Carlos Alcaraz hits out at tennis chiefs over ‘crazy’ rule change

QUEEN’S CLUB — Carlos Alcaraz says he will complain to the professional tennis tour (ATP) over a “crazy” rule change that is being trialled at Queen’s this week.

Alcaraz, 21, was handed his first defeat on grass in nearly two years on Tuesday, beaten in straight sets by British No 1 Jack Draper.

As well as being outplayed by Drpaer, reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz tangled with umpire Mohamed Lahyani in the first set over the time he was being given between points.

The ATP has been running a rules trial for the last 10 days where the 25-second “shot clock” starts automatically three seconds after the previous point. Players can be warned and eventually docked a point if they do not start serving before the clock expires.

Ask if he felt rushed during the match, Alcaraz said: “Yeah, absolutely.

“I think for the player it is something bad. I finish the point at the net, and I had no time to ask for the balls. I have time just to ask for two balls and no bounces.

“I have never seen something like that in tennis. If you play a long point or finish at the net, you [should] have time just to go for a towel or [do] your routine: ask for, in my case, four balls, I’m concentrating for the next point, just bouncing my bounces, and serve as best as I can.

“Today I felt like I was in a rush all the time. I had no time to bounce and do my routine. Of course it’s something bad for the players.”

i understands a meeting took place at the Queen’s Club this week with players to discuss the trial, but they were informed of the trial by email two weeks ago, before tournaments in s-Hertogenbosch and Stuttgart, and Alcaraz confirmed he would be submitting a complaint to the ATP after the match.

An even more stringent set of timing rules is being trialled in the doubles tournament, where the shot clock is down to just 15 seconds instead of the 25 afforded to singles players. Once a set, players are allowed to call for a 10-second extension.

“There’s no time to talk tactics,” one player in the Queen’s draw, who asked to remain anonymous, told i.

“You need that time between points to talk in doubles and instead there’s barely time to say ‘well done’, never mind decide what to do.”

At change of ends, teams are only allowed 40 seconds before “time” is called, creating problems for stewards trying to to get spectators into seats between games.

Another player added: “I don’t know anyone that likes it, even the fans on court were complaining about it.”

Before Queen’s, tournament director and professional doubles player Jamie Murray said: “I’m excited to see the ATP continue to try to test ways to figure out things to try to improve the doubles product and unlock more value for all the different stakeholders: players, fans, tournaments, streaming, TV and broadcasters.

“We were excited to be a part of that and hopefully, it’s a positive experience for the players and fans that are coming to watch it at Queen’s this week.”