Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/905944
maltatoday WEDNESDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2017 Sport 21 TENNIS FORMULA 1 Australian Open to feature 25-second shot-clocks PLAYERS will have an addi- tional five seconds between points at next year's Austral- ian Open but time-wasters will have nowhere to hide thanks to the introduction of shot- clocks. The Grand Slam Board, re- sponsible for the rules at the four majors, confirmed yester- day that the Australian Open's request to raise the time from 20 to 25 seconds and strictly enforce it with an electronic shot-clock had been accepted. The three other slams will also allow 25 seconds, bring- ing them into line with regular Tour events, but are not cur- rently scheduled to have shot- clocks. A two-day rules meet- ing of the Grand Slam Board in London also agreed to limit pre-match warm-ups to five minutes. Another rule change, which could drastically alter the com- plexion of majors draws, could also be in place in 2019, with the number of seeds limited to 16 instead of the current 32. This year's four slams will still have 32 seeds. The length of time between points has been a cause of consternation in the sport and while increasing the period allowed appears counterin- tuitive, shot-clocks will take the decision over whether to penalise a slow player out of the umpire's hands. Currently it is down to the discretion of the official but the inconsist- ency in enforcing it has caused problems. The 25-second shot-clock was used in the US Open qual- ifying event this year and also at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan earlier this month. The Grand Slam Board said in a statement that the serv- ing-time changes had been agreed unanimously. Speeding up the game and cutting out "dead time" has been a priority for the men's ATP Tour. ATP chief executive Chris Kermode, who praised the shot-clock innovation in Mi- lan, believes the five-minute pre-match warmup is still too long. American player Jared Donaldson said before the Milan tournament: "The five- minute warmup maybe is re- dundant and doesn't necessar- ily need to take place. Maybe as soon as you walk on court you have five minutes to get ready." The Australian Open will be more specific than the current grey area, allocating players one minute to walk on and be ready for the umpire's briefing at the net, followed by a five- minute knock-up, plus one minute to prepare for the first point. Those not ready to play with- in the permitted time could face fines of $20,000 (£15,117). Williams deny Kubica deal is done WILLIA MS are talking to Robert Kubica about the Pol- ish driver making a come- back with them next season but a decision has yet to be made on a replacement for Felipe Massa, the Formula One team said yesterday. Responding to media re- ports that a deal had been done, Williams said no driv- er announcement was immi- nent. "Although conversations are ongoing with Kubica, it is still yet to be finally decided who will replace Massa," they said in a statement. "We will make an an- nouncement when we have something to announce but nothing is planned this week- end in Abu Dhabi." Sunday's race at Yas Marina is the last of the season, with Brazilian Massa saying fare- well to the sport he entered in 2002. Canadian teenager Lance Stroll is certain to stay with the former world cham- pions but a handful of driv- ers are in the frame to replace Massa. They include the 32-year- old Kubica, who is bidding to return after a seven-year absence. The Pole partially severed his right forearm in an hor- rific 2011 crash during a rally he entered for fun before the start of that Formula One season, and there are linger- ing doubts about his arm movement. However, the Pole has twice tested a 2014 Williams car, after failing to secure a seat at Renault, and is being rep- resented by retired 2016 world champion and former Williams driver Nico Ros- berg. He could also take part in a tyre test in Abu Dhabi with Williams next week, although the team have yet to confirm that. Massa and Stroll will take part in all the grand prix practice sessions. A race winner in Canada with BMW-Sauber in 2008, Kubica has plenty of fans and admirers within the sport – including Mercedes' four- times world champion Lewis Hamilton. Other contenders for the Williams seat are the team's British reserve driver Paul di Resta, Russian Daniil Kv yat and Germany's Pascal Wehrlein. Robert Kubica