What's the right call ?

[twocents]

We were down by one point (7-8)a third set 10 point tie breaker. I hit a good shot and thought it was a winner. Both me and my partner turned around to "high five". All of the sudden the ball comes back over for a so called winner. The guy ends up flat out diving for it on concrete and it comes back. I have been playing for more than 20 years. I swear there is no way he could have gotten that ball without a second bounce. His partner said it was off the first bounce. Of course this was the determining game of the match. HE HIMSELF SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW IF HE GOT IT FOR SURE. It was an impossible shot, yet it came back. Everyone on his side said it was good. Everyone on our side said there is no way through the laws of physics he could have gotten that ball before it bounced a second time. We told him to take it over.
Of course he blows an ace right down the middle on me to make it 7-9 and they go on to win the match. His partner said it was Good if that means anything.

[kevhen]

Always watch the ball until it bounces twice. Always stay ready for the ball to come back until it bounces twice. Expect your opponent to make miracle gets.

[ChrisNC]

If you didn't personally see it, it's their call to make.

[twocents]

Thanks for replying.
The funny thing is: He said He "didn't know" if he got it or not because he couldn't believe it either. It was an impossible shot. Do you just take it over?
What if we did watch it? Would it would be on his word or his partners word that he got it?

[norcal]

"didn't know" = your point. You got jobbed.

If he said, "I got it in one bounce", even if he is lying they win the point.

[Geezer Guy]

I don't think you play the point over. The two of you were not watching (you should have been) so you don't know for sure. The guy that hit it said he didn't know. His partner, who was watching, said it was good. I think you have to take the word of the only witness - the partner. Either that, or you claim that since the two of them disagree then you consider that it bounced twice, and is your point.

I think the only time you replay a point (other than a let, obviously) is if you actually forget the score.

I may be all wet.

[mucat]

twocents, if you didn't see it, you have to give your opponents their point.

[papa]

Now wait a minute here. Its not necessarily good if the hitter wasn't sure - sounds like his partner was sure it WAS GOOD. In addition to watching the completion of EVERY point, I will say two bounces (if it was) right away regardless of who's call it is. Incidently, you'd be amazed at what shots people can make and how different the bounce can be.

[Cypo]

I haven't looked this up, but I'm pretty sure that only the player hitting the ball can call a double bounce - I believe it's one error that you can not call on your opponent.

I think the right thing to do in this case is to force the guy who returned to make a decision - it's his call.

[twocents]

Thanks for replying !!!
For any one still interested:
That was the odd part about it. He was completely layed out and rolled a couple times on the court after he made the shot!!! He himself didn't know. If he doesn't know, I don't think it's up to his partner who was on the other side of the court to decide on the call. He was completely "cool" about the whole thing and said he honestly didn't know.
If we had watched the pont completely and saw it as a double bounce. We would have been arguing with his partner. What we saw vs what she saw.
Who's call is it?
What happens then? Replay and take it over?

[peter]

Thanks for replying !!!
For any one still interested:
That was the odd part about it. He was completely layed out and rolled a couple times on the court after he made the shot!!! He himself didn't know. If he doesn't know, I don't think it's up to his partner who was on the other side of the court to decide on the call. He was completely "cool" about the whole thing and said he honestly didn't know.
If we had watched the pont completely and saw it as a double bounce. We would have been arguing with his partner. What we saw vs what she saw.
Who's call is it?
What happens then? Replay and take it over?


From "The Code", section 20:


20. Touches, hitting ball before it crosses net, invasion of opponent's court, double hits, and double bounces.

A player shall promptly acknowledge if:

* a ball touches the player;
* the player touches the net;
* the player touches the player's opponent's court;
* the player hits a ball before it crosses the net;
* the player deliberately carries or double hits the ball; or
* the ball bounces more than once in the player's court.


The part that is relevant here is the last one - ie, if the partner didn't
say it double-bounced then it was good and you should keep on playing.

[Roforot]

What seems to be the agreed upon facts:

1) One of the opposing team saw that the ball did not bounce twice.
2) Neither you nor your partner saw the ball bounce twice.

Sounds to me like it's good.

The player that hit the ball usually would have the best call on whether the ball bounced twice; however, I've been in situations where you are so intent on reaching or making the play, your focus is not whether the ball's landed in or out or whether it's bouncing.

Your opponents were overly generous in letting you replay the point.

[Kaptain Karl]

Roforot is correct. You did NOT get "jobbed"; your opponents were VERY cordial in replaying the point.

I bet you'll watch until the point is really over from now on, huh?

- KK

[predrag]

What seems to be the agreed upon facts:

1) One of the opposing team saw that the ball did not bounce twice.
2) Neither you nor your partner saw the ball bounce twice.

Sounds to me like it's good.

The player that hit the ball usually would have the best call on whether the ball bounced twice; however, I've been in situations where you are so intent on reaching or making the play, your focus is not whether the ball's landed in or out or whether it's bouncing.

Your opponents were overly generous in letting you replay the point.

I absolutely agree with Rofoot.

I never re-play the point.
If I am not sure if the ball was out (on my side) I always call it in.

Regards, Predrag

[camelF4i]

I'm not looking this up in the tennis rules manual, but I agree the opponents were generous is replaying the point.

If you and your partner didn't see the point through but saw:

1. A return shot that was good
2. The returner sprawled out on the ground after a dive
3. The returner didn't know whether it double bounced; too focused on getting to the shot
4. The returner's partner saw it as not a double bounce

Then I don't see how you guys could of won the point since you weren't paying attention thus don't really have a say in the matter and what you did see of the point (good return shot and returner rolling on ground) leads to the conclusion that it was more than likely a good shot.

Just my take on it based on what you've told us, nothing personal against you or anything.

[nkhera1]

Well if you didn't see it than there is really no way you could argue about it. You were just lucky the other team was willing to redo the point.

[twocents]

THANKS FOR REPLYING EVERYONE.
I guess Justice Prevailed.
On the very next point he serves a 90mph ace down the middle !!!
I didn't have any problem returning his serve 60 to 70 mph serve all night.
It must have been some kind of "Devine Intervention" telling me I screwed up.