Did Dima hide his serves at the WTGF

Leeman Harrington Asked 6 years ago

In his Rnd. of 16 match against Koki Niwa, it seems that Dima hid a few of his pendulum serves with his free hand.

While he usually tucks in that left arm chicken-wing style, a few times he seemed let it linger. Here's what I mean. I'm not saying they won him the match, as he is in impeccable form anyway. It's just that I count maybe 3 instances of it where he is not called on it.

I'm a Dima fan myself, and I'm all for giving him the benefit of the doubt--sometimes I forget to pull the arm away on a high toss serve too--but at his level, three times is a lot.

What are your thoughts?

Alois Rosario Answered 6 years ago

Hi Leeman,

Yes it certainly looks like in that serve his arm is still in the way.  Players are still not perfect with this by any means.

I think it is difficult for the umpire to be watching this especially if he is only doing it sometimes.  I think it goes back to the problem with the rule.  It is difficult to enforce.