| ID |
Question |
|
| 450 |
We have a team that played in a usta league and was tied for first with team 2 and 3. We played team 2 and won. Team 3 was supposed to play team 4, but team 4 defaulted all 5 courts to team 3 thereby handing them the win. the local coordinator made us go to a playoff, doing nothing about the default situation. our local rules give her all the power to determine what to do. We believe the last 3 matches played by team 4 (against all other teams) should have been void to be fair. We would have taken first place. For advice, our coordinator went to the last person who had her job, and had been fired for making up fake match scores. Why does the usta allow one person such discretion and how can this be fair? If we want to hand a win to another team next year (if we are not in contention of course), should we be allowed to default all our courts to make it easy for them??? |
|
| 449 |
does the ground surface affect the height of a tennis ball when it has been bounced on concrete
|
|
| 448 |
what time is allowed in between serves in a game |
|
| 447 |
Match Situation: The opponent is serving and announces the score is 15-30. I am returning the serve for a clean winner. The score should now be 15-40. The oppenent announces that she called the scores wrong before her serve and it should have been 30-15 instead of 15-30. Now she wants to serve at 30-30. My team insists that the score should be 15-40. What's the ruling? |
|
| 446 |
How did Wimbledon determine seeds for mixed doubles? |
|
| 445 |
How do tournaments choose a lucky looser? |
|
| 444 |
A ball rolled from 2 courts over to our court while we were in the middle of a point. It rolled near the net and it did not affect the play. That player called a let, my partner called a let I hit the ball anyway and it was out. The other team yelled at us saying that the let was called after I hit the ball. I definitely heard it from both players and saw the ball rolling. The ball didn't interfere with the way I hit the ball, but the commotion did. I gave them the point because of the fit they threw. Who was really right? Can someone from 2 courts down call a let? |
|
| 443 |
I think what the person in 440 is asking is a ball considered good or in if no part of the ball hit the ground within bounds but the ball landed close enough to the line that the edge of the ball fell on top of the line, though never touching it. |
|
| 442 |
If both sides agree that the net is higher than regulation, but there is no way to lower the net, what are the options? |
|
| 441 |
Sequel to 440. I had read the answers to all queries and found them very illuminating, but unhappily enough this reply is not very satisfactory. Of course we settled the point very amicably (I gave in), we are still friends and we will continue to play. But we were both hoping for a geometrical explanation, not a diplomatic solution or another laugh like the one about the pheasant. The linesmen on the receiving end don't have to respect a Code, but a rule, I believe. So is the ball good if the downward vertical projection of its circumference is seen touching or overlapping the white line, or is the rule different? When Hawk Eye shows the line and the ball just touching, which part of the ball is meant by the edge of the black oval mark? I'm a German living in Italy, so that explains why I'm so troublesome. |
|
| 440 |
Great site, really amusing, Surprising how serious this game can get.
My question, for which I can't find satisfying answer:
On clay courts the ball mark is clear and one can see when a ball is on or off the line. But on hard courts and carpet, how does one know? I thought I hit an ace when I saw that the circumference of the ball seemingly touched or was just overlapping the centre line. My partner disputed this because on the bounce he was obviously able to see part of the other court half beyond the centre line, claiming that the part of the ball which effectively touched the ground was out. It is clearly a matter of perspective. If my partner is correct, a serve which is 30%, 40%, or theoretically even up to 49% on the line (the impact point, not considering deformationm, being on the perpendicular through the ball centre ) should be considered out, seen from the server's viewpoint. On clay courts the mark is indeed only made by the deformed part of the ball, but I don't see how this can be applied to other surfaces which don't leave a sign. Which is the right interpretation? |
|
| 439 |
Is it legal to eat something stinky, like fish and chips, during a changeover? |
|
| 438 |
follow up to question 73
The side nets are temporary on our indoor courts.
IWhen attempting a return I could have hit the ball but the net got in the way so I hit the ball as it rolled down the net...we played out the point as I got the ball over the net...was that a legal point ? |
|
| 437 |
Is reaching over the net to hit a volley a call that you must make against yourself? For example, what if your opponent was at the baseline and claimed you reached over the net to hit the volley? |
|
| 436 |
You hit a forehand volley near the net; the ball is struck inside the court but the racquet crossed the net line during the follow through and completion of the shot; is this legal? |
|
| 427 |
Say a first serve is out yet the returning player hits the ball back to the serving side. If the server feels like the ball is in a spot where the server (or the server’s doubles partner) may step on the ball and the server must take more than a few seconds to retrieve the ball, does this constitute a “delay” according to the “Code”. The “Code” states that if the receiver causes a delay then the server is entitled to two serves (another first serve).
Thanks |
|
| 426 |
In doubles, can a pair switch the serving order in a new set? |
|
| 425 |
With bases loaded & the infeild playing up, Batter hits a ball under ss glove who never touch the ball, runner on 2B gets hit with ball as she pass by on her way to 3B. Ump calls dead ball runner is out. Is this good call? |
|
| 424 |
why is the net higher on the outsides than in the middle? |
|
| 423 |
What are the rules for a tennis player who decided to walked off the tennis court during the first set (2-4) of the match without permission to go get water. |
|
| 422 |
In doubles, the server throws the ball up and announces the wrong score. Can the opposing team call a let?
