Official Line Calling
- Thread starter DE19702
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dizzlmcwizzl
Hall of Fame
Yes ... they are allowed to make any call at any time from any position.
However, my experience has more often been that they have been reluctant to make calls such as foot faults or line calls. I have found that the officials are at least as interested in socializing and resting than paying attention to the courts in question.
However, my experience has more often been that they have been reluctant to make calls such as foot faults or line calls. I have found that the officials are at least as interested in socializing and resting than paying attention to the courts in question.
Yes. They are supposed to do that if they see a wrong or missed (eg: foot fault) call. In practice some seem to avoid ever making any calls, even when asked. It's like they don't want to get involved.
However, some people give them a very hard time and I've seen some comments flung at them by irate players that gets close to verbal abuse. The best tournaments are where the officials stand firm on line calls and enforcing the rules. I am very supportive of that and give the TD positive feedback on the really conscientious officials.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
I thought roving officials were not supposed to intervene when one team is giving the other the benefit of the doubt on a line call and play and out ball.
I would say the official was wrong unless there was something else going on (like, opponents aren't calling serves out until they see whether their return is a winner).
I would say the official was wrong unless there was something else going on (like, opponents aren't calling serves out until they see whether their return is a winner).
amorris525
Rookie
I thought they weren't allowed to intervene unless directly asked, but that may only be a college rule.
They are supposed to correct incorrect calls. That includes "giving benefit of the doubt calls" if those calls are incorrect. A few friends who are officials tell me that (a) they are reluctant to reverse those types of calls, (b) they only would reverse a call like that if the call was egregiously wrong, and (c) they don't often see people giving opponents the benefit of the doubt in tournaments lol. But that is what they say they do in practice; I don't know if that is official officialling (is that a word?) policy.
There was a big hullabaloo in my area last year because the officials never intervened except when asked and many of the officials thought that was the way it was supposed to be. It was finally communicated to all the officials and tournament players (they handed out these flyers explaining the role of officials) that the officials are indeed supposed to correct any incorrect call or make any missed call (eg: foot faults) whether they are asked to or not. But this is USTA; I don't know the policy in colleges.
have a hard time believing this story unless the official was completely inept. A roving official would not correct a call of this nature, unless they were in a chair, much less off the court.
Also in USTA an official should immediately overrule a call, prior to being prompted.
Roving officials generally will only overrule an in ball called out and egregious foot faulting, but even then that is not a wise decision by the official unless 100% correct and willing to get verbally assaulted.
Also in USTA an official should immediately overrule a call, prior to being prompted.
Roving officials generally will only overrule an in ball called out and egregious foot faulting, but even then that is not a wise decision by the official unless 100% correct and willing to get verbally assaulted.
amorris525
Rookie
Interesting. There was a money tournament at local courts earlier in the tournament. The final went to a third set tiebreak, it was 5-6, and the server double faulted (or so he thought). The players either had already shaken hands or were about to when the official (not a chair), decided that the serve was in. Both players agreed it was out, but were forced to continue the match. The player who double faulted ended up winning 8-6 in the breaker. People in the crowd thought that it was incorrect by the official to do that when no one asked, but if what you say is correct, then he made a legal move. Whether the ball was acutally in or not is a different question.
amorris525
Rookie
*meant to say earlier in the summer.
tennis tom
Legend
I played in a Senior Tournament, on a center court, so the match had a chair-umpire. On the first serve to me to the ad court, the ball was about a foot wide. I called it "out" and the chair ump over-ruled me and called it "in". He said he would be making the line calls for the match. Since I haven't had a chair-ump for many matches prior to this one, my natural instinct was to call an out ball out. The ump was making the call, on a ball furthest away from him, that I had the best view of. I didn't make an issue out of it since it was only the second point of the match and did't want to make an ass out of myself in front of several hundred spectators. Either the chair-ump was blind, or wanted to assert himself, that he would be making all the line calls for the match.
