Ball hits opponent's foot and returns into my court

[badboi78]

If I hit a ball into my opponent's foot (unintentionally) and the ball bounces back over into my side of the court then who's point is it?

I said it's my point because the opponent did not use his racquet to return the ball but he insisted it was his point because it was unintentional and it did not double bounce off his body. So who is right?

 

[groundbreaker]

It would be your point. The ball hit your opponent, not his racket. When the ball hits someone during play, they lose the point.

 

[jis]

ok. I had a situation when i sliced the ball into opponents court. The ball hit
the opponents court and bounced back into my court. My opponent did nothing, no role he played for this return. Whose point is this?
Did i win or my opponent?

thanks
jis

 

[thebuffman]

actually you do not have to hit the ball with the racquet in order to keep it in play. i was playing a league match. my partner floated a ball over the net. the opponent smash it right into my hip which bounced back over the net. everybody kept playing except for me who thought the point was over. i later realized my error. it seems that everyone knew the proper rules but me.

ok. I had a situation when i sliced the ball into opponents court. The ball hit
the opponents court and bounced back into my court. My opponent did nothing, no role he played for this return. Whose point is this?
Did i win or my opponent?

thanks
jis

if the ball lands in the opponent's court and comes back over the net to your court, the ball is still live until it bounces twice. the opponent has the right to reach over the net (only time that she can do this) and hit the ball. in this case however your opponent did nothing (probably because she didn't know that she could) and so once the ball bounced again, it was your point.

 

[i8myshirt]

For jis' question, it would be your point since your opponent didn't actually return the ball to your side after the ball hit his side of the court.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

ok. I had a situation when i sliced the ball into opponents court. The ball hit the opponents court and bounced back into my court. My opponent did nothing, no role he played for this return. Whose point is this? Did i win or my opponent? thanks
jis

It is your point cuz your opponent failed to play the ball. In this situation, where the ball has already broken the plane of the net, your opponent is allowed to reach over to play the ball. I've done this quite a few times (and have won the point after reaching over). Most of the time, I'll just reach over the net and just barely touch the ball with my frame or strings (so that the ball just drops w/o going very far).

Twice, I was able to reach over and knock the ball away, nearly parallel to the net (left or right), so that it is virtually unplayable. Once, I was able to hit the ball back into the net -- this is a clear winner. Every time I was able to reach the ball (after it had already gone back to my opponent's side), I was able to win the point.

Note that you must not touch the net (with your body, clothes or racket) when you reach over to play the ball. You cannot touch your opponent's court either. Also, you must get your racket on the ball before it bounces on your opponent's side.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

If I hit a ball into my opponent's foot (unintentionally) and the ball bounces back over into my side of the court then who's point is it?

I said it's my point because the opponent did not use his racquet to return the ball but he insisted it was his point because it was unintentional and it did not double bounce off his body. So who is right?

:twisted:
​

A player must call out "futbol rules" or "soccer rules" before playing the ball with their foot. In social tennis, it is usually ok to make the call at the same time that the ball hits your foot. If you call out "handball rules", you may play the ball with the palm of your non-dominant hand. Shouting "volleyball rules" allows your team to hit the ball twice (or thrice) before returning the ball to your opponent's side.

:wink:​

 

[JediMindTrick]

actually you do not have to hit the ball with the racquet in order to keep it in play. i was playing a league match. my partner floated a ball over the net. the opponent smash it right into my hip which bounced back over the net. everybody kept playing except for me who thought the point was over.

It was over!

i later realized my error.

What error?

it seems that everyone knew the proper rules but me.

It seems that nobody knew the rules!

 

[Nellie]

Buffman/badboi78 - ITF Rule 24 (i): the player loses the point if "The ball in play touches the player or anything that the player is wearing or carrying, except the racket"

 

[JRstriker12]

actually you do not have to hit the ball with the racquet in order to keep it in play. i was playing a league match. my partner floated a ball over the net. the opponent smash it right into my hip which bounced back over the net. everybody kept playing except for me who thought the point was over. i later realized my error. it seems that everyone knew the proper rules but me.

That's wrong (or is my sarcasim dectector not working??). You can't play the ball off your body. Once the ball hit your hip the ball is dead and it's your opponent's point.

