An unusual rules scenario arose during last weekend’s French Open semi-final match between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. Early on in the third set, Alcaraz started cramping immediately after losing the second game. (I actually think he started cramping much earlier in the match, but this is when it became so bad that he could not reasonably continue.) The scenario is useful for highlighting some of the more subtle aspects of the rules.
The four Grand Slam tournaments are played under a special rulebook that applies to only those events. Consequently, what this post describes is not necessarily applicable to the other tournaments on the professional tour, ITF tour, and USTA-sanctioned events. In other words, asserting that a rule scenario you saw on TV applies during a USTA League match is a generally bad idea.
The Grand Slam Rulebook is highly descriptive about medical timeouts. Consequently, this is a rare situation where it is the only rulebook referenced for the entirety of this post. If the Grand Slam Rulebook were silent on this issue, then the ITF Rules of Tennis would have been the only applicable guidance. The ATP and WTA have their own rulebooks. The USTA’s Friend at Court is what specifies rules for play in sanctioned matches in the United States.
Curiously enough, Medical Time-Outs for muscle cramping are not permitted during a Grand Slam tournament. In fact, the rulebook is explicitly clear on that point.
Muscle Cramping: A player may receive treatment for muscle cramping only during the time allotted for change of ends and/or set breaks. Players may not receive a Medical Time-Out for muscle cramping.
2023 Official Grand Slam Rulebook, Article I.W.3.c (Excerpt)
It was universally understood that Alcaraz was cramping and widely reported that a Medical Time-Out was granted. However, that was not what actually transpired in the match.
If the player cannot continue playing due to severe muscle cramping, as determined by the Sports Physiotherapist and/or Tournament Doctor, he/she may forfeit the point(s)/game(s) needed to get to a change of ends or set-break in order to receive treatment. There may be a total of two (2) full change of ends treatments for muscle cramping in a match, not necessarily consecutive.
2023 Official Grand Slam Rulebook, Article I.W.3.c (Excerpt)
I rewatched the entirety of the sequence from when the cramp occurred through the conclusion of the initial treatment and resumption of play. The conversations between the chair umpire, the tournament supervisor, the physio, and Alcaraz were consistent and clear that it was a cramping situation. To be absolutely sure, I also timed the length of the treatment which ran for one minute and 15 seconds following physio diagnosis. The rules for cramping were followed precisely.
The spectators of the match did not understand that Alcaraz had conceded the points to get him to the changeover so he could receive treatment. It was not a penalty assessed by the officials. In fact, it is clear from the replay that the points were not conceded until the official diagnosis by the physio was completed.
If the diagnosis had been anything other than cramping, a Medical Time-Out could have been granted and there would have been no need to concede the points in order to get to a changeover. That is also explicit in the rules.
The Medical Time- Out takes place during a change over or set break, unless the Sports Physiotherapist determines that the player has developed an acute medical condition that requires immediate medical treatment.
2023 Official Grand Slam Rulebook, Article I.W.3.c (Excerpt)
If Alcaraz had rolled his ankle and it required taping for the match to continue, he could have received treatment and resumed the match without conceding the points. Cramping is not an acute medical condition that is eligible for medical treatment at all. While a player may be treated for cramping during changeovers, that does not qualify as a Medical Time -Out.
During this Alcaraz-Djokovic match, the applicable rules were precisely followed. However, it is important to remember that what transpired ONLY applies to Grand Slam tournaments. Had the same situation occurred during an ATP tour event, none of the rules excerpted and highlighted in this post apply at all.
In other words, don’t try to apply the same logic to your USTA league and tournament matches.
- 2023 Official Grand Slam Rulebook, International Tennis Federation, downloaded June 10, 2023.
- Tension of the first two sets caused cramping in entire body, Alcaraz says, Karoloss Grohmann, Reuters, June 9, 2023.
