Hello Tennis Fans. Hope you are enjoying a summer of great tennis! Today I'm not showing a video about how to improve your game via a better serve, back hand, forehand, etc... Today I'm going to ask a question about tennis commentators. First of all let me just say I like tennis commentary particularly when the commentator has played at the pro level and can give constructive criticism as to the game being played, telling the viewer proper technique the player used during a point, how to best approach the net, and so forth. Commentator's have helped me understand strategy, helped me improve my swing, and get over some of my fear on the court. So what's my question you're probably thinking right now? if you care at all; well here it is:
Why do some tennis commentator's besmirch official calls during a match? I'm not talking about obvious wrong calls or late calls, but calls that are correct but come at "key times" in the match. I've never been an official of a match but I have to imagine it's not that simple. First of all the chair umpire has the responsibility of an entire match - that means all the ball kids (or people), players, lines people, keeping track of points, and so on. It's a pretty hefty job I would say - plus the official has to make sure that the rules are being followed by the lines people and players.
Now that I've laid the frame work for my question, I'll give some examples that seem to bewilder talking heads during a match. I've seen line calls made by either a lines person or an overrule by the chair on a line call during an intense part of a match usually in the final set of a very intense game where an out call will be called and the television personality will complain and say, that call shouldn't be made in such a critical part of play because it screws with the mind of the players (or something to that general affect). So if out calls shouldn't be made at certain times of the game shouldn't the lines people get to take a break from the sun and go inside and take a coffee and bathroom break and leave the players to their own devices? let the players make their own calls since and official should just stay out of it.
I was just watching the French Open the other day and the chair ruled that Nadal was taking too long to serve and McEnroe was upset that the chair stepped in and administered the more then 20 second warning...It apparently was unfair to enforce this rule at this juncture of the match. I don't understand when rules should and shouldn't be applied. I thought rules were relevant through the whole game and not just portions of it. Maybe there should be a rule book about when rules apply and when they don't or maybe we should just change the rule book to be a suggestion book of possible applications when deemed necessary to the game. I know that sounds stupid but I think some of the comments are goofy; or maybe commentators just have to say something even if it doesn't make sense.
Another complaint I always here about is the Let Call Machine. The machine beeps during the match then the server (and T.V. commentators) are upset that the chair called a let, because the ball clearly Did Not Touch The Net. So I'm guessing if the chair decides not to call a let because he or she (again the chair person) saw that the ball didn't make contact with the net than the receiver would then be complaining that, "the chair wasn't doing their job, that the Let Machine went off and even if the ball didn't touch the net the let machine caused a hinderance, So Why Wasn't A Let Called?" and the commentator's would than be saying, "...what was the chair thinking, didn't the chair hear the BEEP!?" It just seems like the officials can't win for losing sometimes.
I'd be curious what those of you out there think. Just let me know by Clicking Here. You don't have to agree with me, maybe I'm just too closed minded. Thanks for reading and maybe I'll hear from you soon. - TennisFan
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