Ball hits ball on court.

J

jim e

Legend
Playing last week and opponents ball hits ball on my side that was just inside the service line, and after the ball in play hits that ball, it then goes back into the air and lands out of bounds.
Here is the thing, the ball finally touches the surface for 1st time out of bounds as it originally strikes the ball 1st without touching the playing surface.Since the ball did not land in play on my side I would only assume that I should have received the point, but...
I gave the point to my opponent even though it 1st touched the court on my side out of play, and that 1 point really did not make that much a difference in the outcome, but what would be the official ruling just in case this should happen again?
I was serving, and when 1st serve goes into net and does not go beyond the service line, I usually leave ball there and serve the 2nd ball. 1st time something like this happened, and I would assume it most likely never would again, but then again...
 
Last edited:
MathGeek

MathGeek

Hall of Fame
Don't know the official rule (or if there is one), but the folks I play with all have the understanding that a player who fails to clear all the balls from his side does so at their own risk.

Balls which hit balls on the ground are counted "in" if the ball they hit was in, and the player who failed to clear it does not get a let, the ball is still in play.

When an opponent fails to clear a ball, I aim for it.
 
mikeler

mikeler

Moderator
I believe if you could tell which ball was the ball in play that after it hit the ball on court, that was the first bounce. You would have had to hit it before it bounced again or you lose the point. I'm sure someone will chime in with the exact rule soon.
 
N

NTRPolice

Hall of Fame
If a live ball hits a ball that is in bounds, the ball is still live, and that is the first bounce.
If a live ball hits a ball that is out of bounds, the live ball is then considered dead as it landed "out".

And,

If it cannot be determined which ball is the live ball (if there is any disagreement by any player), a let is played.
 
mikeler

mikeler

Moderator
NTRPolice said:
If a live ball hits a ball that is in bounds, the ball is still live, and that is the first bounce.
If a live ball hits a ball that is out of bounds, the live ball is then considered dead as it landed "out".

And,

If it cannot be determined which ball is the live ball (if there is any disagreement by any player), a let is played.
Click to expand...

I didn't know that last part. Thanks for the clarification.
 
N

NumbersGuy

Rookie
You sure about that last part? Since players make the calls on their own side of the court, I'd think it would be up to the player in whose court the stray ball was. FWIW.
 
mikeler

mikeler

Moderator
NumbersGuy said:
You sure about that last part? Since players make the calls on their own side of the court, I'd think it would be up to the player in whose court the stray ball was. FWIW.
Click to expand...

Yes I would think the call would go to the person on that side of the court.
 
N

NTRPolice

Hall of Fame
NumbersGuy said:
You sure about that last part? Since players make the calls on their own side of the court, I'd think it would be up to the player in whose court the stray ball was. FWIW.
Click to expand...

Any player may call a let if they are unsure if the live ball was returned, the same way any player may call a let on a serve, or a let for a ball on court. Since most people only call lets on their side of the court, people often think that's the only time you can call it. A server can call their own let, not just the returners.

It's not a line call. It's a let call.

The person on the correct side of the court would make the appropriate line call if the ball laying on the court is on or near the line. If the ball in play hits an out ball, the ball is out, no matter where the live ball ends up. If the live ball hits a ball laying on the court and is PLAYED, any player may then call a let if they are not sure if the played ball is actually the original live ball.
 
D

Deleted member 23235

Guest
NTRPolice said:
If a live ball hits a ball that is in bounds, the ball is still live, and that is the first bounce.
If a live ball hits a ball that is out of bounds, the live ball is then considered dead as it landed "out".

And,

If it cannot be determined which ball is the live ball (if there is any disagreement by any player), a let is played.
Click to expand...
never knew that rule!
then again, in the maybe handful of times a live ball has ever hit a dead ball, i have never have been in a position to hit either ball afterwards.
that said, i always clear all balls on my side of the court... too much of a distraction.

MathGeek said:
When an opponent fails to clear a ball, I aim for it.
Click to expand...

Me too! I know how distracting it is to me, so if someone decides not to clear a ball (almost never a decent player anyway), i always aim in that vicinity :p
 
K

kevrol

Hall of Fame
Answer from the Friend at Court:

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.
 
Big_Dangerous

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
jim e said:
Playing last week and opponents ball hits ball on my side that was just inside the service line, and after the ball in play hits that ball, it then goes back into the air and lands out of bounds.
Here is the thing, the ball finally touches the surface for 1st time out of bounds as it originally strikes the ball 1st without touching the playing surface.Since the ball did not land in play on my side I would only assume that I should have received the point, but...
I gave the point to my opponent even though it 1st touched the court on my side out of play, and that 1 point really did not make that much a difference in the outcome, but what would be the official ruling just in case this should happen again?
I was serving, and when 1st serve goes into net and does not go beyond the service line, I usually leave ball there and serve the 2nd ball. 1st time something like this happened, and I would assume it most likely never would again, but then again...
Click to expand...

Definitely was your opponent's point. You didn't clear that ball before the point was started, so you can't claim a hindrance, and there's really no disputing that the ball would have landed in had it not hit a ball that you left on the court.
 
Big_Dangerous

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
MathGeek said:
Don't know the official rule (or if there is one), but the folks I play with all have the understanding that a player who fails to clear all the balls from his side does so at their own risk.

Balls which hit balls on the ground are counted "in" if the ball they hit was in, and the player who failed to clear it does not get a let, the ball is still in play.

When an opponent fails to clear a ball, I aim for it.
Click to expand...

Yep, exactly what I said.

And that's why you always clear balls on your side of the court! ;)

 
N

NTRPolice

Hall of Fame
nytennisaddict said:
never knew that rule!
then again, in the maybe handful of times a live ball has ever hit a dead ball, i have never have been in a position to hit either ball afterwards.
that said, i always clear all balls on my side of the court... too much of a distraction.
Click to expand...

Undoubtedly very rare. We have done serves in practice and have seen two balls fly up after colliding. This means that any high pace ball could net a "playable" ball, much more likely a drop shot hitting a ball close to the net would . It's also not always totally apparent which ball is the ball that is in play, because it's not always going to be the ball that moves the most, but of course the ball that moves the most is probably the one you have the best chance of playing...
 
T

tennis tom

Legend
What IF, the dead ball is sitting on the outside edge of a side line, and the ball in play hits the part of the ball which is outside of the line?
 
N

NTRPolice

Hall of Fame
Alien said:
I have heard that the point keeps on and you can actually hit any of the two balls.
Click to expand...

You CANNOT hit any of the two balls. You can only hit the live ball. If it is uncertain which ball is the live ball then a let is played.

tennis tom said:
What IF, the dead ball is sitting on the outside edge of a side line, and the ball in play hits the part of the ball which is outside of the line?
Click to expand...

Just like a ball cannot be both in and out at the same time, any ball sitting on the court is either in the court or out of the court. If the live ball hits a ball that is in the court, the live ball has bounced in. If the live ball hits a ball sitting outside the court, the live ball is then considered dead.
 
J

JLyon

Hall of Fame
if the ball was on the court at the time the point started or rolled on the court and no let was called, it becomes part of the playing surface, so if the ball in play it that ball and that ball was located in bounds, then the ball is good as the ball is now the surface.
 
WYK

WYK

Hall of Fame
If a ball is on my opponents court, I'll warn them about it and allow them to clear it. I wouldn't play with one as a potential hazard.
Aim for it? Whatever.
 
T

tennis tom

Legend
There's a new rule, at least stateside, that opponents can demand a ball on be removed on the other side of the net--I believe--but I'm not a lawyer.
 
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