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Wednesday, March 26, 2014

True Champions Always Want The Scoring To Be Right






Djokovic beats Murray in Sony Open quarterfinals


Associated Press

Li Na of China, serves to Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 26, 2014 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
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KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) — Novak Djokovic benefited from an erroneous call and claimed he didn't realize he had broken the rules. When Andy Murray walked to the net and challenged him about it, Djokovic responded with a shrug and a sheepish smile.
Murray lost the dispute, and the match. The pivotal ruling against the defending champion helped Djokovic win 7-5, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Sony Open.
The point in question occurred at the start of the 12th game, with Murray serving at 5-6. Djokovic charged forward to volley a short ball and hit it for a winner.
Murray argued — and TV replays confirmed — he should have be awarded the point because Djokovic's racket was on the far side of the net when he hit the ball. Chair umpire Damian Steiner declined to change his call, and such rulings can't be appealed for video review.
An irritated Murray briefly discussed the matter with Djokovic.
"I went and asked Novak, and he told me he was over the net," Murray said.
"Look, it might be my mistake," Djokovic said. "I think I crossed the net with the racket. I didn't touch the net. Maybe the rule is that you are not allowed to pass on his side with the racket. I'm not sure. You tell me."
That is indeed the rule. Djokovic said that if he had understood it correctly, he would have conceded the point.
A flustered Murray committed unforced backhand errors on the next three points to lose the game and the set.
"Obviously, that distracted him mentally, and after that he gave the set away," Djokovic said.
Murray took a lead in the second set but lost the final four games and the last 12 points. Afterward, he downplayed the bad call.
"I'm not angry," he said. "It maybe had a slight bearing on that game, but I was still up a break in the second set."
Djokovic, bidding for his fourth Key Biscayne title, will play Friday against the winner of the match Wednesday night between Roger Federer and Kei Nishikori.
Li Na became the first Chinese woman to reach the Key Biscayne semifinals when she beat Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 7-5. Li's opponent Thursday night will be Dominika Cibulkova, who erased three match points in the second set — one when a call was overturned via replay — and beat Agnieszka Radwanska 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
Six-time champion Serena Williams will play five-time runner-up Maria Sharapova in the other women's semifinal. Williams has beaten Sharapova 14 consecutive times.
Murray won the Key Biscayne title in 2009 and 2013 but wasn't at his best against Djokovic. The Scotsman committed five double-faults and 32 unforced errors, including a flurry down the stretch.
He took a 3-2 lead in the second set with his only service break, then double-faulted twice to give it right back.
But it all might have been different if not for the call that made one point stand out from the other 125. Djokovic had won praise for his sportsmanship when he conceded a point following an erroneous call in his match Tuesday, but against good friend Murray, he left the verdict to the umpire.
A sideline reporter told Murray that TV replays showed he was correct about the call, and during the ensuing changeover he questioned Steiner.
"His racket was over the net," Murray said. "It's quite clear. You can see it on the replay."
"I have to make a decision at the moment," Steiner replied.
Any hard feelings on Murray's part didn't carry over after the match, when he shook hands with Djokovic and Steiner.
"It's a hard one for the umpire to call," Murray said. "Just frustrating."
And Djokovic said the call was the umpire's to make.
"It's not my fault," he said. "I mean, I was never lying on the court. I always try to be fair to whoever I play against."

52 CommentsMy Comments

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  • Eric 40 minutes ago
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    From ITF Rule book:

    Rule #:

    24. PLAYER LOSES POINT
    The point is lost if:

    h. The player hits the ball before it has passed the net (into his/her own side of the court).

    25. A GOOD RETURN
    It is a good return if:

    e. The player’s racket passes over the net after hitting the ball on the player’s
    own side of the net and the ball hits the ground in the correct court

    There is ONE exception to above rules. If player A hits a shot over the net towards player B, and the ball, after bouncing, due to a factor such as spin or wind, travels backward over the net TOWARDS player A, then player B can reach over the net to strike the ball on PLAYER A's side of the net. However, player B may NOT touch the net with his/her racket, clothing, or a body part in doing this.
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  • Irwin 43 minutes ago
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    The rules are very straighforward. You can cross over the net with your racket provided that you made initial contact with the ball on your side of the net -- that's legal. If you make initial contact with the ball on the other side of the net, then that's clearly against the rules. The umpire is in the very best position to see this. I haven't seen the match yet, and don't know if Djokovic made initial contact with the ball on his side of the net or on Murray's side of the net; so, someone please tell me, what did Djokovic do -- initial contact on his side or Murray's side of tne net? All the comments I read talk about Djokovic crossing over the net, but again, that's not the main issue - the main issue is where he made initial contact with the ball.

    And I agree with 2 other comments made: 1. That Djokovic looked like a great sportsman when he conceded a point to a player he was definitely going to beat, but apparently, didn't think twice about taking the point in the match with Murray on a decision that the umpire missed, and that he's pretty sour when he loses; and 2. Murray is a whiner -- when he misses a shot, he whines to his box as though some extraterrestrial evil force has decended upon him and is picking on him -- what a victim, although he has grown up a little over the years -- he needs to be more like his coach Ivan Lendl, who just went about the business of playing tennis - no muss, no fuss, no complaining -- no victim mentality -- some people didn't like Lendl's sterile approach to playing tennis -- I loved the fact that he was such a workhorse and didn't blame anyone for anything -- he didn't grunt, didn't whine -- he just played the game and dominated!

    All of today's players need to take lessons from Federer -- now HE'S a class act!! Talent -- grunt-free -- an incredible ambassador for our sport and for all sports -- he is timelss and will leave a legacy that has not been seen since Rod Laver.
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  • Bb 13 minutes ago
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    There was no way Murray was going to win today, regardless, which is why doing the right thing and properly conceding the point would have been both harmless to Mr. Djokovic and endeared him to tennis fans as a sportsmanlike gesture.
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  • Jane 1 hour ago
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    I wish I was there (Key Biscayne Florida) sunshine and warmth and great games to see the whoe thing!
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  • Tri N 57 minutes ago
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    $$$. Someone please tell me ASAP .

    I'm in central time zone. What's the channel show the match between Federer and Nishikori ?
    I've been checking on Tennis Chanel , ESPN but no luck .

    Thanks .
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  • Not_a_Sheeple 44 minutes ago
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    This article is obviously heavily biased against Novak. Even in sports, AP has to rear their ugly head and do a propaganda piece against someone they obviously don't like. Regardless of that so called " controversial " point, Novak would have won the match. The AP writer knows there are so many anti-Djokovic punks on Yahoo, they are feeding into a frenzy. Any excuse to exclude Novak from the news or tarnish him even when he wins. I will be writing AP again to let them know that they are busted.
    AP = Arrogant Pricks = Apostate Pigs
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  • Jim 1 hour ago
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    Murray really needs to get control of his brat-like emotions, and having long conversations with his racket too before it starts talking back. As for Novak, he knows the rules. Seriously? "You tell me"? He knows better and he knows it would put cry-baby Murray into a tissy. This is what some folks here call a good sportsman. Not
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  • Neil 1 hour ago
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    Murray is a very talented tennis player but if he doesn't learn how to control his hot temper it will be very difficult for him to win titles. He has a very short fuse!
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  • lynwood 1 hour ago
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    Oh my god. Murray lost. Let's invade Serbia again
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  • Ceeoren 1 hour ago
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    If the umpire does not know the rule or he was obviously inattentive, he should not be in the pool. In fact,he should be bared forever.Ths is not just a mistake but an egregious b blunder. With so much money at stake, friendship has no play and sportsmanship rises only when generosity will not affect the result!
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