Can the opposing team announce the score for the other team? |
|
| 421 |
how long should my tennis raket be i'm 36 and i'm 6ft, 3 |
|
| 420 |
we were playing call the pocket but you have to hit your own ball first my friend used the eight ball to hit his ball in and the eight ball hit my ball first and then his ball went in where he called it we play the eight is nuetral is the shot good or bad hit |
|
| 419 |
how high is a tennis net |
|
| 418 |
How many more times do you think people will ask you how high the net should be? Oy vey... |
|
| 417 |
In refrence to question 327... If the person yells "watch out" to his partner but not with intent to distract thier oponent, does the hinderence rule still apply? I often; not yelling; but verbalize things like "alley" or "up" to give guidance to my partner. Can my opponent claim I was hindering him after he misses a shot? |
|
| 416 |
how hight net from ground
|
|
| 415 |
Is there a minimum height requirement for the ceiling or light posts in an indoor court? |
|
| 414 |
When a player breaks a racket in frustration, can the opposition request a warning or penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, or is that solely at the discretion of an official? |
|
| 413 |
Unable to find a decent court, the three of us resorted to playing on a hard concrete court which had several cracks running through it. My return of a serve hit the crack and the opponent called interference and said we had to replay the point. In this instance, it was a crack in the surface. Does he have the right to replay the point? What about other non permanent items on the court such as debris (sticks, leaves, etc) Thank you. |
|
| 412 |
When returning if I hit the ball with my racquet first then the ball touches my arm, but still still goes over the net and inside the lines who wins the point?
Thanks |
|
| 410 |
If someone serves to you and your string breaks on the return who gets the point
|
|
| 409 |
I know that if you hit the ball with so much backspin that it comes back to your side after bouncing on your opponents side then you win the point. I also know that this is the only scenario in which your opponent can reach over the net to hit the ball. However, what if your opponent reaches over the net to hit the ball, and hits the ball into the net (the ball doesn't bouce on the court)? |
|
| 405 |
After hitting a first serve fault into the net, the server walked to the net to pick up the bal to clear the court. On his way back to the base line for his second serve, a ball from an adjacent court was now in his path. Without breaking his stride, server pushed ball back to the adjacent court and proclaimed with glee that he was now entitled to two serves. Was the server correct or should it have been the second serve because the ball didn't delay the game or interfere with play. Thanks. |
|
| 402 |
Follow-up on Question 4o1:
I guess the point is over once the ball had bounced on the court. Correct? |
|
| 401 |
If i hit a ball with enough backspin to make it bounce back onto my side of the court without my opponent touching, but i touched it accidentally when it came back, who wins the point? |
|
| 400 |
my friends and i were playing a game. i got to the net and my opponent was right in front of me. i did an overhead and it was too fast for him to respond to it, so it hit his should and bounced back on my side by accident. who wins the point? |
|
| 399 |
During a changeover, is it legal to jump over the net? |
|
| 397 |
what is a double bagel |
|
| 396 |
is it legal to hit a shot AROUND the net |
|
| 395 |
Can a volley be hit on your opponents side of the court? ie. the ball has not reached your courtspace yet, and you have reached over the net to hit the ball even before it has crossed the net. |
|
| 391 |
During a tennis match I returned the ball, into my opponents court with enough backspin to come back across the net to my court. My opponent never hit the ball, who gets the point? I said I did because my opponent never made contact. My opponent disagreed. |
|
| 390 |
how high is tinnis net |
|
| 389 |
In doubles, person 1 served, then person 2 served, then it was person's 3 turn to serve and the person said that the person wanted to take a couple of practice serves. I think that's illegal. Can you verify? |
|
| 387 |
What arer the rules for changing sides during a second set? Someone told me that you change when the TOTAL number of games (from both set 1 and 2) played is odd. In other words, you would not change sides after the first game of the second set if the first set was won 6-3, because that would be a total of ten games. Is that right? Or do you ignore the first set and change sides after the first game, third game, etc. of the second set? I hope this isn't too confusing... |
|
| 381 |
when do you switch sides in a 10point tie breaker? |
|
| 380 |
Someone once told me that if a player double bagels his opponent in a best-of-five contest the match is over (a 'skunk rule', if you will). However, I've seen some evidence of triple bagels at the pro level. What's the deal?! |
|
| 379 |
why did the tiebreak come into play
|
|
| 377 |
If the ball hits a movable object, such as a bird, and it goes in, does it count |
|
| 376 |
Player A hits the ball while close to the net. The ball crosses the net,bounces in the alley and out at a such a sharp angle that no one could reach it, BUT before the ball bounces a second time, player A hits the net with his racquet. Who gets the point?
At what moment is the point "over"? Is the point over after the first bounce because the ball is unreachable thus giving the point to player A? Does it have to bounce twice for the point to be over? |
|
| 374 |
how many timeout are allowed in a game |
|
| 373 |
In playing doubles, the service ball goes to the wrong box but the other player hits the ball directly unbounced. Is it good ball or bad ball? |
|
| 369 |
Do you know the answer to 337? |
|
| 368 |
With respect to question #142, the tie-breaker question: I believe that when Jimmy VanAllen wrote the tie-breaker rules, he clearly stated that the change of ends, at the termination of the tie-breaker, would be from the position at the beginning of the tie-breaker. It really is senseless to change ends from the position at the end of the tie-breaker due to the fact that theoretically, it is possible to play an infinite amount of points. What sense does it make to change ends after an indeterminant amount of points? I believe that it has become accepted to change ends from where the tie-breaker ends because it is much easier to remember where you just were than where you were at the beginning of the tie-breaker. |
|
| 367 |
In reference to question #341: Is the response to that question acknowledging that it is permitted to reach over the net and contact the ball before it lands on the side the ball is directed toward? Rule 24 g clearly states that it is not permissable to hit the ball before it passes over the net. Please clarify your answer to question #341. |
|
| 359 |
During a doubles match, one of the opposing players screamed as she fell while hitting a ball that was in play. The ball cleared the net and my partner caught it to stop play to check on the opponent, who had gotten back up. My partner and I thought we should play a let, but our opponents said the point was theirs. Who was right? |
|
| 357 |
In tennis if the first serve hits the top of the net and goes over it is called "let first serve". The server is then given another chance to serve. Why is that expression "let first serve" used? |
|
| 356 |
Similar to question 341: is your opponent allowed to reach over the net (without touching it) and hit a volley? ie. it hasn't bounced on his side. |
|
| 353 |
why when serving ball touches the net, it is called let |
|
| 346 |
Addition to the former question No. 345:
According to Hawk-Eye, it seems that the ball that does not TOUCH the line is out.
