Lesser Known Tennis Rules

[dizzlmcwizzl]

Originally Posted by woodrow1029

So you've done your coin toss/racket spin.

Player A wins the toss and elects to serve.

Player B chooses his side.

The warmup begins.

Now, during the warmup, it starts to rain, and you need to leave the court. You come back to the court a couple hours later.

The result of the coin toss/racket spin (i.e. heads or tails) STANDS AS IT WAS.

The players, however, have the right to change their mind as to their choices.

Player A (since he won the toss) can re-choose serve, receive, side, or defer.

Then, Player B gets to make a new decision as well.

Related question .... you play a match and you are in the middle when you have a rain delay. You end up resuming the match at a different court on another day. Who chooses the side you will begin the next day on?

Obviously the server is determined if you are in the middle of a set, but which side he will serve from is not ... so who chooses?

Also related ... lets say you resume the match on exact same court but the next morning ... so the sun has moved and the "bad side" has switched to the other side of the court. Are you required to start from the same sides of the court since it is the same exact court? (thinking mostly about doubles here)

[floridatennisdude]

Originally Posted by dizzlmcwizzl

Related question .... you play a match and you are in the middle when you have a rain delay. You end up resuming the match at a different court on another day. Who chooses the side you will begin the next day on?

Obviously the server is determined if you are in the middle of a set, but which side he will serve from is not ... so who chooses?

Also related ... lets say you resume the match on exact same court but the next morning ... so the sun has moved and the "bad side" has switched to the other side of the court. Are you required to start from the same sides of the court since it is the same exact court? (thinking mostly about doubles here)

To your first question, I found myself in a unique situation. In Florida, we get pop up thunderstorms basically every day. We were playing a match into the second set when a cloud burst. I looked to the west and saw it was perfectly clear so I suggested we move to a different club (mine). All parties agreed so we did. This simple solution created a dilemma. A tree blocked the sun better at my club. Also, the courts are at a slightly different angle and so the tail wind was now more of a cross wind.

However, in an official match I believe it is supposed to be at the same site and on the same court.

As to your last question, I believe it is irrelevant. Just like pro match rainouts or suspension of play due to darkness. You return to the same court and resume at the exact point the play was suspended.

[dizzlmcwizzl]

Originally Posted by floridatennisdude

I believe it is supposed to be at the same site and on the same court.

This may be true in theory but I bet this has happened even in official matches so someone has dealt with it.

[Tar Heel Tennis]

Originally Posted by dizzlmcwizzl

This may be true in theory but I bet this has happened even in official matches so someone has dealt with it.

Players resume play on the same side they were on when play was suspended. The position of the sun/clouds/wind/whatever have no bearing in this situation.

[dizzlmcwizzl]

Originally Posted by Tar Heel Tennis

Players resume play on the same side they were on when play was suspended. The position of the sun/clouds/wind/whatever have no bearing in this situation.

The original question to which comment refers deals with the situation when the players change courts ... so the same side is no longer possible, since the court has has changed.

[jonnyjack]

Originally Posted by stapletonj

The rule, put quite simply, is this.

You CANNOT reachover the net AT ANY TIME, before, during or after contact with the ball, with one exception.

In the proverbial super backspin drop shot which hits, bounces, and comes back over to the other players side before bouncing the second time, you CAN and MUST reach over and at least touch the ball (WITHOUT TOUCHING THE NET) before it bounses the second time.

You don't necessarily have to reach over the net. If the ball spun back over the net close enough to the sideline, you can run around the net and hit the ball as long as you don't step into the opponent's court (or touch the net).

Woodrow can confirm this, unless I'm completely wrong!

Also, I believe the right shot to take when you do run around the net is to hit the ball into the net so it just dies into the court. It would be semi-equivalent to hitting a netcord winner.

[Rob_C]

Originally Posted by uk_skippy

As answered, if the returner changes rqt it will be a 1st service as I believe the act of changing the rqt is deemed hinderance to the server's continuity of the serve.

Interesting to say if the returner doesn't want to change rqt. Can't really see why you'd that unless your opponent has been serving doubles all day long.
.