However they may not have realized it hit your hip and kept playing. At that point you should have let them know you touched the ball.


http://assets.usta.com/assets/1/UST...cument Assets/2008/01/07/doc_13_15617_001.pdf

24. PLAYER LOSES POINT
The point is lost if:
a. The player serves two consecutive faults; or
b. The player does not return the ball in play before it bounces twice
consecutively; or
c. The player returns the ball in play so that it hits the ground, or before
it bounces, an object, outside the correct court; or
d. The player returns the ball in play so that, before it bounces, it hits a
permanent fixture; or
e. The receiver returns the service before it bounces; or
f. The player deliberately carries or catches the ball in play on the racket
or deliberately touches it with the racket more than once; or
g. The player or the racket, whether in the player’s hand or not, or anything
which the player is wearing or carrying touches the net, net
posts/singles sticks, cord or metal cable, strap or band, or the opponent’s
court at any time while the ball is in play; or
h. The player hits the ball before it has passed the net; or
i. The ball in play touches the player or anything that the player is
wearing or carrying, except the racket; orj. The ball in play touches the racket when the player is not holding it; or
k. The player deliberately and materially changes the shape of the racket
when the ball is in play; or
l. In doubles, both players touch the ball when returning it.

http://www.usta.com/Improve-Your-Game/Player-to-Player/Rules/Ruling_on_body_shots/

 

[GetBetterer]

If you ever hit your opponent, it's your point.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

:twisted:
​

A player must call out "futbol rules" or "soccer rules" before playing the ball with their foot. In social tennis, it is usually ok to make the call at the same time that the ball hits your foot. If you call out "handball rules", you may play the ball with the palm of your non-dominant hand. Shouting "volleyball rules" allows your team to hit the ball twice (or thrice) before returning the ball to your opponent's side.

:wink:​

Forgot to mention that (soccer) chest traps are also permissible when calling "futbol rules".

 

[thebuffman]

just want to give a hearty thank you for correcting my error. thanks for posting the rule.

another question about the "double hit". is this illegal? sometimes you will see the ball kind of double hit on the opponent's racquet but i never really knew if this was a legal hit. i am not talking about if your opponent pops it up and then hits it over. i am talking about that weird instance that happens in like .3 seconds where the ball does some weird stuff on a players racquet (what i call a double hit).

 

[thebuffman]

nm, i found the answer - it is a legal hit:
A player is permitted only one swing at the ball. Any intentional second swing is not permitted. Sometimes, during the stroke the ball may hit the strings/racket two times. If the player did this in one motion and there is no attempt at an intentional second hit, then that is a legal shot. This rule was changed in the 1970s from no double hits, whether intentional or not, to the above procedure.

 

[r2473]

If you ever hit your opponent, it's your point.

When I did this, not only did I not win the point, I got DQ'd

 

[GetBetterer]

r2473:

When I did this, not only did I not win the point, I got DQ'd

Did you apologize or anything? If it was intentional without an apology, of course you're going to get disqualified.

 

[thebuffman]

r2473:


Did you apologize or anything? If it was intentional without an apology, of course you're going to get disqualified.

thats absurd. why on earth does he get dq'd for that? one of the first things they teach you in doubles is when to take an offensive, defensive and duck & cover position. you duck & cover to protect your face from getting rocked when a slam is inevitable. if you don't cover up, then it is not the fault of the person hitting the ball.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

nm, i found the answer - it is a legal hit:
A player is permitted only one swing at the ball. Any intentional second swing is not permitted. Sometimes, during the stroke the ball may hit the strings/racket two times. If the player did this in one motion and there is no attempt at an intentional second hit, then that is a legal shot. This rule was changed in the 1970s from no double hits, whether intentional or not, to the above procedure.

However, I believe, a "throw" or a "carry" is still illegal. This would apply to a ball that stays on the strings significantly longer than 5 ms.

 

[r2473]

thats absurd. why on earth does he get dq'd for that? one of the first things they teach you in doubles is when to take an offensive, defensive and duck & cover position. you duck & cover to protect your face from getting rocked when a slam is inevitable. if you don't cover up, then it is not the fault of the person hitting the ball.

I didn't say anything about hitting my opponent with the ball.

 

[anchorage]

What about the situation where one player hits the ball against themselves and it then goes over the net?

 

[ProgressoR]

what if you place your racket up your shirt and hit it back off the strings but of course with the shirt in the way?

Is the shirt thickness important here?

What if the shirt has a mesh style, that is not solid material?

 

[r2473]

what if you place your racket up your skirt and hit it back off the strings but of course with the skirt in the way?

Is the skirt thickness important here?

What if the skirt has a mesh style, that is not solid material?

If you stick your racquet up your mesh skirt and return the ball, the point is yours.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

^ Funny guy! I assume that this was a response to the previous query. V

What about the situation where one player hits the ball against themselves and it then goes over the net?

 

[ProgressoR]

i meant shirt and not skirt. Putting your racket up your skirt to play a shot is of course just plain silly.

 

[InsideOutBackhand]

When I did this, not only did I not win the point, I got DQ'd

You actually won the point. Intent is irrelevant to the outcome of the point (but it won't win you any friends). Being DQ'd on the other hand is a discretionary call by an official. I would think most officials would consider it a normal part of play. Never seen a DQ on a hit, even blatantly intentional ones.