※本文感謝國際網球白牌裁判陳致中翻譯自2013年開始，ITF男子賽事將實行修訂的時間違規規則，下列問與答及指導方針提供裁判長及主審參考使用，以協助賽事順利進行。背景ITF於2012年終通過關於分與分之

※本文感謝國際網球白牌裁判陳致中翻譯

自2013年開始，ITF男子賽事將實行修訂的時間違規規則，下列問與答及指導方針提供裁判長及主審參考使用，以協助賽事順利進行。

背景
ITF於2012年終通過關於分與分之間時間違規罰則的修定，並在2013年的ITF Mens Pro Circuit賽事開始實行，此項修正旨在提供主審控制分與分之間時間的工具。

規則
發球員應等待接球員準備好後才可發球，然而接球員也必須在合理的時間內，隨著發球員的節奏準備接球，若接球員的行為延誤發球員的合理節奏，即使在20秒時間結束前亦可以時間違規罰之。

無論發球員或接球員的首次違規皆處以時間違規警告之處罰，後續違規則視違規者為發球員或接球員，而有下列之不同的處罰：
‧ 發球員：時間違規之處罰為該次發球”發球失誤”。
‧ 接球員：時間違規之處罰為”罰分”，接球員也必須在合理的時間內，隨著發球員的節奏準備接球。若接球員的行為延誤發球員的合理節奏，即使在20秒時間結束前亦可以時間違規罰之，若接球員持續或明顯地延誤發球員，則可用”缺乏運動道德”的行為準則違規罰之。

規則意指無論是發球員或接球員第一次時間違規皆為警告，第二次則為”發球失誤”(發球員)或是”失分”(接球員)。

註：第二次時間違規時，身份為發球員或是接球員的處罰不同，舉例來說，A球員首先因未於20秒內發球而受到警告；不久後，主審認為他未隨著發球員的節奏準備接球，此次即為第二次時間違規且需處罰失分。

目標是主審得以確實控制分與分之間的時間，因此自2013年開始，ITF Mens Pro Circuit的賽事中會嚴格執行20秒的規則。當然若是發生球員無法控制的情形而造成延遲時，主審仍需視狀況處理，但重點是需嚴格且確實執行規則。

問與答：
問 - 發球員第二次時間違規，因此受到第一發球”發球失誤”的處罰。第二發球先被線審呼叫出界但立即改判，因此主審判定此分重賽。請問應該是第一發球，或是先前的”發球失誤”仍屬有效？
答 – 以上兩種判決或許皆可執行；但ITF決定最為公平的解釋是，該分重賽時意指一分從頭開始比賽，因此應由第一發球開始。

問 – 何種賽事適用此修定規則？
答 – 目前此規則適用於ITF Mens Pro Circuit、ATP World Tour、及ATP Challenger Tour三種賽事。

問 – 是否考慮直接在球場上安裝眾人可見的時鐘？
答 – ITF曾經考慮過此項作法，但重點在於主審必需保有視狀況處理外來因素的能力。此次規則修定之目標是提供主審一項更為有效的工具，以確保比賽在指定的時間內進行。

問 – 若是場上配置球僮服務，若由於球僮遞送毛巾造成延遲應如何處置？
答 – 由於遞送毛巾的服務並非球僮職責，因此不可視為延遲時間的合法理由，球僮遞送毛巾僅為禮貌性服務，球員使用毛巾時需注意時間以免逾時。

問 – 請問發球員是否有權要求所有的球集中在發球邊？請問此種要求是否合法？
答 – 由於使用兩顆球即可進行比賽，所以發球員無權要求所有的球皆集中在發球邊。話雖如此，若是發球員動作夠快，仍是可以在允許的時間內迅速檢查並挑選欲使用的球。

問 – 接球員是否只要在20秒內準備好接球即可？
答 – 否，接球員必須配合發球員的節奏準備接球。

問 – 接球員在20秒結束前可能會時間違規嗎？若會的話，處罰為何？
答 - 是。接球員可能會受到時間違規”警告"的處罰，若是第二次時間違規的處罰則為”失分”。若主審認為有違反運動員精神的情形時，則應以”缺乏運動道德”的行為違規處罰，而非時間違規。

問 – 主審在執行處罰前，是否應先給予球員” 口頭”警告？
答 – 否，主審可在球員接近超過時間時，利用局末換邊時提醒其注意，但比賽中超過時間時，不會先給予”口頭”警告。

問 – 當對戰時間較長的一分結束且觀眾反應激烈時，主審應如何處置？
答 – 這正是ITF不願在球場上設置時鐘的原因，如此主審才能視狀況處置。但這不代表在時間較長的一分結束時，便允許球員逾時。主審需判斷觀眾的反應是否確實造成延遲。

Background
At the end of 2012 the ITF approved a change in the penalty associated with time between points for all ITF Mens Pro Circuit Events from 2013. The purpose of this initiative was to give the chair umpires a better tool for enforcing the time between points.

