Alex de Minaur wants tennis to introduce stricter serving rules, proposing a clock between first and second serves and a penalty for players who abandon a bad ball toss. The Australian shared his ideas after defeating Rei Sakamoto 7-6, 6-4 at the Shanghai Masters, arguing that the changes could reduce unnecessary delays and help keep matches moving.
The world No. 8 believes players sometimes take too much time between serves and use an unsatisfactory toss as an opportunity to restart their entire routine. His second proposal would remove that option, requiring players to attempt the serve once they throw the ball. Under his suggested rule, abandoning the delivery would count as a fault.
De Minaur's comments come amid ongoing discussions about match duration and the time players spend preparing to serve. Professional tennis already operates with a 25-second clock between points, but there is no separate countdown specifically governing the interval between first and second serves.
The Australian's suggestions emerged during a positive stretch in Asia, where he has been encouraged by his recent level of play. After retiring from the China Open final in Beijing because of an adductor injury, he has returned to competition in Shanghai and advanced to the fourth round, where he will face Karen Khachanov.
De Minaur wants a one-toss rule
Asked whether he would support introducing a clock between first and second serves to accelerate matches, De Minaur agreed with the proposal. He believes it would prevent players from taking additional time after missing their first delivery and help maintain a more consistent rhythm throughout matches.
“Between first and second? Yeah, that's fine. I think, ultimately, you would get away from people trying to take a little bit more time in between first serve and second,” De Minaur said in press conference.
However, the Australian's more distinctive proposal concerns the ball toss itself. Players regularly catch or abandon a toss they consider unsuitable before beginning their serving motion again. De Minaur believes that should no longer be permitted once the ball has been thrown, even if the player feels the toss was not ideal.
“I've said this for a long time now, I think one of the things I would say personally is I would have only one ball toss. So, once you throw the ball, you got to serve, no matter what. If you decide not to, it's a fault,” he explained.
De Minaur argued that the rule would prevent players from using a poor toss to restart their preparation and effectively buy themselves more time before serving. He believes it would be a useful addition to the regulations, although his suggestion remains a personal opinion rather than an officially proposed change to the rulebook.
“Once they're about to serve, and they have a bad ball toss, they get to restart their routine again. So I would say that's another personal opinion that I think would be a good addition,” he added.
De Minaur finds momentum in Shanghai
The comments followed De Minaur's 7-6, 6-4 victory over Sakamoto, which secured his place in the fourth round. The result marked an encouraging return after his injury retirement in Beijing, where he had reached the China Open final before being forced to stop against Novak Djokovic.
De Minaur was also asked about having several fellow Australians in his corner for his Shanghai debut, including Lleyton Hewitt, Hewitt's son Cruz and former top-30 Jordan Thompson. He appreciated their support and said it was great to see Cruz regularly joining the tour.
“Yeah, it's been amazing. I mean, it's been so great. We've been hanging out together," De minaur said. "It's great to see, you know, Cruz on tour regularly now. It's a pretty cool feeling."
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The Australian added that he was pleased with his tennis and felt that his performances had improved over the past couple of weeks. “It's been a couple really good weeks in Asia, where I feel like I played some great tennis. I'm very happy with where I'm at on the court,” he said.
De Minaur will next face Khachanov as he pursues a deeper run at the Masters 1000 event and valuable points in the race for the ATP Finals. His immediate focus remains on competition, but his proposed changes could spark a wider debate about serving routines, time management and the pace of professional tennis.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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