ATP to enforce stringent rules for toilet breaks, medical time-outs from 2022 season

New York, Nov 24 (IANS) The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has announced a new set of rules from the next season onwards, which will speed up play and also ensure harmony on the tennis court when players take medical time-outs or toilet breaks.

As per the new rules, which will come into force from the first tournament of the 2022 season, players will not be allowed more than three minutes of toilet break and they may take a maximum of two minutes for a change of attire.

With competition getting tougher and players reportedly resorting to extended breaks to catch their breath, it sometimes leads to unsavoury incidents on court, with rivals fretting.

On Tuesday, ATP listed a set of do's and don'ts for the players and the maximum time they could be off court.

Players will now be allowed to take a maximum of three minutes once they have entered the toilet, while they will receive two minutes for a change of attire in addition to the three-minute toilet break.

The ATP said that the change of attire "may only be done in conjunction with a toilet break unless authorised by the Chair Umpire."

"A player may only take one toilet break per match. Toilet breaks can only be taken during a set break and that time violations will apply if a player is not ready within the allowed time," the ATP said in a statement.

On medical time-outs, the ATP said that a single three-minute time-out per match could be taken during a changeover or a set break only.

"If the player cannot continue to the next change of ends, he will forfeit the points required to get to that change of ends/set break."