Alcaraz Rips ATP for “Crazy” Rule Change

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, June 20, 2024
Photo credit: Matteo Villalba/Getty

The clock is ticking quicker on ATP players this week.

Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz is calling for a time-out on the ATP serve-clock policy ripping a recent rule change as “crazy.”

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This week in ATP events in Halle and Queen’s Club, the serve clock starts after the point ends.

Previously, the 25-second serve clock started after the chair umpire called out the score. Under the prior rule, chair umpires could provide players a few extra seconds of rest after marathon rallies by delaying announcing the score, which added a few more seconds.

It was not the result I wanted 🥲… Now it is time to think about Wimbledon! Congratulations @jackdraper0 for the win and good luck for the rest of the tournament 🤝🏻 @QueensTennis

📸 Getty pic.twitter.com/7ZFqKRHcHl

— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) June 20, 2024

In the aftermath of his 7-6(3), 6-3 loss to Jack Draper at Queen’s Club today, Alcaraz blasted the rule as “crazy” and said he intends to speak to ATP officials about it.  

“The chair umpire told me that it is a new rule, the clock never stops, after the point ends the clock starts,” Alcaraz told the media at Queen’s Club. I”t’s bad for the players.

“I finish the point at the net and I don’t have time to go for the balls. I’m not talking about going for the towel, no, no. I don’t even have time to go to the balls. It’s crazy. I’ve never seen it in tennis.”