This is different to other ballgames (e.g. Soccer, Team Handball) where the whole cicumference of the ball must have crossed the line (even the imaginary one in the air) to be considered out. (See controversy over the 3rd goal scored by England in the 1966 Soccer Worldcup). A ball can roll outside the line and is considered in play when its circumference hovers over the line. This is most important, of course, in case of the goal line. |
|
| 345 |
Is a ball which is partially above a line, but not touching the line in or out? ie, the rules say a ball which touches the line is in, but depending on the position of the viewer, nearly half the ball could be above the line but not actually physically touching the line. |
|
| 343 |
If my opponent hits the ball really high in the air towards the back fence...could I scale the fence and hit the shot? |
|
| 341 |
I know that if a ball is hit with so much spin that it bounces back to the striker's side of the court after bouncing on the opponent's side then the opponent can reach over (without touching the net) to hit the ball. But what if the person whose side it has bounced back to is near the ball, and the opponent, in his effort to reach over and strike the ball, hits the original striker? Does the player who reached over the net lose the point? |
|
| 338 |
If I swing and miss a serve, does it count? My intention was to hit the ball, but I completely miss it. |
|
| 337 |
If grunting is against the code, why are the professional players able to grunt? Sometimes they get pretty loud... |
|
| 334 |
About question 283...I see that the referee didn't allow a let due to a stoppage in play, but shouldn't the server have got a first serve because he let the ball drop without striking it on his initial serve? |
|
| 332 |
Is there anything in The Code that prohibits grunting? It seems like it could be a hinderance... |
|
| 331 |
can a player go past the net on the side to the opponent's side but not touch the opponent's court to hit a shot |
|
| 330 |
I have seen rules for serving a 10-point match tiebreaker that contradict one another. In a 10-point tiebreaker specifically, how may serves does the initial server get, two or one? |
|
| 327 |
Does the hinderance rule apply when in doubles one of your opponents yells out to their partner (i.e. watch out) as you are in the motion of hitting an overhead from a lob they just hit to you? |
|
| 324 |
In doubles, if you are serving to the duece court, and the non receiving opponent begins jumping around and dancing with obvious intent to distract the server, is there a penalty? |
|
| 320 |
What is the ruling if a player's racket dampener comes off the racket in the middle of a point and falls onto the other side of the net? Is this loss of point due to equipment, etc traveling onto the other side of the net? |
|
| 318 |
TIME TIME TIME - how much time is allowed between the end of one point and the 1st serve of the next? how about between the end of one game and the start of the next? is it different if we are switching sides? between sets? While I am always ready to go (of course), I have witnessed "stalling" tactics being used by others. |
|
| 311 |
What are the rules on replacing a player due to injury during a tennis league. Two weeks into a season and the person was replaced with a higher level player. What should be done in situation like this? |
|
| 296 |
I was recently in a situation where I was injured (plantaris tendon rupture) but agreed to play a league match b/c the team did not have anyone else and would have had to default the match. I started out feeling OK but quckly found that I could not really play. I had to retire at 4-1 (losing obviously) in the 2nd set.
Will the retired match affect my USTA computer rating? obviously I should have stayed home rather than risk re-injuring (which is what happened)... but now I'm wondering if I will be penalized in terms of the USTA's rating computer. |
|
| 286 |
My partner and I were rallying with our opponents when one of the opponents hit a very deep shot that my partner called out, as I was about to hit it. I yelled "no, it's good" and returned the hit over the net. However, our opponents had stopped play because of the "out" call by my partner.
I thought that we should give the opponents the point. My partner thought that we should replay the point, which is what we did.
Who's right?
Thank you. |
|
| 284 |
I played a match recently and my opponent challenged six close line calls that I was certain landed out in the first five games. I began to find it difficult to call any ball that landed eight inches out or less in case of another progressively aggressive challenge. Thereafter my opponent made at least two line call challenges against me in every game in a 7-5 set. A spectator intelligently suggested someone umpire the second set. In a self umpired or umpired match how many times would it be considered reasonable for an opponent to query line calls or are players aloud an unlimited amount of line call challenges? |
|
| 283 |
I was about to serve my second serve at 5-6 (30,40) down in an ITF Vets match. A player from the next court walked towards then into the gap between the courts behind my returning opponent. I continued to serve assuming he was going to stop because he could see I was serving. As I placed the ball up to complete my serve I saw the curtain behind my opponent rise as the player moved it to search for his ball. I stopped and did not strike my ball but let it drop and asked for a let. My opponent refused saying he didn't see anything and that I should have waited to see what the player was going to do. I called the referee and he insisted that I only had a second serve because the ball had not been put in play. I said what about the delay in play. He went away as if to speak to speak to the head referee and came back and told me I only had a second serve. Was this a correct decision? |
|
| 282 |
why do the points go up
love--15--30--40--match |
|
| 281 |
Are there any statistics as to the percentage of wins when a player loses the first set and then wins the second set? I thought I had seen somewhere that the percentage is much greater when the players split sets, that the winner of the second set is more likely to win the match. |
|
| 280 |
how high is the net supposed to be
|
|
| 275 |
when and where did tennis begin? |
|
| 274 |
During a recent match my partner had take a bathroom break to take a bathroom break between the first and second set...when she left the court our opponents decided to leave and get something to eat at the guest table to take up their time...is this allowed or should they have only allowed to leave the court for a restroom break...I had to go get them to say that my partner was returing. |
|
| 273 |
When did tennis start? my world history teacher said it started in 1780 something... and i think she's full of crap |
|
| 272 |
What happens if you touch the curtain with your racquet
as you are returning the ball adn the ball stays in play.
The curtain is a premanent fixture do you still loose the point?
|
|
| 265 |
Is there ANY situation in which the ball in play may touch the hand or hands holding the racquet and not lose the point? This has become a dipute at our club where a member considers the hand "an extension of the racquet" and believes that the ball can be hit off his hand or touch his hand and if it goes over the net he does not lose the point. |
|
| 263 |
While the ball is in play, in the hopes of reaching the returned ball, the player switches the racquet from one hand to the other. Is this allowed? Ed |
|
| 262 |
If the server serves a ball that is going to be a fault, but the receiver hits it on the full, is the point awarded to the server? |
|
| 261 |
I play in a league that has 6 courts. In the event that each team wins 3 courts, we count sets won. My partner and I had to retire from a match due to injury. We were ahead in the first set 2-1. The other team was awarded the win on the match.
