By DPA
Melbourne : Tennis into the wee hours of the morning will be a thing of the past at this year’s Australian Open as officials call time on truly late finishes.
In 2007, due mainly to a day of delay provoked by the tournament’s extreme heat policy, American Bobby Reynolds and Italian Andreas Seppi finally got off court at a record-breaking 3:34 a.m. in a match that began shortly before midnight.
In 2008, a new rule will all but ban the start of matches after 11 p.m., subject to approval of the referee. But a window of flexibility will still be allowed on show courts if necessary.
Working into the small hours is hard on players and not much fun for lines judges, officials and ball kids, not to mention hundreds of overnight tournament support staff.
“We’ve instituted is an 11 p.m. curfew time, meaning that we don’t have any intention of putting a match on after 11 (pm),” said director Craig Tiley.
“However, it’s at the referee’s discretion. The referee may to decide to start someone at 11:15 – it’s still close enough to 11 o’clock. Once we get past 11 o’clock, then we start to have issues with our tournament staff, fans and players.”
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Ljubicic says gambling bans on Italians don’t fit the crime
ATP Player Council President Ivan Ljubicic believes that the bans handed down last year to three Italian players for small tennis wagers don’t fit the crime.
Potito Starace, Alessio Di Mauro and Daniele Bracciali were bundled out of the game for up to nine months in Bracciale’s case for betting on matches – none involving themselves – played during past seasons.
“What they did was stupid,” said Ljubicic. “But to be suspended nine months because you put a few euros on a match on the other side of the world is a bit too aggressive.
“I think they paid too high a price. It was too heavy. But they didn’t follow the rules, and that’s what they got.”