After Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon Controversy, What’s a Hindrance Call in Tennis and Could It Affect the Serb During the Final Against Carlos Alcaraz?

Wimbledon has shown us great matches this season. With many underdogs triumphing over big players, the action has come non-stop. The tournament is about to come to a wrap. While there have been several fantastic matches, not all matches have proceeded without controversial incidents. The first semifinal between Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner saw a small argument from the Serb. He suffered a code violation for hindering his opponent. Although it didn’t affect the overall result of the match, it led to a tense exchange between the Serb and the chair umpire. Could we see something similar in the final, considering both Djokovic and Alcaraz are some of the loudest grunters in the men’s circuit?

Know what ‘Hindrance Call’ in tennis means

In the simplest terms, a hindrance means anything that can disrupt a return from the opponent, which is not in their control. The US Tennis Association defines a hindrance as “A hindrance refers to a situation in which a player is hindered from making a shot by anything that is not within the player’s control other than a permanent fixture or a spectator’s outcry.”

The ATP Tour has a similar definition of a hindrance. As per them, “A hindrance may result (1) from a corrected call by an official or (2) from an inadvertent event that occurs on-court“.

Several kinds of hindrances have been defined in tennis. Talking while the point is in play, outside noises such as the phone ringing, and body movements with the intention to distract the opponent and causing an injury to your opponent are the most common examples. Another example of a hindrance is grunting. While grunting is usually a non-issue, the chair umpire can decide if a grunt has become a hindrance. It was this variant that affected the Serbian star in his semifinal match.

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Anyone who watches Novak Djokovic has become used to his grunts as he hits a shot. While unoffensive, he recently received a code violation for a hindrance. During his match against Jannik Sinner, Djokovic led comfortably in the second set. As he rushed to pick a ball at the corner of the baseline, he grunted a little while after the ball left his side.

Sinner returned the shot, and it seemed that the point would continue. However, the Djoker was given a violation for the grunt. The Serbian player was unhappy about the situation and argued with the chair umpire, Richard Haigh. He also dropped down to his knees before he asked the umpire, “What are you doing?” The call from the umpire even baffled the commentators, and even Djokovic felt that it could’ve changed the course of the match.

Will the controversial hindrance call affect Novak Djokovic in the final against Carlos Alcaraz?

After the hindrance call, Djokovic underwent another violation for taking too long to serve. In the post-match conference, Djokovic said the call bothered him and made him a little nervous. Regardless, he still emerged triumphant over Sinner. Now, he has prepared himself to face Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the tournament. 

While he became nervous during the match, the call will not likely have a long-lasting effect on Djokovic. Time and again, he has shown a calm mind in the face of endless difficulties. Roger Federer had a championship point against the 23-time grand slam champion in the 2019 Wimbledon. Djokovic did not lose his cool and came back to win another Wimbledon. All signs point to an enthralling match between the top two players in the ATP rankings. 

Who are you backing to take home the title?

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