backward bounce over the net

[rovision]

As I know, it's perfectly legal to extend your racket over the net and hit the ball if the ball bounces backwards over the net. And it's the only situation where you can actually cross the net plane with your racket to hit/return a ball.

However, in this specific situation the returning player crossed physically the net plane. The ball bounced backwards close to one of the net posts and the returning player physically followed the ball to the other side of the net and hit it.

Who's point is it?

 

[Ripper014]

I am not sure but as long as he does not touch his opponents court he is ok.

 

[woodrow1029]

Wait, I misread the question.

He jumped over the net? If he did, this is not legal if he landed in your court before the ball was dead. If he landed in the doubles alley and it is was a singles match, it's legal.

 

[TennisBeginner]

What do you mean by physically crossed the net plane, did he like grab the net and extend as far as he could over it to hit the ball?

 

[rovision]

To clarify, the ball bounced close to one of the net posts. The returning player came around the post and hit the ball without stepping on the other side of the court.

 

[woodrow1029]

To clarify, the ball bounced close to one of the net posts. The returning player came around the post and hit the ball without stepping on the other side of the court.

Ok, if he ran around the net post, it's legal.

 

[Sherlock]

By the way, your racket can go over the net at any time (as long as it does not impede the opponents in any way). The rule about the ball bouncing backwards over the net is the only time you can HIT the ball when it is on the other side of the court.

In addition, your body can hang over the net if you really want it to, as long as it is not touching the net and you are not impeding your opponents in any way. You can never touch your opponent's court.

 

[Big_Dangerous]

This actually reminds me of a weird thing that happened. I was playing my friend last summer in a match and it was actually match point. He hit drop shot and there was no way I was going to get it. However he put some weird spin on it so what ended up happening was it bounced once on my side and then some how bounced backwards and over the net on to his side. He didn't hit it back over he just grabbed it with his hand. He gave me the point, but I'm just wondering was it really my point or do I have to actually hit the ball back to his side?

 

[Sherlock]

It was his point...you have to hit the ball for it to be your point.

 

[BullDogTennis]

This actually reminds me of a weird thing that happened. I was playing my friend last summer in a match and it was actually match point. He hit drop shot and there was no way I was going to get it. However he put some weird spin on it so what ended up happening was it bounced once on my side and then some how bounced backwards and over the net on to his side. He didn't hit it back over he just grabbed it with his hand. He gave me the point, but I'm just wondering was it really my point or do I have to actually hit the ball back to his side?

you have to hit it.

 

[spot]

Just to be clear- if he caught the ball before it bounced on his side then he would have touched a live ball and he would have lost the point.

 

[jc4.0]

Even weirder...

I had a similar situation, and was playing with someone who will argue me to the ground about rules, so I went along with her interpretation. My partner hit a weird shot that hit on their side, then bounced back over the net onto our side, right on the edge. One of our opponents came completely onto our side of the court to hit the ball back, stepping physically onto our side. She then claimed the point. I was happy to give it to her, given the hustle it took for her to play both sides of the court. But did the point belong to our opponents?

 

[dizzlmcwizzl]

I had a similar situation, and was playing with someone who will argue me to the ground about rules, so I went along with her interpretation. My partner hit a weird shot that hit on their side, then bounced back over the net onto our side, right on the edge. One of our opponents came completely onto our side of the court to hit the ball back, stepping physically onto our side. She then claimed the point. I was happy to give it to her, given the hustle it took for her to play both sides of the court. But did the point belong to our opponents?

NO ... once her foot hit your playing surface while the ball was live ... she lost the point

 

[jc4.0]

NO ... once her foot hit your playing surface while the ball was live ... she lost the point

Well that's what I thought, but I just gave her a little racket-clap, because if I questioned her rules interpretation we'd still be there arguing over whose point it was!

 

[Cindysphinx]

If singles, she is allowed to touch the doubles alley. Did she really come all the way into your service box?

 

[spot]

In singles I do think she would be allowed to go into the doubles alley

 

[jc4.0]

If singles, she is allowed to touch the doubles alley. Did she really come all the way into your service box?

Instead of reaching over the net to hit the ball, which would be legal, she ran all the way around the net post and hit the ball from my side of the net. Nifty move right? But I thought it wasn't a legal move.

 

[Austinthecity]

Instead of reaching over the net to hit the ball, which would be legal, she ran all the way around the net post and hit the ball from my side of the net. Nifty move right? But I thought it wasn't a legal move.

Your side of the net is fine. They just can't step into your court (as in where you would call balls "in").

 

[woodrow1029]

Instead of reaching over the net to hit the ball, which would be legal, she ran all the way around the net post and hit the ball from my side of the net. Nifty move right? But I thought it wasn't a legal move.

It is a legal shot as long as the opponent doesn't step inside the court on your side.

 

[jc4.0]

It is a legal shot as long as the opponent doesn't step inside the court on your side.

Well she did step over onto my side in order to hit the shot, she didn't just reach over the net - but I was so impressed with this move, that I just gave her the point. She claimed the rules supported it, and I just didn't argue. Sometimes you just give the "racket clap" and congratulate your opponent on some amazing hustle.

 

[spot]

jc4.0- your phrasing makes it sound like you aren't understanding. She can go onto your SIDE completely legally as long as she doesn't touch inside of the service box (for singles)

 

[jc4.0]

Let me make it clear - she ran completely around the net post and set foot on my side of the net, one if not both feet within the service box, and then hit a decent shot - which as I've said was a pretty cool move. I was happy to give her the point.

 

[blakesq]

Ha, this happened to me last night in doubles. I was at net, somebody creamed the ball at me, I hit a weird volley, probably hit the frame, the ball bounced on the opponents court, then spun back on my court and almost touched me. I didn't touch the ball, and it was our point.

I wonder though, since I was so close to the ball, can my opponent call a hindrance on me, since if he tried to hit the ball, he probably would have hit me with his racket?

 

[jc4.0]

Ha, this happened to me last night in doubles. I was at net, somebody creamed the ball at me, I hit a weird volley, probably hit the frame, the ball bounced on the opponents court, then spun back on my court and almost touched me. I didn't touch the ball, and it was our point.

I wonder though, since I was so close to the ball, can my opponent call a hindrance on me, since if he tried to hit the ball, he probably would have hit me with his racket?

That's an interesting question. I'd say you weren't hindering him, even though it was sporting of him not to smack you...