US Open players could choose to skip warm-ups
By Howard Fendrich NEW YORK >> Given how well Roger Federer had been playing at the U.S. Open, and given that he went into his quarterfinal with an unbeaten record against the guy he was facing, it’s not as if he needed any extra edge. Still, if Federer did want to employ a bit of gamesmanship, he could have tried to rattle his opponent by declining to participate in the usual on-court warmup.
Federer wasn’t going to do that when he played Grigor Dimitrov on Tuesday, of course. But he could have. Without any punishment.
That’s because, as Federer himself noted during an interview with The Associated Press this season, players are not required to take part in the five-minute pre-match warmup seen at every professional tennis tournament, Grand Slam or otherwise.
“I could just walk in and say, ‘I’m OK. I’m ready.’ And then the other guy has ... to scramble and try to find somebody to warm up with on that court,” Federer said with a mischievous smile, his eyes wide and eyebrows raised. “Imagine that. What a scene! It would be so weird. That doesn’t happen; it’s like a gentleman’s agreement that you just do it.”
He is right, of course: That preparation period is not mandatory.
“There’s nothing in the rules,” explained the U.S. Open’s chief umpire, Jake Garner, “that says you have to do it.”
He confirmed everything else Federer said, too, including that if one player declines to join in, the other is allowed to hand a racket to pretty much anyone he or she wanted as a replacement. Doesn’t even have to be a coach or regular hitting partner, because nothing’s been written down to account for exactly how to handle that situation.
“If this started to be an issue, we would legislate,” said Gayle David Bradshaw, executive vice president for rules and competition at the ATP men’s tour.
For now, even if not codified, the five-minute warmup is as much a part of what happens before a match at Flushing Meadows — or anywhere else, really — as the coin toss or the player introductions.
It follows a familiar script. Groundstrokes exchanged from the baselines; one player, then the other, moves closer to the net and gets fed balls for volleys, then overheads; both players practice serves and, sometimes, returns.
In sum, foes help each other get ready to try to beat each other right before play begins, an unusual sight at the highest levels of sports.
“I know it’s not required,” 2017 U.S. Open runner-up Madison Keys said, “but I can’t imagine anyone deciding not to do it.”
Federer made the point that the whole thing is somewhat superfluous, anyway, because players always go to a practice court to work up a sweat before heading to their match court.
It’s not as if they need to loosen up again immediately before competing.
“I feel,” Federer said, “like we could get rid of that entirely.”
That’s what the NCAA did for college tennis matches.
“How about just playing?” he suggested, “A big announcement in the stadium: ‘Roger’s coming in.’ ‘This guy’s coming in.’ ‘Please welcome So-and-So.’ But then the match starts right away.”