and pale and all of that--slow down or quit playing.  Even your opponent doesn't want you dying on the court.

Here are some solutions that might help at the tournament level:

*   Stop play until at least 6:00 p.m. when the heat reaches 105 degrees.  The 105 degree figure might be too high but at least its a start.  You can continue play until about 9:00 p.m. in the summer months so that should help but not cure the situation.  If you're at a site with lights, that's not a problem and parents and players will appreciate you for the suspension.
*   Use no ad scoring and a third set tiebreak when the "Heat Rule" is enacted.
*   Think about the use of an 8 game pro set.  Its a radical thought but then temperatures of 145 degrees on court are pretty radical too.
*   Build indoor air-conditioned courts.  The best option but not financially feasible.
*   Increase the changeover time to 3 minutes instead of 2.  That extra minute isn't going to derail any tournament and might save some lives and bodies.
*   Make sure there is plenty of ice water available for all players.  At sites where there is ice, be sure everyone knows how to get it and that there is an ample supply.
*   Keep plenty of mustard packets available at the tournament desk.  Ask any collegiate trainer and they will tell you that this is the best remedy for cramps.
*   Make sure the officials keep a close eye on all players.  Signs of being overcome by heat are plentiful and we need to be watching.
*   Don't listen to the word of a 12 year old.  They will always want to play and don't care how hot it is--until they get sick and then they want their Mother.
*  Be sure to keep plenty of fluids available for your officials.  We get hot out there too!

Pro Line Training Being Offered

Training opportunity being offered for those interested in learning Pro Lines.

Basic Line Training:  January 31, 2014 from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Place:  T Bar M Racquet Club
           6060 Dilbeck Lane
           Dallas, Texas  75240

Meet in the lounge area.

Email Terry Gatzki, tmgatzki@yahoo.com to register for the Line Clinic or if you have questions.

New Experimental ITA Format

Thought you might enjoy reading about the new format in ITA dual matches.  For your further enjoyment here is the link to the match protocol to be followed before the beginning of each match. Be sure to read it!!!

http://www.itatennis.com/Assets/ita_assets/pdf/Legislation/Format+Changes/2014+ITA+Team+Match+Protocol+%28January-February%29.pdf

Men’s Format

(Experimental Format Through 17 Feb 2014)

DOUBLES (Three Doubles Matches)

•No Warm-Up

•One set to 6

•No-Add Scoring

•Tie-break at 5-all

•Last match will be ABANDONED when Doubles Point decided

•

10 Minute Intermission

SINGLES (Six Singles Matches)

•No Warm-Up

•Best of 3 Tie-Break Sets

•No-Add Scoring

•Tie-break at 5-all

•All Singles matches played to completion (unless coaches agree otherwise)

Women’s Format

(Experimental Format Through 10 Feb 2014)

DOUBLES (Three Doubles Matches)

•No Warm-Up

•One set to 6

•Regular Scoring

•Tie-break at 6-all

•Last match will be ABANDONED when Doubles Point decided

•

10 Minute Intermission

SINGLES (Six Singles Matches)

•No Warm-Up

•Best of 3 Tie-Break Sets w/ Match Tie-Break in lieu of 3rd Set

•Regular Scoring

•Tie-break at 6-all

•All Singles matches played to completion (unless coaches agree otherwise)

Chair Officiating & Outside Elevators Are Both Scary!

Ever since I was a kid I have had a healthy, if not somewhat paranoid, fear of elevators.  I've managed to navigate them safely over the years but the worst ones have to be the ones that go up and down the outside of buildings...

Sometimes new officials feel that same way when we explain chair officiating to them.  Last night we had a training session for some new and upcoming ITA chair officials--and it all went well!  We went into great detail about managing a stop watch, scorecard, pencil, and scoring device--as well as the entire court and players and coaches.

After they were gone and I was thinking over the meeting and wondering how much actually sank into their brains and psyches, one of the trainees wrote back with this evaluation of doing a chair:

"When one reaches 'Maximum Task Separation' and possible resulting loss of Situation Awareness catastrophic loss of control of the environment can occur.  Chairing sounds also much like flying airliners...  "Hours of boredom interrupted by seconds of terror."

For those of us who have long since forgotten our first chair experience this has to be one of the best descriptions I have ever heard!

Assessing A Code Violation After The Infraction

SCENE FROM FOUR COURTS AWAY...

Now that the 2014 Friend at Court is online we can begin to digest some of the new rule changes.  One that stands out in particular is the change on Page 122, Comment 14-D.15

"Timing of imposition of penalties.  An official who is on the court shall impose penalties before the start of the next point.  An official who is not on the court has a reasonable amount of time to reach the court and impose the penalty even if intervening points have been played.  Any intervening points stand as played."

WOW!  This is going to open up a can of worms unlike anything we have ever seen.  No official would doubt that a player should not "get away with" an offense but just imagine not being able to get to the court before the next point and then walk up and give a code violation on a match point!  Hell hath no fury like that which would be unleashed by the offending player--or his Mother!

In the past, when this has occurred I would recommend going to the court as quickly as possible and issuing a strong warning to the offending player.  This usually stopped any further infractions but of course they enjoyed getting away with something.

I would encourage you to do the following with this new rule:

1.  Pray that it never happens to you.
2.  If it does, then give the code and then duck for cover.
3.  Call Bruce Avery at home when you finish for the day and share your experiences with him.
4.  Be sure above all things that you carry a FAC in your pocket with this new rule highlighted for all to read and enjoy.