My question:
If a player retires from a match due to injury, the match is rated as "retired". The number of games played are listed but uncompleted sets are not awarded to the winner of the match. Is this correct? |
|
| 258 |
If I hit the ball, it hits on the other side of the net, but then spins back onto my side of the court, who wins the point? |
|
| 254 |
Who is in charge of a match - the chair umpire or the players? I just watched a match where the chair umpire called a serve a let. The players both knew that it was a fault and the server, showing exceptional sportsmanship, called "second serve" and served. The serve was good and the point was completed but what would have happened if it had been a fault and the players decided teh point had been decided. Could the umpire insist that there be another serve? Are there rules that govern this? How are umpires trained to deal with such a situation? |
|
| 253 |
The ball after a serve gets stuck in the net:
Let or Fault ? |
|
| 252 |
what is it called when a point is scored by a server when the reciever is unable to touch a legal serve?
|
|
| 251 |
In the recent US Open Championship match between Roddick and Federer, Federer's first service ball got stuck in the net, and MacEnroe said, "believe it or not, this is considered a let".
Is this true, according to the rules of tennis? Why/not? |
|
| 250 |
How much do umpires make
|
|
| 249 |
regards to #245- I know as a past player that no coaching is allowed so it does not matter if there are 20 officials if they are no obeying the rules. So my question remains. |
|
| 245 |
Maria Sharapova took coaching from her father and even was sent a banana from him on the 7th. is this okay? |
|
| 243 |
what if the ball falls out of the player's pocket? |
|
| 242 |
if the ball did not pass across the net (example: around either side of the pole or bounced off somewhere not in the court) but went inside the opponent's side of the court, will the game still go on?
|
|
| 241 |
within a game before serving, can either one of the players ask for a break?(example: toilet break) how many minutes will be given? |
|
| 240 |
in case of a violation, what kinds of punishment will a player be given? |
|
| 239 |
while in a rally, if a player's cap falls, will the rally continue as it is or will the player be given a break?what exactly will happen?
|
|
| 238 |
if in a rally, one of the players experienced cramps, will he be permitted to have a break? |
|
| 235 |
My jr. player (14 yr age group)son played in a singles match. At the begining of the 1st set his opponent said his knee was injuried and he was going to retire after the first set. He ask my son to "take it easy" on him. My son lost the first set 5-7. His oppenent said he was withdrawing and walked off the court. He spoke to his mother for several minutes, then got back on the court to resume play. My son lost the match. He thinks his opponent should be disqulified. |
|
| 231 |
Can I reach accross the net to hit a volley before it crosses to my side |
|
| 230 |
where and how was the game of tennis started, not lawn tennis but the old fashioned indoor tennis game. |
|
| 228 |
What happens if the ball gets stuck in the triangular part of the racket while trying to return the ball? |
|
| 227 |
In an unofficiated doubles match, I (as receiver) clearly saw a serve land long and called it a fault.
The server asked my partner if he didn't see the ball land in. My partner said he didn't know what the call should have been (he was so far forward on court that he had little chance to look back over his shoulder to see where the ball landed). The server insisted that the point was his because my partner and I disagreed on the call.
My contention (although I gave him the point) is that my partner and I did not "disagree" on the call----I made the call and my partner simply said he couldn't make the call, and the point should have been mine.
Am I right?
|
|
| 223 |
Regarding questions 215 & 216. I always thought that if the ball landed with enough backspin to cause it to go back over the net then in this instance you could reach across the net and play the ball, if this is not the case then who gets the point? |
|
| 221 |
who was the male player that bille jean king played and beat. |
|
| 219 |
Will you be able to answer question 214?
thanks |
|
| 218 |
I was recently playing at an opponents tennis courts. The net didn't extend the regulation length to the post. In those circumstances, would you be able to hit the ball through the area where there is no net? |
|
| 217 |
I was playing a Junior Interclub match with no chair umpire or line judges. I hit a perfect drop shot. My opponent was clearly not able to reach the shot, so he threw his racquet at the ball. It hit the ball just before the second bounce and knocked the ball back onto my side of the net. I caught the ball and turned around to serve. I called the score according to me winning the point and my opponent agreed. Then, one of the parents from the opposing team called out that it was my opponent's point as he had returned the ball with his racquet before the ball had bounced twice. I argued that the racquet was not in contact with the player at the time the ball was hit. In the end, the point was awarded to him. To this day I believe the point was mine. Who should have had the point awarded to them? |
|
| 215 |
Is tennis racquet allowed to pass over the net without touching it? |
|
| 214 |
During doubles what is the rule with regard to the movement of the opponents during the serve. Before I served the opponent (not receiving serve) was darting all about; back and forth and into and out of the intended service box. Is this extra movement legal or must the opponents be basically still once the service motion is started. Understand the actual receiver can move to anticipate the reception of the serve but the movement of the non-receiver is clearly to distract the server. Can he do it. Thank you. |
|
| 210 |
where does the score "love" come from ie 40-love? |
|
| 208 |
I was playing a tiebreaker and the score was 4-2. We forgot to switch sides and played the next point so the score was 5-2. Should we then switch sides and replay the point at 4-2 or just switch sides and leave the score at 5-2. |
|
| 204 |
In a recent doubles match, one of our opponents suddenly stopped playing and did not return our ball.
He announced that an insect had got inside his shirt.
After apparently removing it he said he was ready to play and that we should have two serves.
As it was a 'friendly' match we did not make an issue of it but both felt that a 'let' did not apply in such circumstances and that he lost the point by stopping play.
We did not know what rules applied but felt that a player forced into a position where he could not return the next ball could avoid losing the point by claiming an insect attack.
What is the rule that applies?
