Milos Raonic Is In Favor Of An NBA-Style 25-Second Shot Clock

by Tom Gainey | June 20th, 2015, 10:06 am
  • 24 Comments

Milos Raonic agrees that the inconsistency in the application of the 25-second serve rule is an issue in tennis, and he would like to make it as black and white as possible.

Speaking after a 3-set loss yesterday in the Queen’s quarterfinals to Gilles Simon, the Canadian wasn’t against the idea of a 25 second shot clock to monitor time between serves.

“We have a 25‑second rule,” Raonic said. “Everybody plays within the same guidelines, and there are some moments that I just wish the umpires would be strict with it. I think it should be almost like having an NBA shot clock in a way. 25 seconds, you pass it, call it. No judgment, nothing.


“I don’t know if you necessarily need it,” he said of the clock, but I think if you sort of are very strict with it from the beginning, players will learn by habit what is 25 seconds. You know, people will adjust their routines to make it in that time, and somebody can be all willing if they want.

“If they feel like they need more time, you can give up a serve and take 50 seconds, because technically once you get called out you have another full 25 seconds. But I think it should be a rule that’s black and white and not sort of play it in a big gray area if it’s in the books.”

Raonic made the Wimbledon semifinals last year, but this year will go in a little undercooked after foot surgery last month. But he looks forward to the event.

“I’m competing really well,” Raonic said. “I have taken the time, over this time that I couldn’t play, I think I have improved my mental side significantly and I have given myself more tools to use. I just needed my body to catch up a little bit, and therefore, I think I can do great at Wimbledon.”


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24 Comments for Milos Raonic Is In Favor Of An NBA-Style 25-Second Shot Clock

skeezer Says:

Time rule; preach it Milos!!

June 20th, 2015 at 10:10 am


Giles Says:

Hey Milos, you’re not entitled to make these comments simply because you do not play tennis as such, all you have is serve, serve, serve and more serve. One of the most boring players ever. Ask Lubi to teach you some ground strokes.

June 20th, 2015 at 10:18 am


Okiegal Says:

I have been preaching for the toot-toot horn myself, but nobody’s listening!! Of course, I’m just a lowly Okie from Muskogee…..What do I know?? LOL C’mon Rafa…..speed it up!!

June 20th, 2015 at 10:25 am


skeezer Says:

@Giles,
He’s entitled. He actually plays on tour atm and is the 8th ranked player in the world. You?

June 20th, 2015 at 10:39 am


Giles Says:

^^^ And you? Do you actually play tennis or just toot Fed’s horn???

June 20th, 2015 at 10:56 am


Skeezer Says:

^both.

June 20th, 2015 at 11:12 am


Giles Says:

^^^ Nah, you just toot the horn.

June 20th, 2015 at 11:20 am


Okiegal Says:

Is it my toot-toot he’s tooting??…..or the Braggart McTaggart horn?? :)

June 20th, 2015 at 12:11 pm


Tennis Fan Says:

Absolutely, this should have been implemented long ago. Tired of watching Nadal bounce to ball 50 times. If you can’t deliver a serve in 25 seconds you don’t deserve to be on tour.

June 20th, 2015 at 12:33 pm


Tennis Fan Says:

Fitness is part of tennis and a shot clock would force players to play within the rules and take the decision away from umpires afraid of the top ranked players

June 20th, 2015 at 12:35 pm


Humble Rafa Says:

If they put a shot clock, they better allow me to choose my own umpire, ball boys & girls and the draw to even it for Humble people.

June 20th, 2015 at 3:14 pm


Seth Says:

I don’t know about how well an actual clock would work, but they do need to be more stringent about enforcing the time rule. And they need to enforce it early in the matches against the most egregious violators (looking at you, Nadal and Sharapova) instead of waiting til a break point at the business end of a set, which provokes a typically angry response from the player in question. If the umps enforce it from the beginning of the match, it will help set the tone and the expectation from there on out.

June 20th, 2015 at 3:26 pm


skeezer Says:

^ who says thats not happening now?

June 20th, 2015 at 3:29 pm


Gordon Says:

@Humble Rafa – now THAT was funny. :)

@Giles – what happened to you as a child for you to be so bitter and insulting? To players and to posters in here. Hell, even to the administrators. You are a triple threat of negativity. Man!

June 20th, 2015 at 3:30 pm


Giles Says:

Hey Gordon. Better get me arrested then, eh? Lighten up old man!

June 20th, 2015 at 3:35 pm


KatH Says:

Milos – good to have a certain amount of self-confidence – but he sounds like he’s not being properly appreciated – ah well, he’s young – and possibly feels he is entitled, or something. Can’t quite figure him out. Would prefer he let his tennis do the talking – and it probably will – eventually.

June 20th, 2015 at 4:21 pm


M Says:

@Tennis Fan – I always think it’s so interesting that Rafa gets the most press about the whole thing.

But you know who takes just as much time to serve as he does?

Novak.

June 20th, 2015 at 9:37 pm


Okiegal Says:

The officials are not strict from the onset of the match, Seth is right! I have timed Rafa’s serve myself……He starts taking too much time from the get go. I say clock him the first time he does it, but they don’t. They let him get by with it for awhile and then decide to call him out on it at a crucial moment in the match. The way they are handing this is obvious….

June 20th, 2015 at 11:04 pm


Okiegal Says:

@M…..You are so right about Novak….he’s the KOB. Once at the USO, I counted 24 bounces! But having said that, he’s so much better than he used to be and so is Rafa. Old habits are hard to break…..

June 20th, 2015 at 11:13 pm


Seth Says:

One of the many things that, for me, makes watching Federer a pleasure is his quick pace of play. It’s so refreshing not to have to wait the better part of a minute in between points. Cuts right to the chase, that guy.

June 20th, 2015 at 11:31 pm


Alexandra Says:

I say, put the clock on the court and Raonic will see that he is not the fastest either out there. Or better, let robots play instead of humans.

People who think only Nadal and Sharapova are offenders will be in for a suprise.

June 21st, 2015 at 8:59 am


Okiegal Says:

@Alexandra……People who think Nadal and Sharapova etc….. You are so right….Nadal is targeted more than anyone else…..it’s obvious…..

June 21st, 2015 at 9:17 am


Tennis Fan Says:

Raonic isn’t saying he is the fastest to serve between points, he is saying that if they have a rule that says you must serve wihin 25 seconds then either enforce it ( and the best way is with a shot clock for (fraiddy pants umps) or take the rule out.

Why does a player get to ignore the rule and pay no penalty? … this is one of the annoying things about tennis today … the players that abuse the time between points and the ATP is afraid to enforce their own rule??

June 21st, 2015 at 10:13 am


elina Says:

I for one would absolutely love to see a 25 second shot clock (20 seconds at slams).

It would be an absolute farce.

Well over half the players would have a dozen or more violations.

And it wouldn’t only be called on one player on break points.

Bring it on indeed!

June 22nd, 2015 at 9:58 pm

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