The Final Word: Change Overs

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...

Liz C. (New Jersey Women’s Tennis League)

In a doubles match a player lost a ball from her pocket and the partner called a let thinking of the safety of her partner.  I know you are not allowed to call it for yourself but in this case do they lose the point or replay it?  Comment 26.2 does not clarify what happens should a let mistakenly be called.  Would this fall under 26, Case 2?  The loss of the ball was not deliberate, calling the let an unintentional hindrance and the let call was a safety concern. 

KAUFMAN: In an unofficiated match, you are correct, a player cannot call a let due to their own actions.  That includes both players on a doubles team.  If a player stops play when it is not their call to make, they lose the point.  The opponents are not obligated to replay the point due to this error, even though they may chose to do so.

                               
Kent H. (from Nebraska City, NE)

In a recent reply, you correctly indicated that a player who touches the net should make the call against him or herself.  But what if the offending player doesn't make that call (or a similar one) due to ignorance of the rule.

As a high school tennis coach, I've told my players that sometimes, in order to ensure fair play, they may need to help their less knowledgeable opponents abide by "The Code."
In a situation such as an opponent touching the net during a point or audibly 'ticking' the ball with the racket, is it acceptable to point out that the opponent may have committed an infraction?

And what recourse does one have if the opponent refuses to acknowledge the obvious transgression?

KAUFMAN: In this case, a player may always ask nicely if they see the opponent commit an infraction or believes the opponent may not know the rule.  However if the opponent does not admit to it, or disagrees, then there is no more discussion.  It would be dangerous to stop play in the middle of the point and ask.  If the opponent makes no call or disagrees, the player who stopped play would lose the point.
See #20,”The Code”, Friend At Court (making calls) on who makes what calls on which infractions.

Gary M.

When a ball is on your side of the court and you want to tell your partner the ball is going out, are their any phrases/words that are against the rules to use? Example: long, out, bounce it, wait, don't hit etc.  Is this in writing anywhere?

KAUFMAN: This is not in writing specifically.
First, despite what some people think, there is no rule that says you cannot say
'out' or other words of communication to your partner, especially when you are at the net and the ball is coming in your direction. And because such communication would invariably occur well before the ball has bounced, the claim that this could be mistaken for a line call is not valid.

The only time confusion can occur is in the case when a player says 'out' or another form of communication to their partner standing at the baseline at the time when the ball bounces. One player is in the position to make a return of the ball and does so. In that case, saying "leave it" or "NO" would be preferable to saying 'out'.  However, any word used when the ball lands on the ground or close to the ground when your partner hits the ball could be construed as a line call and that is when you must be cafeful.
 
If a player yells "out” at the moment or close to the moment their partner played the ball, the opponents may have a case to call a hindrance.

Carole B (from Atlanta, GA)

What is the official rule for sitting down on a change-over and how much time is allotted during change-overs and also between points, etc.?

KAUFMAN: Players have 90 seconds on the changeover that is timed from the end of the last point before the changeover to the beginning of the first point after the changeover.  At set breaks players have 120 seconds. Between points the standard rule is that play must be continuous. This is especially true in unofficiated matches. In most officiated events play must also be continuous. The server must be ready to play within 20 seconds.The 20 seconds does not include retrieving balls when there are no ballpersons.

Players are permitted to sit down if they wish.

John K. (from Saratoga Springs, NY)

I have not been able to find out the origin of the call "LET." Can you help me?  Where did it originate and why is it not called net?
 
In French, “filet” means “net.”  (The net itself.)  In addition, that is the call
for “ let” that the net cord judge or umpire in France makes when a service delivery touches the net.  I believe the English took the second syllable (let) from the French word for “net.”

“Love”, or” zero” comes from the French word “l’oeuf” or “egg.”  For English speaking players, a goose egg is a big fat zero.  Only the English language uses this word “Love.”  In all other languages ( even the French) they say  “zero” in their native language.

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