Thanks. |
|
| 203 |
during a doubles match, I served at 30-40 at the start of the second set (we had won the first). I went back to return my opponents deep shot and got turned around. When I got re-oriented, my partner was volleying a ball back and there was another ball bouncing near her feet. The opponents returned the shots and I did not, calling a let. It turns out that the ball fell from my partner's skirt. I had seen this happen at the Washington Tournament in 2002 or 2003 when Tursanov was playing and the ball fell from his pocket on several occasions during individual points. The first incident was called a let, so I told my opponents what I had seen. I told them that additional incidents would award the point to them. We replayed the point and eventually won the match. There were no officials officiating out match. I need to know if I was in the wrong because the opponents are good competitors and I don't want to win on a mistake and not let them know that we were wrong. |
|
| 199 |
how high is the tennis net from the ground?
|
|
| 198 |
How did Tennis Begin? |
|
| 197 |
In a doubles match, third-set, 10-point tie-breaker, with the score 12-11, one of the players on the team ahead in points mistakenly thought that the teams had not switched at 12-12 and said the teams should switch immediately...all other players caught up in the competition agreed with her. The teams switched sides and her team won 13-11. Can our team (the losing team) protest this and win the protest? |
|
| 196 |
People talk about the "airspace" rule. What is that? |
|
| 192 |
Playing a doubles match and we are in the third set 4 all and I am serving with Ad. The receiver's partner calls the ball out, the receiver returns the ball, but we do not play the point as it was called out. After the fact, the receiver then says the service ball was good. I claimed we won the point, because they disagreed. We then changed sides as we would be up 5-4 and then they would be serving. However, once we changed sides, they claimed we were to replay the point as it was a critical point for them.. We then went back and replayed the point, lost it, went to deuce, ad out and lost. They then won the set. What is right? |
|
| 172 |
What if I hit an overhead ball at my opponent's feet and the ball hits his shoe (not his racquet) and bounces back over the net to my side of the court? Is the ball consider still in play? Or can a person hit the ball with any part of their body and as long as it goes back over the net, it is still in play? |
|
| 165 |
When I returned the ball my oponent missed it with his racquet and the ball hit his body. The ball bounced off and was returned properly to my court. Is this a point for my opponent? |
|
| 149 |
what racket do most besat players trust? |
|
| 148 |
IN singles you and your opponent are unable to agree on the point score. Explain what the players must do. |
|
| 146 |
After watching via television and in person many pro matches over the past several years, I have inquired from several sources (internet as well) and not found a definitive answer to the following.
After a serve we many times hear a horn blown and it happens many times even though the serve lands in the service box. It appears to be for a foot fault. However, I continue to find from event to event the horn use is inconsistant as to foot or other faults.
What are the uses/guidelines for the use of the "fault" horn at pro events? |
|
| 143 |
Are there any rules concerning what kind of dampener can be used or how it is used? |
|
| 142 |
after a tie breaker, do you change ends from where you end up or from where you started playing the tie breaker |
|
| 140 |
The ball from my opponent comes in the very sharp angle, so I am not able to return it over the net (it goes around it). However, the ball lands in opponent side (where it supposed to). Do I loose the point because the ball does not go over the net? |
|
| 139 |
A USTA 2.5 match was played and the score was 6-6 in the set. The players (all being new) forgot to play a tiebreaker. They played a complete game. When they noted the score was 7-6, the realized their mistake. How should they have proceeded? |
|
| 138 |
I am in a league that each night consists of 4 matches. The team that wins the most matches wins that night but if it is a 2-2 tie we then go to games. We had a situation where somebody had to retire in the 3rd set. How should we score a retirement? Take into consideration that games determine who is the winner that night if there is a tie. |
|
| 137 |
what does the ump say when the ball goes out of bounds? do international refs make a noise to signify the ball being out or do they all say out? |
|
| 136 |
what year did tennis begin? |
|
| 132 |
When playing indoors with divider curtains between the courts, who decides if the curtain can be opened during play? |
|
| 126 |
Player A first serve is fault but B hit it and in the process the dampener was detached from his raquet and B put it back. Player A claiming a first serve instead of a second serve. Is he right? |
|
| 119 |
Where did Tennis begin? |
|
| 113 |
I ran to the net to get to my opponents drop shot and returned a lob. My opponent tried to reach up to hit it but missed.
He then claimed that my shirt had touched the net after I hit the ball. I disagreed as I was careful not to touch the net and was looking down after hitting the ball to make sure I did not. He was looking up trying to return my lob.
He insisted he had seen my shirt touch the net and the net move. I insisted it had not. When he continued to insist that the point was his, I told him that, as he alleged that the touch occured on my side of the net, it was my call and not his as a player is responsible for all calls on his side of the net. Is this correct in these circumstances? If not, how is a dispute like this resolved when there is no official present?
Thank you. |
|
| 112 |
If youre close to the net but the ball is out of range can you throw youre racquet hopefully to hit it over the net |
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| 111 |
if i slice a ball and it bouces on the opponents side and then bouces right back (becuase i have that great of a slice) but i cant get to it so it bounces twice. Whos point is it, the ball bounced back on my side but it wasnt because he hit it there. |
|
| 108 |
Can a player during the course of play touch the umpire's chair in any way? For example, jumping off of it to hit the ball. |
|
| 107 |
how wide is a singles court? |
|
| 89 |
explain the serving rotation in a tie break situation. |
|
| 87 |
Has the so-called 8 game pro set ever been used in a professional sanctioned tournament. |
|
| 83 |
if a ball in play is clearly out by a big amount but hits the opponent as she is trying to get out of the way of the ball who gets the point?
|
|
| 82 |
I was responsible for bringing the balls for a match. I brought a can of four balls, but my opponent insisted that we play with only three. My opponent wasn't as mobile as I, and I believe would benefit when the balls started dying. Can a player insist on either 3 or 4 balls? I guess he could have "accidentally" just hit a ball over the fence, and we'd be forced to use only three. Is that legal as well? |
|
| 81 |
when did tennis first start?
|
|
| 80 |
IN A DOUBLES MATCH, THE NO RECEIVER PLAYER GOES INTO THE RECEIVER PART OF THE COURT (TO DISTRACT THE SERVER).
