Tennis to introduce ‘Stefanos Tsitsipas bathroom break rule’ following Greek’s lengthy loo visits?

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andy Murray post-match handshake

It may well be known as the “Stefanos Tsitsipas rule” in future as the Greek’s lengthy bathroom visits will result in a rule change ahead of the 2022 season, according to a report.

Tsitsipas made headlines for all the wrong reasons at the Cincinnati Masters and US Open over his extended toilet and medical timeout breaks.

At Cincinnati he not only enraged his opponent Alexander Zverev over the amount of time he took during a visit to the loo, but the German also suggested he took his phone with him to the bathroom.

A few weeks later he copped even more flak at the US Open as Andy Murray accused him of “cheating” following extended breaks with the former world No 1 later saying he “lost respect” for the world No 3.

Andy Murray taunts Stefanos Tsitsipas again as he is booed by US Open crowd for extended toilet break

Tsitsipas, of course, labelled the accusations against him as “completely false” and felt he had been made the villain “for no reason” while his coach Patrick Mouratoglou simply took a leaf out of world No 1 Djokovic’s book.

However, there were calls for a change to the rules with respected coach Toni Nadal saying stricter regulations are needed.

And the powers that be appear to have heeded those calls as it is being reported that there will be changes come 2022.

“There will be a change to the rules for bathroom breaks and on-court medical timeouts as well,” an ATP source told Reuters.

“I hope that before the next season begins in January, we will have a stricter rule when it comes to toilet breaks and medical timeouts.”

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