Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world, but even former professional tennis players do not enjoy all of its various rules.
Wimbledon has implemented electronic line calling for the first time at this year’s tournament.
However, it has not run completely smoothly, with Wimbledon releasing a statement after a failure in the system.
This has led to Taylor Fritz calling for a rule change to the system, but he is not the only person calling for something to change in the sport.
Pat Cash reveals the rule in tennis that he thinks is ‘the most ridiculous’
Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash is often outspoken on his views about tennis, whether that be as a pundit or on his own social media.
In a recent post on his Instagram, the former world number four called out the rule in tennis that he thinks is the worst.
Tennis has a shot clock for servers that gives them 25 seconds between each point, but Cash has suggested that rule is taken advantage of by players.
“Let’s get to the crux of the situation, the ball toss, catching the ball toss,” began Cash. “When does the point actually start? Well, the shot clock certainly stops once you’ve started your action or the movement.
“You throw the ball up, you’re about to serve and you’re like ‘Sorry, I’ll start that again’. That is the most ridiculous rule I think I’ve seen in any sport ever in the history of the universe, ever, ever, ever. It’s insane!”
Despite Cash’s frustration, Frances Tiafoe was penalised for taking advantage of this rule last year.
What else does Pat Cash believe must change in tennis?
This is not the only thing that Cash believes needs changing in tennis, with medical timeouts also a contentious topic in his view.
Cash believes that medical timeouts are taken advantage of, even using the word ‘cheating’ and has claimed that only certain things should require any intervention from a doctor or trainer.
“The second worst rule is this medical timeout rubbish,” continued Cash. “This is what should happen. Medical timeout…right you can’t have a medical timeout if you have loss of condition. In other words you are getting tired, you can’t stop and get a massage if you’re getting tired, so loss of condition.
“Any player that is in the fourth or the fifth set, man players, that is in the fourth or a fifth set is losing condition. So how can they come out and get a massage on their leg or their shoulder. Just ask the trainer, ‘What’s going on with this shoulder?’ or ‘This shoulder is tired’. Well that’s loss of condition, because your shoulder is tired because it’s been serving 140 miles an hour for the last three hours.
“Yeah it’s tired, loss of condition, no way unless you really role your ankle or something like that happens should you get a medical timeout. I would make it the third set for women and after the third set for men. No medical timeouts, stop the cheating, stop the momentum changing, we don’t have a half time in tennis (groans).”
Players including Jannik Sinner have been criticised for the use of medical timeouts, but it does not appear that there are currently any plans to change this.
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