IS THIS LEGAL?
WHAT CAN THE SERVER CLAIM?
THANKS A LOT |
|
| 79 |
What happens if the ball hits the net on a serve and lands in the server box, or out of the sever box? |
|
| 78 |
If my opponent is late, can I start without him / her? I'm assuming that I'd have to give my opponent the properly allotted time for each serve. I guess, theoretically, when it's my turn to serve I could still lose the game if I keep double faulting. |
|
| 77 |
If a US citizen wins a tourny in Canada and donates the proceeds to charity, does it count on his adjusted gross income? |
|
| 76 |
Does a tie-breaker change the order of serve during the next set? |
|
| 75 |
Can a player put a foreign substance like Vaseline on a ball? |
|
| 74 |
When playing a match in a local USTA NTRP tournament on a cold and miserable day, my partner and I had had enough and decided to play a tie-break instead of a third set to decide the winner.
We reported the score but the referee refused to acept it and allow the winner to advance to the final round the next day as we had not completed our match according to the "best of 3 tie-break sets" format of the tournament.
I told her to regard the tir-break as one game of the third set and that one of us had retired after it. She again refused and said we had to be disqualified as players are not allowed to play any format other than the one laid down in the rules of the tournament.
Who is right? Can players mutually agree an alternative format to decide a winner? |
|
| 73 |
The indoor courts at our local club are quite close together and separated by divider curtains. Sometimes, on a sharply-angled shot, a player's raquet will brush the curtain before striking the ball. When this happens, is the player's shot legal? Or does making contact with the curtain cost the player the point? Thanks. |
|
| 72 |
what is the serving rotation in a l0 point tie breaker |
|
| 71 |
If a player is injured and retires during a match in a
USTA match, what score is reported? Does it matter if
previous sets have been finished? |
|
| 69 |
While playing singles on a clay court my ball landed very close to my opponent's line. He called it out and I disputed his call. He insisted that the ball was out and when I asked him to show me the mark, he refused to do so.
Does he have to show me the mark if I ask him to? |
|
| 68 |
If I hit the ball over the fence and the ball hits a UFO and then rebounds off over to a nearby beer factory, does that mean that the beer factory will make good friends with the UFO people? |
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| 67 |
A ball was in play and the other person jumps over the net and spiked the ball while in play. Can he do that? |
|
| 63 |
What year did the rule regarding the movement of feet on the serve change? The old rule where you must keep your front foot on the ground at contact and may not cross the "plane" of the baseline before contact is obviously no longer in practice. When and who changed it? |
|
| 59 |
where did thegame of tennis begin, what country?
|
|
| 58 |
In a recent junior national clay court championship, all matches had a single chair umpire. There was some confusion about who was to call the lines. Some umpires told players that they should call their own lines with the chair umpire making a ruling if a decision was appealed or if there was a clear error. Other chair umpires called all lines.
In the situation in question, the umpire did not announce who would call lines before the match. He generally allowed te players to call them but sometimes made his own calls and over-ruled players' calls.
Player A called a ball long on the base line. His opponent queried the call. The chair umpire asked Player A if he 'had the mark'. Player A could not identify it after some searching (it was at the end of the 2nd set and the court was very dry so marks were typically hard to distinguish). However, Player A insisted that the ball was out. The chair umpire looked for a mark but also could not identify one. He said he ould not over-rule the call without a mark that could be 'read'.
Player B insisted that he was entitled to have the mark identified otherwise the ball should be considered good as Player A could not have been certain where the ball landed.
Who was 'right'? |
|
| 57 |
Which player wins the point when a returned ball hits the opponent's body before bouncing? |
|
| 54 |
I am curious who you are. Are you a USTA certified official adn what is your name? |
|
| 53 |
how high is a tennis net |
|
| 52 |
A slightly different version of Q45:
In a doubles match the ball hits the score cards attached to the net post. We checked with the local USTA office. They declared the scorecards are considered part of the net and not a permanent fixture as in the plastic ball holder. Therefore they said a ball hitting the scorecards and then successfully hitting in the doubles court is a legal shot. Do you agree? |
|
| 51 |
A player is concerned that he is about to break a string but does not want to change racquets until he is forced to.
He takes a spare racquet with him onto the court and leans it against the fence. Eventually, his string breaks but his return goes over the net. He manages to hit his opponent's return high in the air giving him time to run back, pick up his new racquet (leaving his old one in the same spot) and get back in time to complete the rally - and win the point.
I can't find anything in the rules that would prevent a player using two racquets during the same point - as long as they are not used simultaneously. Is it legal? |
|
| 47 |
my opponent attempting to return a ball before the 2nd bounce jammed the ball between the ground and his racket, and returned the ball successfully. is this a good return? |
|
| 46 |
In a recent sanctioned tournament, my opponent was clearly feeling the pressure. It may have been co-incidence but just as I thought he was ready to quit, he appeared to slip and rolled over. He complained that he had been injured during the fall and asked for a trainer. A roving official told him that there was not a trainer available but he could take a 3-minute time out for his injuries. He did so while the official stood nearby and timed the timeout. Att he end of 3 minutes she told him to resume play. He told her his right wrist also hurt (as well as his elbow) and was entitled to a 3 minute time out for each injury.
After some discussion between them, she told me he was entitled to a separate 3 minute timeout for each injury. He then said that his right foot also hurt and he was going to take another 3 minutes.
At this point I told the umpire that I thought this was an abuse of the system and couldn't believe he was being allowed these back-to-back timeouts. She said that there was nothing in the rules to prevent it and shrugged.
After nine minutes rest he resumed play and I had to beat him all over again.
I won but can't believe this is fair under the rules. Please tell me what the rules really are and, if they do allow this, what can be done to avoid someone abusing them.