Isnt it illegal to start a pt with a broken string??

[Rob_C]

Originally Posted by blakesq

Thanks MCLOVIN, you correclty pointed out that I was wrong, but your answer also is incorrect. A let is only called if it is UNCLEAR whether the correct ball was played. If the returner hits the wrong ball as a winner, but it is clear later that he played the wrong ball, then no let, he loses the point. The rule is here:

"Case 2: A ball in play hits another ball which is lying in the correct court.
What is the correct decision?
Decision: Play continues. However, if it is not clear that the actual ball in
play has been returned, a let should be called."

For instance, if the ball being served is a wilson 3, but the ball that was returned is a Penn 1, then it is clear he returned the wrong ball, and he loses the point in that weird case.

Where in the rules does it say that the point is lost if the incorrect ball is played??? All I saw was that if it's unclear that the correct ball was returned, the pt is replayed.

The last part about the Wilson & Penn balls was your own example, right??

[woodrow1029]

Originally Posted by Rob_C

Isnt it illegal to start a pt with a broken string??

Only in professional tennis.

But the start of the point is before the first serve. So even in pro tennis, if the receiver breaks a string returning a first serve fault, he can choose to play the second serve with a broken string.

But in amateur tennis, you can start a point with broken string.

[Mauvaise]

Originally Posted by dizzlmcwizzl

The original question to which comment refers deals with the situation when the players change courts ... so the same side is no longer possible, since the court has has changed.

But it is still possible, isn't it? I thought 99% of all tennis courts are built with the ends on North/South, so if you were playing on the North side of the court when rain halted the match, you'd still play on the North side of the court when play resumes, be it a different day, different court, different facility (or all three). Right?

This is the way we did it when our match got called in the middle of the 2nd set at a recent club tournament. We resumed two weeks later and on a different court, albeit the same facility. We picked up right where we left off:

Opponents serving at 3-4, 15-15 (though we did start the point over as we ran off the court after a first serve fault). They were serving from the South side of the court when we halted and resumed their service game from the South side of the court.

[dizzlmcwizzl]

Originally Posted by Mauvaise

But it is still possible, isn't it? I thought 99% of all tennis courts are built with the ends on North/South, so if you were playing on the North side of the court when rain halted the match, you'd still play on the North side of the court when play resumes.

This is my question ... when the court changes should we find magnetic north or should we re-toss to determine side?

I just want to know the rule ... I really do not care what the rule is.


FWIW, my personal experience is that somewhat less than 99% of all courts are oriented north-south.

[cll30]

Originally Posted by dizzlmcwizzl

FWIW, my personal experience is that somewhat less than 99% of all courts are oriented north-south.

Yeah, sometimes they're just put where they will fit.

[NineMileSkid]

Originally Posted by spot

Here is a singles match at the US Open where Mayer hit the post and the ball is good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-C0KZEG5Z0

There were no singles sticks.

[Bedrock]

Originally Posted by BHiC

To answer your question, if someone falls, then the point is continued. If the person had missed the shot, it would have been your point, and no hindrance/let could have been called. A hindrance cannot be called for falling down or for a racquet slipping out of someone's hand. Also, if a ball falls out of your pocket, or your hat falls off, your opponent must call the let. You cannot call a let because a ball falls out of your pocket. You are correct though that it is a let the first time, but then you lose a point the second time the ball/hat falls.

This had happened to me several times, I have both fallen down, gotten back up and won the point, and also lost points because I slipped and fell.

You actually have to make a call on yourself and lose the point if you:
dropped a ball, cap or any other subject on the court during point.
Just like in the case of double bounce.

[Bedrock]

Originally Posted by blakesq

Thanks MCLOVIN, you correclty pointed out that I was wrong, but your answer also is incorrect. A let is only called if it is UNCLEAR whether the correct ball was played. If the returner hits the wrong ball as a winner, but it is clear later that he played the wrong ball, then no let, he loses the point. The rule is here:

"Case 2: A ball in play hits another ball which is lying in the correct court.
What is the correct decision?
Decision: Play continues. However, if it is not clear that the actual ball in
play has been returned, a let should be called."

