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Tennis introduces tactical timeouts

TACTICAL timeouts will be allowed in mixed-doubles matches at the ATP-WTA season-opening United Cup, organisers have said, calling it a world first for tennis.

The new rule will permit a player or captain to call a 60-second timeout to confer on strategy by pressing a large red buzzer in the team zone courtside. It can only be used while on serve, and not between first and second serves, with a maximum of one per team allowed during a match.

They will not be used during singles clashes.

โ€œTimeouts initiate a pause in play, itโ€™s a time for teams to discuss tactics and strategy and potentially change the momentum of a match,โ€ said United Cup tournament director Stephen Farrow.

โ€œWe are excited to see how the best tennis players in the world and their teams utilise this new tool.โ€

The 18-team United Cup kicks off the 2025 season from December 27 to January 5 in Perth and Sydney ahead of the Australian Open Grand Slam in Melbourne. Each team features three men and three women, with ties comprising one menโ€™s and one womenโ€™s singles and an often decisive mixed-doubles clash.

A host of the worldโ€™s top players have signed up, including Iga Swiatek and Alexander Zverev. โ€” AFP

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