New and Old question about rules of tennis

[Aykhan Mammadov]

1. New. Player A is serving and the ball first hits accidentally the racket of the player B standing outside the service line ( what means that service is obviously was going to "out") and returns to the court side of the player A. Should the let be called and the point replayed ?

Answer according to the Article 18 of the Rules 2004: " Server wins point if the ball served, not being a let under the Rule 14, touchs the Receiver or anything which he wears or carries, before it hits the ground".

Conclusion: don't hit with the racket the service going out.

2. Old, asked already in another forum.

During a play the player's strings or racket is accidentally broken. Should the let be called and the point replayed? If the ball is broken the point is replayed as indicated in the Article 13 Case 2.

But I couldn't find answer to this question in the Rules 2004. Lawyers help. Rules are on the site www.itftennis.com

[Marc C.]

I believe that there is a distinction between the racket or strings breaking and the ball breaking, if this is what you are asking.

[Aykhan Mammadov]

No, I'm not looking for distinction. I'm looking for the answer and just somewhere in text of the Rules 2004, I need juridical explanation or prove in the answer.

1. New. In the 2004 Friend at Court, Rule 24 on pages 21-22 states that the server wins the point if "A ball that has just been served hits the receiver or in doubles the receiver's partner before it touches the ground."

2. Old. In the 2004 Friend at Court, Rule 4 on page 10 covers this situation. If a string breaks during a point, that point may be completed. In some venues, more points may be played with the broken string.
No let may be called by the player whose string breaks. Play must continue. But this player can be allowed some time to go get (or locate) another racquet.

[Aykhan Mammadov]

Julie, thank you for your inclusion.

1. If you be more attentive, I gave an answer to the NEW question myself after question. The question covers the case when ball hits not receiver but his racket. The case is covered by RULE 18.

2. Regarding Old question to which I couldn't find an answer - thank you. But can you clarify what is " 2004 Friend at court" - is it something official or just explanatory book. And does it cover the case with a broken racket ? Where to find it ? If it is something official then the question is answered, otherwise it is still open, because I can rely on only official rules.

[Morpheus]

This is a very strange thread.

Just curious, why do you want to know these things?

[Aykhan Mammadov]

Morpheus,

I'm just playing tennis so I'm interested in.

Don't you think that broken strings is really very frequent case in tennis and really ordinary case? It happened with me and my opponents also and raised an argument. When I read official Rules 2004 ( they are at www.itftennis.com ) I was surprised that I couldn't confirm an opinion of many people that broken strings is not a let.

[Morpheus]

Sorry. Sometimes its easy to assume a level of knowledge after all of these years of playing. I grew up with it, so I've never looked for a rule book.

I think your question was answered, but to be clear, if you have an equipment problem like a string break or a racket break, you have to play the point out with no let.