chatt_town
Hall of Fame
I think it's stupid for them to do so. Most of them are looking through a fence and standing in all kinds of weird positions. They have an old @$$ man in Mobile that walks around and yells 3 courts over..."foot fault". He even called a ball in that I hit that the guy called out. The official was clearly out of position and looking through a chain linked fence. It was to my benefit so I didn't say anything but had it been the other way around I would have mauled his @$$ over it. I had another ask me in Birmingham was I susre a ball was out and she was standing on the side line looking at the side line. The ball was clearly out. What is it that people don't understand about you can stand on the side and see balls in or out on the side line? If you notice they have people sitting in both directions to call lines at professional matches. Why does some roaming official think they can see all the lines from one position. They interject even when none of the players are raising hell about line calls to make themselves known. Some of them are just stupid. I really hope the old man in Mobile has retired. He clearly has some other issues other than line calling and I don't know why he even comes out to do the tourney we attend in Mobile. It's hard to believe that whatever money they pay him makes a difference in his life to the point you want to go around people you obviously don't want to be around.
floridatennisdude
Hall of Fame
There were several hundred spectators watching a seniors tournament? Wow
JoelDali
Talk Tennis Guru
chatt_town
Hall of Fame
lol...I think I had quite a bit to show up for a couple of mine as well. I think I will get 2 "turnstiles" set up at my local park for my semi final match so we can keep count. 
I'm going to count the people that even show up with their kids to hit that come inside the other courts. lol
I'm going to count the people that even show up with their kids to hit that come inside the other courts. lolsundaypunch
Hall of Fame
At a USTA junior tournament this summer my daughter called a serve out. It was clearly wide. The roving official said it was in and gave the other girl the point. On the changeover the other girl said "that serve was out by about two inches".
It didn't matter as my daughter won that game and the match. Just a strange case of the official trying a little too hard.
It didn't matter as my daughter won that game and the match. Just a strange case of the official trying a little too hard.
chatt_town
Hall of Fame
I think a player can overrule even the official can't they? Not that they would in most cases but I think I've heard that the player that was awarded the point can change the call over everyone if they deem the ball good? Has anyone else ever heard this?
floridatennisdude
Hall of Fame
Yes, they can. McEnroe talked about how he did this in one of his first tournaments. His opponent didn't return the favor. After the match, the guy told Mac that they were playing for money, the officials sometimes suck, but it balances out in the end so take a free point when it happens. Mac never gave points again. But obviously, he still told officials when they sucked.
At a recent playoff match an official called a few foot faults but never any line calls. On one point my partner hit a serve that was about a foot out but played as in by the returning team, I was so shocked that it wasn't called out I lost focus and butchered an easy volley, my own fault for not staying ready to be sure. But later the official explained that though yes the serve was way out, officials will not ever call a played ball out but they will overrule balls that were called out when they were in fact in.
amorris525
Rookie
If this was a doubles match, I'm fairly sure that you are allowed to appeal to the ref to ask if the serve was out, even after you miss the volley because it happens so quickly. I have seen this in a couple matches.
it was, I did. At the moment he just said something like "it would be bad precedent for me to get involved there" then after the match gave me his explaination.
3fees
G.O.A.T.
Roving officials-rove for a reason,,not to get exercise,,time of playing matches is one reason,,if the play is extended, they usually come around and see if "speed up play" is in order or too see if trading of games is going on back and forth,,In my last tournment roving official called a footfault on my opponent and said a ball on my serve hit the line that different opp called out--game winning call,,,keep the faith,,
floridatennisdude
Hall of Fame
Not what he claims in his book
Taxvictim
Semi-Pro
I have not finished his book, but I did see McEnroe agree to replay a point in the "Champions" league where his opponent played out the point, but then afterwards claimed a lineswoman had indicated the serve was out. McEnroe pointed out to the guy "though I doubt we'd be replaying this point if your lob had worked" or something like that.
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