Thanks. |
|
| 45 |
During a match the ball hit a plastic ball holder at the end of the net and bounced into the court. My opponent claimed that since the plastic ball holder is a permanent part of the net, the bounce of the ball is good. Is he correct? |
|
| 40 |
in doubles i am pretty certain that teams can not change sides during a set, but i heard recently that at the start of a tie breaker, in any set, teams can switch their ad and deuce court positions. is this true? |
|
| 38 |
what is men's tennis open?
|
|
| 37 |
during a rallye a ball bounces very near or on the baseline, and retriever says nothing, but retrievers partner who is at the net say "ball out". opponents thought they saw a mark on the line and asked retriever if he agreed with his partners call. retriever say "i did not see the ball". opponents then wanted to check the mark at which point retrievers partner says that retriever stepped on the mark and obliterated it. opponents feel that since retriever "did not see the ball" that in effect, he did not see it out and therefore should lose the pt. what is your take on this scenario. if someone says "they did not see the ball" is this the same as not being sure and according to the code should give up the point. please advise. thx. |
|
| 36 |
An interesting incident happened in a recent Roddick vs. Kendrick match whereas Roddick was chasing a stop ball that landed near the net. In the momentum he fell into the net, clearly OUTSIDE the Single Stick, i.e. between the Singles Stick and the outer post.
He missed the shot but what would be the ruling if he successfully returned the shot? |
|
| 35 |
If I remember correctly, in the beginning of the tie-break era, the server for the forst point started on the left side of the court and the following players served for their two points right - left. Now it is the other way round.
When and why was this changed? |
|
| 34 |
Follow up to answer of no. 7: The player inspected the ballmark, obviously on the opponents' side... what about the "Hingis Rule"? |
|
| 33 |
Can a player return a serve by hitting the ball before it bounces for the first time into the box? |
|
| 32 |
In Table Tennis, Does the ball have to touch the table before you return it? |
|
| 31 |
Can you tell me when a tie-break is played in an 8-game Pro Set?
Thank you. |
|
| 30 |
how many strings are on a basic tennis racket? |
|
| 29 |
How high is a tennis net?
|
|
| 28 |
do you know, how the atp entry ranking is calculated, and what happens if you are injured for a couple of mounth?
thanks chris |
|
| 27 |
Tiebreaker 3rd set. 5-6. Server accidently lines up on deuce side. Receiver lines up on deuce side as well without realizing it was the wrong side. Server serves the first ball out. Server goes into his motion for the second serve and the receiver realizes they are on the wrong side. The ball lands in the box and the receiver lets it go by calls it out because it was served to the wrong side. He claims the match and says the score was 5-7 in the breaker. The rules say the reciever should ahve told the server of his error and played the point in good faith. The receiver claims he didn't realize the error until the server started his motion, thus he wins. What's your call?? |
|
| 26 |
How high is a tennis net? |
|
| 25 |
A recent incident has sparked some controversy and I would like to get your authoritative opinion.
I think that most people know that a player can not cross the net to inspect a mark on their opponents side of the net on a clay court (I think a lot of us still remember the fate of Martina Hingis at the French Open a few years back when she did so...!)
But what if your opponent invites you to "come on over" to verify if a ball is good or not. Is a player still liable to be penalized if both players agree that a player can cross the net to inspect a mark in his opponent's court? |
|
| 24 |
I was playing in an NTRP tournament and broke a string. I had a spare racket and played with that until I broke another string. I did not have another racket and asked my opponent if he had a spare one. He was not too happy about giving it to me but did give me a pretty old and worn racket.
I was up 5-2 and 30-15 in the third set when he broke a string. I was pretty sure that he had another racket in his bag but he demanded taht I return the racket that I had borrowed. I asked him if he had another racket. He said he didn't have one that he wanted to use and I should return his racket. I refused as I was now sure he had another racket and was just trying to force me to retire when the match was almost over.
He said he was going to get the referee. He returned after 5 minutes and said he couldn't find him (which is not unusual as he usually leaves early and before all the matches are finished). He packed his bag and asked for his racket. I asked him if he was retiring and he said that he wasn't and would be writing to the USTA. I said I would give him the racket after he left the court with his bag. He left the court and I threw the racket over the fence to him.
I went to the tournament desk and gave them the score and said my opponent had retired. My opponent had not been to the desk before leaving. I played my next match the next day (the semi-final) and won. I lost in the final later that day.
I have not heard from the USTA. What do the rules say about this sitaution. Can the USTA change the result if he complains ?
Thanks.
Greg |
|
| 23 |
In one of the early matches at the Atlantic City Open this week, the chair umpire called "game, set and match", the players shook hands and sat down.
The umpire then completed filling out his score card. After about a minute, the umpire told the players that he had made a mistake and that the score was, in fact, 5-1 rather than 6-1. He told the players to return to the court and complete the match.
The players did so as neither of them was sufficiently sure about the score at that stage to argue.
The match then went to a tie-break before the "original winner" won 'again'....
I always understood the rules to say that once players had shaken hands, the match was over - rightly or wrongly.
What do the rules say that the chair umpire should do
in a case like this? What if the "winner" had refused to return to the court? What if he had lost and appealed to the referee after the match? |
|
| 20 |
In an officiated match, player A hit a drop shot and followed it in to the net. Player B raced to the net, got to the ball before it bounced twice and hit a topspin lob. The ball landed just inside the baseline in Player A's court and bounced up and over the fence behind the court. Meanwhile, Player B was unable to stop his forward momentum and touched the net. The chair umpire immediately called a 'touch" and awarded the point to Player A. Player B complained that the point was already over before he touched the net and that he had seen the ball out of play before he touched the net. The chair umpire refused to discuss it and confirmed his call. Player B complained that it was impossible for the chair umpire to watch both the net and the ball bouncing over the fence and could not, therefore, argue with Player B that he saw the ball out before he touched the net. The chair umpire said that he had seen how the ball was bouncing and had then seen Player B touch the net. It was his judgment that the ball was still in the air when the net was touched. When Player B complained that the umpire had to actually see the ball in or out and could not mke a judgment about it, the chair umpire ordered play to resume or a penalty would be assessed for "delay of game".
