Francis Tiafoe
Francis Tiafoe is among the new generation of players coming through on the ATP Tour. In this picture, Tiafoe returns to Spain's Fernando Verdasco during their men's singles first round match on the second day of the 2018 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 3, 2018. DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images

American tennis player Francis Tiafoe looks to have taken a slight dig at Rafael Nadal as the debate about the new 25-second shot clock rule that was recently introduced continues.

The new 25-second shot clock rule between points was debuted at the ongoing Washington Open this week, but the players have not been unanimous in accepting it. The rule was put in place to ensure there is no delay between points.

The 2018 U.S. Open will become the first Grand Slam event where the new rule will be used and there are a number of players that are against the new rule including Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

“In terms of the sport, depends. If you want to see a quick game without thinking, well done,” Nadal said earlier this year, as per Reuters. “If you want to keep playing in a sport that you need to think, you need to play with more tactics, you want to have long and good rallies, then of course you are going the wrong way.”

“But seems like sometimes is only about the business, so... I can’t support this, no. Because I don’t feel the matches that stay for the history of our sport went that quick.”

However, many of the younger players like Alexander Zverev and Tiafoe, as well as experienced campaigners Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka have also welcomed the change.

Zverev revealed that it will not a make a difference to him as he is one of the fastest players on the tour, while Tiafoe says it will speed things up as some players “take their time, move bottles around” between points. It became clear that he was talking about the world number one as it is no secret that the Spaniard is very particular about the position of his drink bottles during a game.

“It's good. I think it would be well to speed it up. Some guys definitely take their time, move bottles around. But long matches are still going to be long matches. The minute to walk on, I don't like that. I had to take my headphones off so I didn't get fined there,” Tiafoe said, as quoted on Tennis World USA.

“It's a positive change. It's one of those things in tennis that's so stupid. How are you supposed to count 25 seconds in your head?” Murray, who took part in the Washington Open before pulling out on Friday, said.

Kei Nishikori, however, was one of the players who criticized the 25-second shot clock rule after trialing it at the Washington tournament this week. The Japanese player said the new rule does not allow him time to think between serves.

“For myself, it's not going to be easy. I'm not going to have time to think much about where to put my serve. I won't have much time to think between the points and with the heat it's going to be a little bit tough,” Nishikori added.

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