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 through a Q&A with USTA Director of Officials Richard Kaufman.
On to this week's questions and responses...
Subject: Question regarding making calls
I was playing doubles an my partner was serving. Her first serve was clearly out, but the opponents claimed that they were not sure it was out and played it anyway. Because both my partner and I clearly saw it as "out", we both stopped play. Is the right to call that serve as "out" reserved only for the receiving team? Can the serving team call out serves on themselves, especially on a first serve?
Thanks,
Martha Z.
KAUFMAN: On a first serve, the serving team must accept the call of the receiving team. It is not the call of the serving team.
Subject: Hitting the Scoring numbers attached to the net
We were playing tennis today and my shot on return of serve hit the scoring placard above/attached to the net and bounced back in play. Is this a valid shot or is it considered out?
I thought this scoring device is considered part of the net/post and is OK to hit, but my opponents stated the shot would have been out so they called it no good.
Who is right?
KAUFMAN: The scoreboard/score placard is NOT part of the net. Technically, it should not be there. If your shot hits it, you lose the point.
Subject: Swing and miss
Recently I watched a doubles tennis match where a player swung at a ball and completely missed it, then was able to swing for a second time and won the point. Is the second swing legal and did he really win the point?
KAUFMAN: During a serve, a swing and a miss is a fault. During a rally, a swing and a miss is permitted and a second swing is legal as long as the ball did not touch the racket on the first swing and the ball did not bounce more than once.
Since 1997, Richard Kaufman has served as Director of Officials for the USTA and Chief Umpire of the US Open. He's an ITF Certified Gold Badge Chief Umpire and an ITF Certified Silver Badge Referee, and has been a USTA Certified Official since 1977. Kaufman has also worked as the Chair Umpire for the US Open men's final (1983, 1987, 1996), US Open women's final (1988, 1995), the Australian Open men's final (1987), the Wimbledon men's doubles final (1987), the French Open men's doubles final (1988), and the Masters Cup final (1985-96). |
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