Watching the match, we felt that Player B was correct and the chair umpire could not have seen both events. None of our group was sure which occured first but we were pretty sure that the ball had passed over the fence before Player B touched thd net.
I have 2 questions - how can a chair umpire make a ruling where he has to simultaneously "see" two events occuring at two very different parts of the court when they occur at about the same time? What should the chair umpire do if he saw the touch but could not see if the ball was out at that moment? Can he make a 'judgment' as in this case?Second question - is the ball 'out' when it crosses the fence or must it bounce or hit an object? Thanks. |
|
| 19 |
Playing in a 25K claycourt event, PLayer A hit a ball close to the line. PLayer B hit it back with no form whatsoever and turned her back to the court. The umpire did not call the ball out, and player A did not make a play on the ball. Player A assumed player B was stopping play because she turned around towards the fence. The point was ruled a point for player A, and the umpire reasoned that turning her back was stopping play and questioning the call. Player B argued that she never questioned anything and never stopped play, as evidenced by her return of the ball. How would you call this one, because it seemed like a crafty, albeit terrible, way to win a point and within the rules? But in this case, the plan didn't work. |
|
| 18 |
I would like to open a discussion relative to the answer to #12. First, of all, the net between the singles sticks or doubles posts is NOT a permanent fixture, according to Rule #23. Secondly, the ball was struck fairly by reaching over the net, and the ball is still in play! The opponent must therefore attempt to hit it without touching the net. From the description that is impossible unless he hits the ball on top and hopes it will bounce UP and over the net to your side. After a reasonable time he should give up and the point goes to the player who legally reached over the net. |
|
| 17 |
Who is in charge of a match - the chair umpire or the players?
I just watched a match where the chair umpire called a serve a let. The players both knew that it was a fault and the server, showing exceptional sportsmanship, called "second serve" and served.
The serve was good and the point was completed but what would have happened if it had been a fault and the players decided teh point had been decided. Could the umpire insist that there be another serve? Are there rules that govern this? How are umpires trained to deal with such a situation? |
|
| 16 |
What's the point of having this board? There have been questions on here for over two weeks without getting answered? Anyone umpiring out there? Is this supposed to be a statement about the competence of referees? |
|
| 15 |
I live above 4,000 ft. Am I required to use High Altitude tennis balls, or can I use any USTA approved ball. |
|
| 14 |
When did tennis start and why |
|
| 13 |
A player was hitting a volley and the ball hit his frame and shanked into his own forehead and came over the net for a winner It was one continuous motion. I know this is sad and funny, but does he win the point? |
|
| 12 |
ALright this one made me crazy. I hit a dropshot that bounced on my opponents side and came back on my side. My opponent reached over the net to hit this shot. I know this is legal. But his shot never hit my side of the court, instead he hit it back towards himself, into the net on my side and it got stuck in the bottom of the net without touching the ground, as the bottom of the net wrapped around it. Is it still in play? What's the rule here? Crazy play!! |
|
| 11 |
AS to question number 9. You didnt quite finish it. When I served, the ball hit the net and came back on my side of the court 1/4 inch outside the singles sideline. Then after the second serve went in, my opponent's shot came around the post and hit the ball laying next to the sideline while it was on my side of the court. His shot would have gone in. He claims I had to move the ball and he got penalized cuz I was too lazy to move it. I claim that the ball was out and i don't have to move an out ball from the court. Who gets the point here? Thanks. |
|
| 10 |
if your paddle touches the table after your opponent hits the ball off your end of the table do you lose the point |
|
| 9 |
I served a ball and it hit the net and rolled back on my side of the court and rested about 1/2 inch outside the singles sideline. We played the second serve and during the point my opponent hit his shot from outside the doubles sideline and it was swerving around the net back into the court. It hit the first ball and then landed out, although we both agre it would have landed in if the ball wasn't there. My opponent claims I am at fault for not moving my ball and he is being punished for my laziness. I claim that the ball he hit, hit an object outside the court so it was out. What's the ruling here? |
|
| 8 |
I was playing a ITF Junior event when my opponent had a nose bleed. The roving Tennis Official gave him a three-minute medical time out. My opponent said he was entitled to a maximum of fifteen minutes to stop the bleeding.
Was this Tennis Official correct?
|
|
| 7 |
i have always been taught that a ball that catches "any part of the line is 'in'". i often play on clay courts. recently, while i was playing doubles with friends, i was run way off the side of the court for my opponet's severely angled shot. i returned the shot around the net(which i know to be legal), and my "low screamer" first touched the ground approximately 4 inches out, but skidded across the dry clay. my opponets called the ball out, but i looked at the 4 inch ball mark, and although the mark was very long, it did get a piece of the line. i said the ball was "in"because the mark showed it to be so. the opponets said "no, clearly the ball landed "out" ". what is the proper call here? |
|
| 6 |
During an exchange of volleys where we were both very close to the net, my shot hit the tape and sort of ran along the top of the net before starting to fall on my opponent's side. My opponent stabbed at the ball and squeezed the ball between his racquet and the net. The ball was squeezed over the net into my court and I could not return it. The net was clearly moved by my opponent's shot but it was not clear whether my opponent's racquet touched the net or whether the net was moved by the ball being pushed aginst it. Was this a legal shot or does my opponent lose the point because it was his racquet pressing the ball against the net that made the net move? |
|
| 5 |
Are double-hits allowed if the momentum of the racket never stops? (i.e. the it's all one stroke but the ball makes contact with the ball twice -- frame then strings, for instance). |
|
| 4 |
A server has a ball in their pocket. During the point, the ball falls out of their pocket. Can the server call a let? |
|
| 3 |
During a high school district tournament match, a player on my team hit an overhead for a winner, but his opponent claimed that during the follow-through, my player's racket illegally crossed the net. Was he right? |
|
| 2 |
A ball was returned by our opponents very close to the baseline. Nobody was able to tell if it was in or out. The server said "let's replay it", but our opponents said "if you're not sure, the ball is 'in'". Were they right? |
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