Rule
The server shall not server until the receiver is ready. However, the receiver shall play to the reasonable pace of the server and shall be ready to receive within a reasonable time of the server being ready. A Time Violation may be issued prior to the expiration of twenty (20) seconds if the receiver’s actions are delaying the reasonable pace of the server.

The first violation of this Section as either server or receiver shall be penalised by a Time Violation warning and each subsequent violation as either server or receiver shall be penalised as follows:
‧ Server The Time Violation shall result in a “fault”
‧ Receiver The Time Violation shall result in a “point penalty”. The receiver must also play to the reasonable pace of the server. A Time Violation may be issued in this case prior to the expiration of twenty (20) seconds if the receiver’s actions are delaying the reasonable pace of the server. Assess a code violation if the receiver is consistently or obviously delaying the server, thus employing “Unsportsmanlike Conduct”.

The rule means that a player can get one warning as either Server or Receiver. The second time it’s either loss of Serve (as Server) or loss of Point (as Receiver)

Note: A second time violation occurs when a player who has received a prior warning as either the server or receiver is issued another time violation as either server or receiver. Example is Player A had received a warning for not serving within the 20 second limit; later, as receiver, Player A is deemed to not be playing to the reasonable pace of the server. This would be considered a second violation and a point penalty would be issued.

The goal is that the time between points should be strictly enforced by the chair umpire. Therefore, from 2013 players should expect much tighter enforcement of the 20 second rule at all ITF Mens Pro Circuit Events. Of course there will still be judgment involved for example when outside factors, not in the players control, affects the ability to play within the allotted time but overall the instructions to the chair umpires will be strict and consistent enforcement.

Questions & Answers:
Q – The server has received his 2nd Time Violation and has been penalized with a “fault”. He puts the 2nd serve in play and then there is a corrected out call by a line umpire that results in the point being replayed. Is this a first serve or does the “fault” penalty remain in effect?
A – This could be debated both ways; however we have determined that the fairest interpretation is that when the point has to be replayed – the whole point must be replayed and a first service is therefore awarded.

Q – Which events will be implementing this change?
A – At this time only the ITF Mens Pro Circuit Events, ATP World Tour and ATP Challenger Tour events has adopted this change.

Q – Why not just put a clock on the court for all to see?
A – This has been considered, however we feel it is important that the Chair Umpire retain the ability to use judgment when outside forces cause a delay. The change to the rule is meant to be a more effective tool for the chair umpire to use in order to keep the match moving within the allotted time.

Q – Should there be any ball kids on court, what if the ball kid is then slow bringing a towel to the player?
A – Providing towel service to the players is not the job of the ball kid and it cannot be used as a legitimate excuse for going over the time limit. Ball kids bring towels as a courtesy. Players who use the towel often will need to adjust their timing so that they are not going over the time limit.

Q – May the Server demand to have all balls at his end of the court? Is this a legitimate reason for extending the time?
A – Only 2 balls are needed to start the point. It is not a player’s right to have all balls at his end of the court at all times. Having said that, if done within the allotted time, a player may make a quick check before selecting the balls to use for that point.

Q – Does the Receiver have 20 seconds to get ready?
A – No. The Receiver must play to the reasonable pace of the Server.

Q – Can the Receiver get a Time Violation before the 20 seconds expires? What is the penalty?
A – Yes. The Receiver could get a Time Violation Warning, or if it is his second Time Violation then a point penalty would be awarded. If the Chair Umpire felt that gamesmanship was involved then he could issue a Code Violation for Unsportsmanlike Conduct instead of a Time Violation.

Q – Doesn’t the Chair Umpire have to give the player a “soft” warning before he starts issuing penalties?
A – No. However, the Chair Umpires will try to alert the player on a changeover if he is getting close to going over the limit but a player going over the time during a game does not get a “soft” warning first.

Q – What if there is a very long point and there is crowd reaction?
A – That is why we do not want a clock on the court – so the Chair Umpire can use some judgment. This does not mean that after every long point the players may go over the time, it is the judgment of the Chair Umpire as to when the crowd is causing the delay.