Refereeing Clip No.6

[seshadri]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us5hGans0XM

What's going on?!

[Deep Boast]

You're allowed to 'shape' to play the ball, follow it back and play it at the time of your choosing - if your opponent is still there then it's a stroke.

In this case though Shorbagy makes a definite attempt (whether he really meant to hit it or not), and you can't get a stroke on a second attempt, so the answer is let.

The refs got this one badly wrong, methinks ..........

[Hob Nob]

you can't get a stroke on a second attempt, so the answer is let.

Interesting, I never knew that!

I've seen it plenty of times before to hold the swing, let the opponent clatter into the racquet/ball/player & have a stroke awarded. You can really 'manufacture' an easy stroke from that situation, whether its ethically right or wrong is a whole other arguement.

I would have called a stroke on that, however, I stand corrected for not knowing the rules properly!

[off the wall]

Completely agree with deep boast.
Total mess by the refs. Was this the same match as the other mess?
Matthew must have wondered what was happening to him!

[Toby]

I think the refs got this right. Even if what deep boast says is correct, Shorbagy didn't make two attempts, so it's a moot point. He switched his positioning from backhand to forehand, and he moved the racquet in front of his body in doing so, but he didn't take a swipe at the ball. (I thought he did on first viewing, but after looking at it a few times I'm convinced he didn't.)

[D to the AN]

I have seen this done plenty of times and referees always give strokes and so would I. On the one hand I would be furious in Matthew's position, but what Shorbagy does isnt that easy to pull off to be honest. It is a bit like the opponent playing a bad shot and the other player holding the ball long enough for the opponent to run into. The fact is that there was no way Shorbagy could play the ball from there and there is no rule saying you have to play the ball right-away and I dont buy the second attempt thing: he never intended to play the shot right-away, pretending to do so was just a means of deception, so this was his first attempt.

Morally though this is questionable and Matthew seemed to have a word with Shorbagy at the end of the match - I am pretty sure he told him "well done, but those kind of strokes are not on, mate" - that is of course a total guess though

[gmandleydixon]

This is a clearly a let. Shorbaghy made to play the ball

[Squash Junkie]

Shorbaghy has made to play to the ball on the backhand side, then created interference by choosing to then play the ball on the forehand side. Of course this is not Mathews fault as in a split second he must decide where to move in order not to create any inteference.
A let in every case.
If Shorbaghy shapes to play the ball then steps back into Mathew, is that also a stroke? No because Shorbaghy is again the one creating the interference. Same rule and the same tactic used countless times by players which can often be awarded a cheap stroke.
The word "fishing" comes to mind every time I have seen this clip.

[NMC8]

I think shorbagy has suckured Matthew in to this. I think he has played a very clever point and earned the stroke.

I do believe shorbagy shaped for the first hit but when seeing matthew coming so far on to the T, baring in mind the ball is heading into the centre of the court, he realised that if he left it matthew was stranded centre court with the ball heading straight to him. By leaving it and turning to play the forehand he has forced the ref to give him a stroke.

Clever but not sure in the spirit!!!

nmc8

[seshadri]

This incident happened a couple of points after the collision [Ref Clip 2, I think] with Mathew, for which Mathew got a Let. Possibly, Shorbagy felt that he was denied a point that was rightfully his, and felt that it was poetic justice that he should get a Stroke when he only deserved a Let.
In both incidents, the right decision legally is not necessarily the right decision from the viewpoint of fairness or commonsense.
I don't think it's right to pass judgement on Shorbagy's sportsmanship based on just this match.

[NMC8]

Knowing that this incident happened a few points after the collision point helps with the actions of Shorbagy. I still feel that he won the stroke but do not draw any further conclusions to Shorbagy's sportsmanship, i simply draw my thoughts from his actions on this point.

nmc8