For instance, if the ball being served is a wilson 3, but the ball that was returned is a Penn 1, then it is clear he returned the wrong ball, and he loses the point in that weird case.

Assuming that the second ball was on the court before point started, answer is: Play continues.

[woodrow1029]

Originally Posted by Bedrock

You actually have to make a call on yourself and lose the point if you:
dropped a ball, cap or any other subject on the court during point.
Just like in the case of double bounce.

Nope. You can't call a let for dropping something yourself. Your opponent has to call that let immediately. You can't hinder yourself

The first time it's a let, eac subsequent time you lose the point as an intentional hindrance.

[Bedrock]

Originally Posted by woodrow1029

Nope. You can't call a let for dropping something yourself. Your opponent has to call that let immediately. You can't hinder yourself

The first time it's a let, eac subsequent time you lose the point as an intentional hindrance.

I did not say let. I said you lose point right after first drop.(however it is not that critical first or second drop)

I do not know any rule where player calls anything on opponet's side.

Do you know any reference to rules for this case? ( I know it is there, but I do not remember where)

[woodrow1029]

Originally Posted by Bedrock

I did not say let. I said you lose point right after first drop.(however it is not that critical first or second drop)

I do not know any rule where player calls anything on opponet's side.

Do you know any reference to rules for this case? ( I know it is there, but I do not remember where)

Ok. I will clarify.

First of all, it is very clear that if a ball falls out of a player's pocket, the first time it is a let, then each subsequent time it is loss of point. Yes that is critical.

A hindrance (let or loss of point) can only be called if the "hindered player" was actually hindered from making a shot he had a play on. A player is not entitled to a hindrance based on something that that player caused (i.e. hat falling off his own head, ball falling out of his own pocket). In the case of excessive grunting, only a chair/roving umpire can make the call as to whether it's a hindrance.

Of course, a player may call a hindrance against himself, and that is very good sportsmanship, but if he calls a hindrance against himself, it is a loss of point, and he is not entitled to replay the point. But it is the player that is hindered that needs to make the call. It's in the rules and the code.

[Bedrock]

Originally Posted by woodrow1029

Ok. I will clarify.

First of all, it is very clear that if a ball falls out of a player's pocket, the first time it is a let, then each subsequent time it is loss of point. Yes that is critical.

A hindrance (let or loss of point) can only be called if the "hindered player" was actually hindered from making a shot he had a play on. A player is not entitled to a hindrance based on something that that player caused (i.e. hat falling off his own head, ball falling out of his own pocket). In the case of excessive grunting, only a chair/roving umpire can make the call as to whether it's a hindrance.

Of course, a player may call a hindrance against himself, and that is very good sportsmanship, but if he calls a hindrance against himself, it is a loss of point, and he is not entitled to replay the point. But it is the player that is hindered that needs to make the call. It's in the rules and the code.

You are right a let can be called by any player.

Everyone has to know rules before the start of the game.
What is the difference between first and second drop? (I do not see common sense)

For some player(for a lot of players) it is a big destruction if anything is laying on the tennis court.
And they do ask to remove it before start playing a point.
If ball or any other object arrives from outside of the court a let can be called. But the call suppose to be made immediately. Otherwise the game continues.
If obstacle(hindrance) has been created by a player the player losses the point.

However there is still no reference to the rule that makes exception for creating a first hindrance.

[woodrow1029]

Originally Posted by Bedrock

You are right a let can be called by any player.

Everyone has to know rules before the start of the game.
What is the difference between first and second drop? (I do not see common sense)

For some player(for a lot of players) it is a big destruction if anything is laying on the tennis court.
And they do ask to remove it before start playing a point.
If ball or any other object arrives from outside of the court a let can be called. But the call suppose to be made immediately. Otherwise the game continues.
If obstacle(hindrance) has been created by a player the player losses the point.

However there is still no reference to the rule that makes exception for creating a first hindrance.

I did not say a let can be called by either player in this case.

It is a big difference because the first drop is considered unintentional hindrance, and a let can be played. After that, it is considered a deliberate hindrance, and it is loss of point.