Balls from from my pocket - Rules / Courtesy

[MoDaisy]

I was playing a mixed doubles match yesterday and had a situation occur that got a little heated. In the 3rd set tie-breaker at 3 - 2 we got into a long rally with our opponents. I feel certain that we played at least 20 balls and the point was finally won when a short lob was put away by me. Anticipating the court switch I reached into my pocket to ball the extra ball out and realized that it wasnt there. It had fallen out at during the point but I am not sure when. As soon I noticed the ball one of my opponents said "I guess we when the point". I mentioned to her that she could not call a let after the point ended and she said - The point is automatically ours. We had a discussion about the rules and her partner agreed with us, that a let could be called them but it had to occur while the point was in play.

I have since reviewed the rules and feel certain that I made the correct ruling - (Please point me in the right direciton if not) - But, here is my question: Since this was a recreational league match and considering the fact that she did not know the rule, should "courtesy" have been giving to my opponent such that we just replayed the point?

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[Racer41c]

I was playing a mixed doubles match yesterday and had a situation occur that got a little heated. In the 3rd set tie-breaker at 3 - 2 we got into a long rally with our opponents. I feel certain that we played at least 20 balls and the point was finally won when a short lob was put away by me. Anticipating the court switch I reached into my pocket to ball the extra ball out and realized that it wasnt there. It had fallen out at during the point but I am not sure when. As soon I noticed the ball one of my opponents said "I guess we when the point". I mentioned to her that she could not call a let after the point ended and she said - The point is automatically ours. We had a discussion about the rules and her partner agreed with us, that a let could be called them but it had to occur while the point was in play.

I have since reviewed the rules and feel certain that I made the correct ruling - (Please point me in the right direciton if not) - But, here is my question: Since this was a recreational league match and considering the fact that she did not know the rule, should "courtesy" have been giving to my opponent such that we just replayed the point?

Thoughts? Opinions?

The rules are the rules. What I see time and again are individuals who think they know a rule but interpret it wrong. So giving in in the name of "courtesy" only furthers that person's inaccurate understanding. The only "courtsey" rule I'm in favor of is when a receiving team makes a line call but they over rule themselves and we replay the point. In my opinion that's good "sportsmanship".

 

[jrod]

This is pretty simple in my view. The let has to be called during the point being played, preferably as soon as someone notices the errant ball. Since no one called a let during the point, it stands as played.

Do you honestly think your opponent would be asking for a let if she had won the point? In my view, she is not deserving of any courtesy since she was being completely self-serving in trying to manufacture another chance to win a point she had just lost.

 

[MoDaisy]

This is pretty simple in my view. The let has to be called during the point being played, preferably as soon as someone notices the errant ball. Since no one called a let during the point, it stands as played.

Do you honestly think your opponent would be asking for a let if she had won the point? In my view, she is not deserving of any courtesy since she was being completely self-serving in trying to manufacture another chance to win a point she had just lost.

I do agree and just want to add one thing - She honestly felt as if her interpretation of the rule was correct - That the point was automatically theirs so she did'nt stop play or call a let as she didnt feel as if she had to.

 

[Geezer Guy]

Well, first of all the ball-out-of-pocket "let" needs to be called immediately - not after the point. Second, the FIRST time it happens the point is simply replayed as a "let". If it happens again, the team that dropped the ball would lose the point.

So, in your particular case, it wasn't a "let" because no one called it immediately. If it HAD been called, the point would have been replayed - not an automatic loss of point.

BUT - could you have played a let just as a matter of courtesy? That's what I would have offered to do.

 

[10s talk]

"we when" ? :shock:

 

[West Coast Ace]

As others have alluded to: "All points played in good faith shall stand."