what is the umpire playing at?

**amleto** · 05-05-2011, 06:42 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMu1t...e_gdata_player

About 7min. LYD Receives but isn't ready, however, he dollies the bird back to the server who collects the shuttle. Technically the server faults.

The umpire doesn't give let. He doesn't give Lyd the point. He awards the point to the server!!

Can anyone explain this?

**visor** · 05-05-2011, 07:09 PM

lyd was at fault for delaying and interupting the flow

both he and jjs were distracted with the game in the next court, then when the server was about to serve, lyd put up his hand to indicate he's not ready yet, then he puts it down and appears ready... and then he puts his hand up again when the serve is delivered.

**CantSmashThis** · 05-05-2011, 07:18 PM

There's only 2 reasons I can find to fault the LYD in that case. Either he is called for a receiver fault because he moved before the service started AND attempted a return, so that does not warrant a let. If he let the bird drop, it would be a let. Like the umpire in the video said, he's not supposed to return the shuttle.

The other reason I would see is that neither side should cause undue delay to the delivery of the service once the receiver and server are ready. On completion of the backward movement of the server's racket head, and then LYD putting his hand up, is considered an undue delay, which results in a fault.

**alexh** · 05-06-2011, 02:39 AM

After watching the video, I'm very confused. The umpire seems to be saying "you have to leave the shuttle" (the audio isn't good enough for me to be sure). That is, LYD can't claim he wasn't ready, because he played a return. But if that's the case, then the rally is supposed to continue. The server didn't hit the shuttle back, but caught it.

It would make sense if the fault were for causing undue delay. But the umpire appears to be saying something different.

**Vicky Chips** · 05-06-2011, 02:47 AM

If the receiver is not ready, he is not supposed to react to the service.

"9.4 The server shall not serve before the receiver is ready. However, the receiver shall be considered to have been ready if a return of the service is attempted."

By returning the shuttle he "attempted" a service return.

***kwun*** · 05-06-2011, 03:03 AM

LYD if not ready, should have just left the shuttle alone. the fact that he hits the shuttle back to the server indicates to the umpire that he was ready to receive the shuttle.

players when not ready, should not touch the shuttle and just let it drop.

**CantSmashThis** · 05-06-2011, 03:07 AM

Originally Posted by kwun

LYD if not ready, should have just left the shuttle alone. the fact that he hits the shuttle back to the server indicates to the umpire that he was ready to receive the shuttle.

players when not ready, should not touch the shuttle and just let it drop.

But at that instant, would the rally not continue? I would understand why it would stop, but there is clearly nothing in the rule book that states that because he returned the service, it's a fault. It just states that if he returns it, he is deemed ready, which would mean that the rally would continue.

**krysser** · 05-06-2011, 03:12 AM

The umpire is correct, in that if LYD isn't ready he shouldn't return the shuttle but leave it, since he is returning it he must be ready, but at the same time he is indicating with his hand that he isn't ready, therefor rule 13.4.5 comes into play.
The correct thing for the umpire would be to call a fault on LYD and therefor the point goes to the server.

13.4.5 deliberately distracts an opponent by any action such as shouting or making gestures

/Krysser

**visor** · 05-06-2011, 03:18 AM

Cantsmashthis,

Agreed. In that case, not only is the umpire wrong, but the tournament referee is also wrong. Not to mention useless.

***kwun*** · 05-06-2011, 03:29 AM

i think LYD's objection then is, if the rally continues, and his opponent catches the shuttle. then the opponent should lose the rally instead of him.

but at the same time, Krysser has a point. he could've been ruled to distract the opponent to make him thinks like he is not ready.

tough call, this one.

**visor** · 05-06-2011, 04:06 AM

Both LYD and the server were ready to replay a let immediately after in the right court. The server even has a surprised smile wondering how the umpire made his decision.

