ATP to introduce limited bathroom breaks in 2022 on the back of Stefanos Tsitsipas controversy
Bathroom breaks will be limited to one per player per match on the ATP Tour from the 2022 season onwards while the stoppage will also be timed in future.
Lengthy toilet visits became a hot topic in tennis this year after Stefanos Tsitsipas took multiple extended breaks at the Cincinnati Masters and US Open.
In Cincinnati he was criticised by Alexander Zverev with the German also accusing him of taking his cellphone with him to the toilet while at Flushing Meadows Andy Murray was left unimpressed by his antics and admitted he lost “respect” for the Greek.
Toni Nadal calls for stricter rules after Stefanos Tsitsipas’ bathroom breaks, saying Greek didn’t act ‘fair’
On the back of the criticism, the ATP trialled shorter bathroom breaks at the recently concluded Next Gen Finals in Milan and it is set to be introduced on the ATP Tour next season.
Players will be allowed only one bathroom break per match, which can only be taken at the end of a set, and it will be limited to a maximum of three minutes.
The clock will start the countdown once a player reaches the bathroom and a time violation will be enforced if the individual goes over the time limit.
The break, though, can be extended by two minutes if a player changes clothing.
There will also be changes to the medical timeout rule as players will in future only be allowed to take them at the changeover or at the end of a set. Those who can’t wait until the break will have to forfeit their points.
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