Patrick Mouratoglou sees no need for video replays in tennis

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  • Into Week 2: Williams and Mouratoglou.

    Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams’ coach, believes tennis does not require a video review system to aid umpires and that Hawk-Eye is sufficient to solve the majority of disputed calls.

    Ex-world No1 Victoria Azarenka had called for the introduction of video replay after the Belarusian received a poor call from umpire Kader Nouni while facing a set point during her third round defeat to Williams on Saturday.

    A correct Azarenka shot was called out, but it was late and Williams had already netted her response. But Nouni elected to replay the point rather than award Azarenka the point, which would have seen her save the set point.

    The world No27 was fuming in her post-match press conference and said video replay could prevent such terrible calls.

    Williams also agreed saying: “I think that would be really cool, because sometimes you may or may not foot fault, and that instant replay on that foot fault. And obviously other things, as well. I think it could definitely not only be fun for the fans, but as well be helpful for the players to have that kind of instant replay thing. I think that’s a really great idea.”

    But Mouratoglou disagrees and thinks it would slow down the game.

    “I think it’s a big deal for nothing yesterday, come on,” he told Sport360. “No I don’t think it’s a good idea. First of all there are almost no cases where you need it, because the Hawk-Eye answers 90 per cent of the problems. And I think it would slow down the game too much. Because if we start to replay, we’re going to be waiting too much.

    “How many times does this happen? Not once every 10 matches. In soccer you have 10 mistakes per match. Sometimes and most of the time there is one goal that isn’t a real goal because they don’t have the proper video replay. So in this case 100 per cent they need video. In our sport, thanks to Hawk-Eye there almost no mistakes anymore.”

    Williams, the top seed in Paris, faces Sloane Stephens in the fourth round on Monday. Stephens is playing in the last 16 for a fourth consecutive year and Mouratoglou believes her game is perfect for clay.

    She’s moving very well, which is an important thing on clay,” he said. “She spins the ball really well, she’s very loose, has fast hands and the ball is really bouncing. She finds a way to make the ball turn a lot. She has two of the things that are important to be good and efficient on clay.”

    Williams has had a mixed first week, needing three sets to get through her previous two matches.

    “She definitely had ups and downs. I think her elbow is fine now. The good thing is that she can only do better,” added Mouratoglou.

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