**krysser** · 05-06-2011, 07:29 AM

Yes and in smaller and youth tournaments there would have been a chance that the umpire would have called a let, and told the player that if he/she weren't ready they should not hit the shuttle as a part of teaching the player the rules, but this is a Grand Prix Gold tournament and the players should know better.
The calling is by the book no question about that.

**CantSmashThis** · 05-06-2011, 01:25 PM

My friend umpire says he would have just called a let. He thinks that the umpire made a mistake in calling it, and the referee had to stick with what has been called.

I will ask for some feedback on this from other top umpires in America next week at Boston Open. I will relay you guys what they tell me by next week. I really see no reason why LYD should be faulted in this case.

**visor** · 05-06-2011, 03:41 PM

^^
I looked at the video again carefully, and you'll see that the umpire was looking on all the while the Korean pair was getting distracted by the game in the next court. Then when lyd was preparing to receive, he had his hand up. Then he put his hand down indicating he was ready, and then he changes his mind and put his hand up again. But by this time, the server did not see lyd and was intently looking down on the shuttle and completed his serve.

So the umpire called fault on lyd for touching the shuttle if he wasn't ready to receive, he could also fault him for undue delay for receiving. As cantsmashthis mentions, being a world pro player, lyd should know the rules already, that you don't attempt to receive if you say you're not ready.

**2wheels04** · 05-06-2011, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by visor

Cantsmashthis,

Agreed. In that case, not only is the umpire wrong, but the tournament referee is also wrong. Not to mention useless.

I would not go that far as calling useless, just think, if that call was not made, you would not have responded the way you did. Be that as it may, from what happened at 6-all in Game 2, the easiest and least controversial option would have been calling a let.

Be that as it may, since the let was not called, if I was in the high chair, I must now go by the book and award the point to the yellow team.

Why? I hear you ask.

Yellow played a legal shot with his racquet to return the serve, the shuttle came over the net to black (the server) who hit the shuttle and then caught it with his hand. Fault! Service Over, 7-6, Yellow. And then get ready with asbestos vest as Black heats up and explodes. This will be in complete accordance with the laws. The argument Black will have is that he was distracted by Yellow's hand signal, but still served. No matter, he caught the shuttle, thence a fault.

In the situation of calling "Let" as soon as the shuttle was served, or even as late as the weak return by receiver, I would have called both the server and receiver and instruct them something like, Fellows, Play must be continuous, You Yellow, you must be ready to receive when the server is ready to serve, You Black, you wait for the receiver to be ready. If you have problems, let me know. Okay Chaps, no more of this, get back in position, and play. Something on these lines, it takes about 6 seconds max, unlike the situation that happened on court, where play was delayed from minute 7:11 to 10:00.

Sometimes, it is in the best interests of the game to take the least controversial option, and there are always options available without being creative.

**alexh** · 05-06-2011, 07:38 PM

The biggest problem I have with this is that the umpire doesn't even call a fault. He just calls the score as 7-6. If he's faulting LYD for causing a delay or for distracting the server, then he should be saying the word "fault" as soon as LYD's hand comes up the second time. The way it happened, it's really unclear why the umpire is awarding a point to the server.

**krysser** · 05-08-2011, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by 2wheels04

Yellow played a legal shot with his racquet to return the serve, the shuttle came over the net to black (the server) who hit the shuttle and then caught it with his hand. Fault! Service Over, 7-6, Yellow. And then get ready with asbestos vest as Black heats up and explodes. This will be in complete accordance with the laws. The argument Black will have is that he was distracted by Yellow's hand signal, but still served. No matter, he caught the shuttle, thence a fault.

Hmm yes yellow played a legal shot with his racket, but distracted black when he signaled his wasn't ready, and thereby breaking rule 13.4.5.
I agree that the umpire should have called "fault" on yellow for breaking this rule.
It is no excuse not knowing the rules as a player at that level.

BTW I think the umpire is actually a BWF certified umpire and have umpired all major tournaments even the Olympics as far as I remember.

/Krysser