Just wondering what you think about this new rule...  Be sure to leave your thoughts and comments.

2014 Schools Information, Friend at Court, and 2014 Exams Now Available

The new 2014 Friend at Court and the 2014 officials' exams are now available online.  You can check them out on the right hand side of the blog under "Officials Information Sites."

All officials need to remember that they must pre-register for the 2014 schools and also take the exams before attending the class.  You can pre-register on the right hand side of the blog under "Officials Information Sites."  A full listing of the schools and their contact information from around the state is also on the right hand side of the blog.

We hope you will find this information helpful.

Serena Wins Again--Perhaps The Greatest Ever?

SERENA WILLIAMS

Posted below is the account of Serena Williams' latest victory.  Do you think she's the greatest woman to have ever played the game?

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -- This was one time Serena Williams didn't mind being pushed into the deep end, to use her own description.

The top-ranked Williams carried her winning momentum into 2014, beating No. 2-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 7-5 Saturday to defend her title at the Brisbane International and set the tone for the Australian Open.

Serena extended her winning streak to 22 matches with the emphatic win over the reigning Australian Open champion, making it back-to-back victories over two of her main rivals. She beat four-time major winner Maria Sharapova in straight sets in an intense semifinal, her 14th consecutive win in that frosty duel.

She improved to 14-3 against Azarenka, the last person to beat her last year. Before the semifinals, Williams said there was nothing like being ''thrown into the deep end straight away.''

Williams thought it was the ideal season-opening tournament.

''It was a great test. It showed me where my level was,'' Williams said, looking ahead to the Australian Open. ''I'm happy I was able to play both Maria and Victoria, because they brought their A games against me. I know now what I need to do for Melbourne - I look forward to it.''

The year's first major starts Jan. 13 at Melbourne Park and Williams, who won 78 of her 82 matches and collected 11 titles last year, is positioning herself as the favorite to claim a sixth Australian title after winning a tournament featuring six of the top 10 women.

Williams has so many trophies now, she said she doesn't know where they all are - ''some are MIA'' - but that doesn't stop her from collecting more. This was her 58th, including 17 majors.

"Grassroots Tennis" What Does That Mean?

GRASSROOTS TENNIS

In the tennis world we frequently hear the term "grassroots tennis" but if you pressed people for a definition of what it means you would find a huge disparity of answers--and a whole lot of different concepts.  In the dictionary, there is no such term but we can borrow from the simple term "grassroots" to try and find our meaning.

Literally the term "grassroots" means something primarily political--and that is surely true in tennis.  The term also means that the "creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous."  We know for certain that "natural and spontaneous" are not terms that you can use when referring to the USTA or the ITA or the pro tennis world.  All of these organizations are driven by politics, power, prestige, and profits.

"Grassroots tennis" is something that is hard to define but I think the average tennis person knows what we are talking about.  Its the starting or beginning levels of tennis and is the ground level from which pro and collegiate players emerge.  Basically it lies at the heart of all that we do in tennis.

We frequently hear officials boast that "I only do grassroots tennis" and sport it as a badge.  I would venture to say that nearly every tennis official is currently doing or has done grassroots tennis so its a badge that we all share.  Truly this is nothing more exciting that spending 13 hours on a Saturday doing a ZAT tournament in East Texas on 19 courts in July or officiating a 3.5 mixed doubles match at 1:30 a.m.

What "grassroots" is, or whatever it means, is elusive; but the fact that we need to keep it--and cultivate it--are unquestionable.  Even the greatest of pro tennis players had to start somewhere...  Here are a few observations about grassroots tennis in Texas (and maybe Oklahoma and Arkansas too):

*   Grassroots level tournaments are usually the training ground for new officials.  There's nothing wrong with this but these officials deserve the same level of pay as those doing the more advanced tournaments.  They aren't going to be as proficient as some but then, neither are the players.

*   Grassroots tournaments are those with the newer and less-experienced players so officials need to remember that as they rove from court to court.  If its a ZAT tournament that also means that their parents are newbies too.  If its an adult tournament that means a lot of adults are beginners in the world of tennis competition and unfortunately many of them behave like beginners.  Even if an adult is a 5.5 player they aren't going to be playing professional tennis in the morning.  Thus, they are part of the grassroots movement.

*   Grassroots tennis basically includes all levels of junior and adult tennis.  While some super-champ players and parents think Wimbledon is their next stop that basically ain't gonna happen.  As officials we need to fully implement the rules at this level so the players and parents will learn the basics of tennis competition.

*   Grassroots tennis is a cash cow for some folks.  Noone can deny that there is a lot of money to be made in tournaments with 700 and 800 and more entries.  Some tournament directors rake in thousands of dollars of profits while some barely make it but not all tournaments are at this top tier of profits.

*   What is the solution for this financial struggle?  Basically the Texas Section needs to study and re-restudy their implementation of ranking points.  If a small tournament offers very few points then they subsequently will have fewer and fewer players.  Points are what drive participation in tournaments.  Currently all tournaments pay the same sanctioning fee and player fees.  Maybe its time to do some rethinking and restructuring so we can keep our grassroots healthy and flourishing.

*   If we want the large tournaments to succeed and the smaller ones to fail, then we just need to stay our current course.  The options are up to you as the tennis public and to those of you who pay dues to the USTA and tournament fees and all of that.