By . Mike Dickson . Follow @@Mike_Dickson_DM . Roger Federer’s tone was polite but firm as he came off court on Thursday night and discussed the eternal irritant of the time players take between points. No names were mentioned, but he made it clear he feels umpires need to be more consistent in applying the rule which says that, at Grand Slams, only 20 seconds should be taken from one rally ending to another beginning. Lukas Rosol had complained about the leisurely pace of play from Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard is the player most associated with an issue that refuses to go away. It is only one of three areas in which players are breaking or stretching the regulations, and tennis officialdom is usually too weak to clamp down. Irritated: Roger Federer believes umpires need to clamp down on players taking too much time between points . The others are toilet breaks taken between sets — a spurious practice  now out of control — and grunting or yelping, which is not only a turn-off for audiences but sometimes a contravention of the general ‘hindrance’ rule. The application of regulations can be confusing. Smash your racket — an inanimate object — in frustration and you get fined. At Wimbledon, wearing an item of clothing that is not white is almost a hanging offence. Yet do something that is contrary to the letter or the spirit of the rules which gives you an edge and nobody does much about it. Let’s revisit what Federer said at this year’s Australian Open after losing to Nadal in the semi-final. ‘I’m not complaining much about the time but I’ve played him 33 times and he’s got two point penalties,’ said Federer. ‘We should all be judged the same way, not just a guy on Court 16 who you can give a time violation to just because you can. On Centre Court they’re always going to be afraid to take those decisions. I don’t want to complain all the time. I just hope they do their job correctly.’ He clearly feels that, on this issue, some are more equal than others. A recent, high-profile instance came in the women’s French Open final, where Maria Sharapova continually stalled her less experienced opponent Simona Halep. Waiting game: Rafael Nadal has a habit of taking his time while between points . Rules: Players are not allowed to do anything that causes a ¿hindrance¿ to their opponents . Only after two hours and 24 minutes did umpire Kader Nouni summon up the courage to issue a warning. Grunting or yelping is a greyer area, as some players — men and women — subconsciously resort to this when under extreme pressure. Yet there are those who use it as an established technique. Serbian Bojana Jovanovski, who hollers a lingering cry of something like ‘Ajjar!’ every time she hits the ball, is the worst offender. Opponents do not like to complain as they fear showing weakness, yet this practice is surely a ‘hindrance’ to the large majority of players. Hurry it up: Lukas Rosol (above) complained about the leisurely pace of play Nadal on Thursday . Time between points: 20 seconds allowed at Grand Slams, 25 seconds on regular tour events. Serial offenders include: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic,  Maria Sharapova. Solution: Introduce a hard and fast 25-second rule across the whole sport backed by a shot clock if necessary, with umpire discretion after long rallies. Grunting/yelping: Players are not allowed to do anything that causes a ‘hindrance’ to their opponents. Serial offenders include: Bojana Jovanovski, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka, Carlos Berlocq. Solution: Declare that, from 18 months hence, making a repeat noise on every shot is outlawed. Spurious comfort breaks: Visiting the toilet is allowed for genuine need, but is now nothing more than a commonplace tactic. Serial offenders: Too many to mention. Solution: Allow three bathroom breaks per season and thereafter charge donations to tour charities for each break taken. Jo Durie, Britain’s former world No 5, chuckled on Friday when asked about loo breaks, which most players assume as a right should they need to compose themselves or stall an opponent’s momentum. ‘I never once needed to go and I can’t remember other players doing it, either,’ she said. How about this as a solution — allow players three bathroom breaks per season and after that ask them to contribute $3,000 to charity every time they ‘need’ to go.
Roger Federer has discussed the irritation of players taking too much time between points .
Swiss star wants players to 'all be judged the same way'
Rafael Nadal is one of the worst culprits for time wasting .
By . Mike Dickson . Follow @@Mike_Dickson_DM . Roger Federer’s tone was polite but firm as he came off court on Thursday night and discussed the eternal irritant of the time players take between points. No names were mentioned, but he made it clear he feels umpires need to be more consistent in applying the rule which says that, at Grand Slams, only 20 seconds should be taken from one rally ending to another beginning. Lukas Rosol had complained about the leisurely pace of play from Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard is the player most associated with an issue that refuses to go away. It is only one of three areas in which players are breaking or stretching the regulations, and tennis officialdom is usually too weak to clamp down. Irritated: Roger Federer believes umpires need to clamp down on players taking too much time between points . The others are toilet breaks taken between sets — a spurious practice  now out of control — and grunting or yelping, which is not only a turn-off for audiences but sometimes a contravention of the general ‘hindrance’ rule. The application of regulations can be confusing. Smash your racket — an inanimate object — in frustration and you get fined. At Wimbledon, wearing an item of clothing that is not white is almost a hanging offence. Yet do something that is contrary to the letter or the spirit of the rules which gives you an edge and nobody does much about it. Let’s revisit what Federer said at this year’s Australian Open after losing to Nadal in the semi-final. ‘I’m not complaining much about the time but I’ve played him 33 times and he’s got two point penalties,’ said Federer. ‘We should all be judged the same way, not just a guy on Court 16 who you can give a time violation to just because you can. On Centre Court they’re always going to be afraid to take those decisions. I don’t want to complain all the time. I just hope they do their job correctly.’ He clearly feels that, on this issue, some are more equal than others. A recent, high-profile instance came in the women’s French Open final, where Maria Sharapova continually stalled her less experienced opponent Simona Halep. Waiting game: Rafael Nadal has a habit of taking his time while between points . Rules: Players are not allowed to do anything that causes a ¿hindrance¿ to their opponents . Only after two hours and 24 minutes did umpire Kader Nouni summon up the courage to issue a warning. Grunting or yelping is a greyer area, as some players — men and women — subconsciously resort to this when under extreme pressure. Yet there are those who use it as an established technique. Serbian Bojana Jovanovski, who hollers a lingering cry of something like ‘Ajjar!’ every time she hits the ball, is the worst offender. Opponents do not like to complain as they fear showing weakness, yet this practice is surely a ‘hindrance’ to the large majority of players. Hurry it up: Lukas Rosol (above) complained about the leisurely pace of play Nadal on Thursday . Time between points: 20 seconds allowed at Grand Slams, 25 seconds on regular tour events. Serial offenders include: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova. Solution: Introduce a hard and fast 25-second rule across the whole sport backed by a shot clock if necessary, with umpire discretion after long rallies. Grunting/yelping: Players are not allowed to do anything that causes a ‘hindrance’ to their opponents. Serial offenders include: Bojana Jovanovski, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka, Carlos Berlocq. Solution: Declare that, from 18 months hence, making a repeat noise on every shot is outlawed. Spurious comfort breaks: Visiting the toilet is allowed for genuine need, but is now nothing more than a commonplace tactic. Serial offenders: Too many to mention. Solution: Allow three bathroom breaks per season and thereafter charge donations to tour charities for each break taken. Jo Durie, Britain’s former world No 5, chuckled on Friday when asked about loo breaks, which most players assume as a right should they need to compose themselves or stall an opponent’s momentum. ‘I never once needed to go and I can’t remember other players doing it, either,’ she said. How about this as a solution — allow players three bathroom breaks per season and after that ask them to contribute $3,000 to charity every time they ‘need’ to go.
play from Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard is the taking too much time between points . The others said Federer. ‘We should all be judged the same ‘hindrance’ to the large majority of players.