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The Final Word: Off Sides

Have you ever had a dispute with a fellow player over a call on the court that you couldn’t settle? Or have you ever wondered why a certain ruling was made during a match you were watching? Maybe you’re just curious about how some scenarios, from the common to the ridiculous, are resolved.

The USTA constantly receives these types of questions from players and fans, so we figured it’s about time we provided a forum in which queries about rules can be answered. Thus, we present to you The Final Word.

Readers can send their burning questions about the rules of tennis along with their name and town to FinalWord@USTA.com. Each week, we will select submissions and supply the definitive rulings though a Q&A with USTA Director of Officials Richard Kaufman.

On to this week's questions and responses...

Robert

Can a player touch the area of the court that extends past the net post on his opponents side while the ball is in play?

KAUFMAN: An opponent is not permitted to touch the opponent’s side of the court where a ball would land in play. So for example, touching the doubles alley of the opponent is not an invasion in singles if that part of the court is touched by a player.

Susan, C. (from Grand Junction, CO)

In a recent doubles match, one of the opponents was going for the ball and her partner brushed up against the net when she was moving out of her partners' way. Should they have lost the point even though the player was not attempting to strike the ball when she hit the net?

KAUFMAN: Yes, that team should have lost the point. Players are not permitted to touch the net while the ball is in play, even if they are not playing the ball.

Note: In singles, when there are singles sticks in use, a player may touch the part of the net between the singles stick and the net post without penalty since that area of the net is not considered part of the net in singles.

Karen (from Bend, OR)

How can a referee over-ride a call at the baseline that two players have seen and called out when he is standing at the net? He certainly doesn't have a better look at the ball. If he was closer I could understand it.

KAUFMAN: Ideally, there is an umpire chair that rises above the court. However, not all events have umpire chairs.

If an official is called to court and assigned by the referee to stand at the post and make overrules, that is permitted. Is it the most ideal position? Probably not. However, one needs an unbiased arbitrator and players cannot be given the power to make such final decisions.

Matt S.

I just don't understand why this question keeps going unanswered. My students are dying to know the answer.

A player hits a drop shot that goes over the net and bounces back to the hitter's side. Before it touches the ground, the opponent reaches over the net and hits it back into the net, where it gets stuck in a net square. The ball never bounces in or out. Is it still in play or does someone win this point and why?

KAUFMAN: If the spin or wind brings the ball back over the net to the side of the player(s) who hit the shot, the opponent(s) may then reach over the net and play the ball. They may not touch the net or the opponent's court. This is the only situation when a player may reach over the net to play a ball. If the opponent does not play the ball and it bounces on the side of the player who hit the spin shot, that player(s) who hit that spin shot wins the point. As for your question, if the player reaches over the net and hits the ball into the net and the ball gets stuck in the net square, then the player who hit that shot wins the point.

Karma M. (from Parma, ID)

If a player is standing outside the service box receiving serve and the player is hit by the ball, who wins the point? Also, if a player attempts a serve but misses the ball, does that count as a loss of either 1st or 2nd serve?

KAUFMAN: If a player is hit by the ball that is served before the ball lands on the court, that player (team) loses the point. An attempt by the server to swing at a serve and miss completely is considered a fault.

Kenneth R. (from Laurel, MD)

I am a recent "convert: to tennis from racquetball and have a question that I can not find in the rules.

What, if any, is the penalty for serving when the receiver is signaling "Not Ready" (off court, hand raised, back to server, etc)? I know from my years of tournament play in racquetball that it is a fault (rule 3.5.b), but it seems to be an accepted practice in tennis to try to quick serve and hope the receiver is "too nice" to complain. Am I missing something?

KAUFMAN: If the server hits a serve while the receiver is holding their hand up to show that they are not yet ready to receive the serve, then that serve does not count and that serve should be repeated.

Lee J.

Is there a rule governing use of new balls for a third set?

KAUFMAN: The ball change for matches is determined by the official in charge or the procedures of the event or competition that was announced prior to the matches.

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