'Cheating' scandal 'should have been dealt with'

2 years ago 290

Australian tennis large Todd Woodbridge says there's nary mode to warrant the magnitude of the bath breaks taken by Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The contented exploded during Tsitsipas' first circular triumph implicit Andy Murray astatine the US Open, with the Scot saying he'd "lost respect" for the fig 3 seed, who astatine 1 signifier took an 8 infinitesimal toilet break. At 1 constituent Murray accused Tsitsipas of "cheating", though helium aboriginal backed distant from those claims.

Murray said aft the lucifer helium expected Tsitsipas to employment specified tactics, noting that it was openly discussed successful the locker country that the Greek prima took vantage of the rules.

"I complaint him a lot. I deliberation he's a superb player. I deliberation he's large for the game. But I person zero clip for that worldly astatine all, and I mislaid respect for him," Murray said.

Woodbridge conceded that portion Tsitsipas hadn't done thing illegal, the crippled needed to ace down connected the issue.

"I don't deliberation there's immoderate mode to warrant what he's done. He's played wrong the rules, but the rules request to beryllium changed," Woodbridge told Wide World of Sports.

"It's fascinating that this has been highlighted by Tsitsipas, due to the fact that this is not new. It's thing that has been blatantly overused connected the WTA Tour for years.

"It's absorbing that it's taken 1 of the men to person utilized the regularisation to their vantage to item the issue."

Woodbridge said he's expecting the governing assemblage to instrumentality a basal connected the issue, but questioned wherefore the occupation hadn't been sorted retired earlier now.

"It volition beryllium the catalyst for change, but this should person been dealt with by the WTA years ago, and yet the ITF, who oversee the rules of the game," helium said.

"It tin easy beryllium adjusted, players person ever adjusted to caller rules, similar changeable clocks and shorter warm-ups.

"If you request to spell and alteration your kit, which is fundamentally what Tsitsipas is doing, you should beryllium capable to bash that successful 3 minutes, it doesn't instrumentality 8 minutes to alteration your garment and shorts and socks."

Alexander Zverev went a measurement further than simply complaining astir the magnitude of clip Tsitsipas was taking, accusing Tsitsipas of receiving coaching via substance messages during bath breaks, an allegation dismissed by manager Patrick Mouratoglou.

"First of all, it's important to accidental it's not cheating," helium told ESPN.

"When you play by the rules, it's not cheating. Of course, he's not taking his phone, this is wholly ridiculous.

"Most of the clip helium doesn't adjacent person his telephone with him, helium leaves the telephone astatine the edifice due to the fact that he's not connected societal media, and he's not funny successful those things."

Mouratoglou denied the breaks were a maneuver to disrupt Tsitsipas' opponents.

"What does helium do? Simple, helium needs to reset," helium explained.

"I tin recognize that players don't similar it, I wholly understand, and possibly if I was playing against him I would besides beryllium annoyed. But again, helium doesn't bash that to annoy the opponent, helium does it due to the fact that it is bully for him.

"When Rafa takes a batch of clip betwixt the serves, helium doesn't bash that to annoy the opponent, helium does it due to the fact that it's bully for him. Players bash what is bully for them, they don't bash it to annoy the different players.

"Is it excessively long? It's astir apt excessively long. The ATP has to marque a rule, truthful it's 3 minutes, oregon 5 minutes, and each the players person to instrumentality to that."

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