Rule Question: Ball through net

[Dartagnan64]

So I had an interesting point in doubles this am. One of our nets is starting to tear away from the net cord leaving a few holes under the tape. During a point, my opponent hit a BH into the tape and it went through the hole into our court. I was playing the net and clearly saw the ball come through the net. Because the net threw the ball up a little, everyone else presumed it went off the net cord and over the net rather than under the net cord. I stopped play and explained what happened. Once everyone saw the gaping hole the ball opened, no one fussed, but it got me thinking, "whose call is it?"

Is it like a let where anyone that sees or hears it can make the call? Is it on the person hitting the ball or on the people receiving the ball?

 

[OnTheLine]

Good question .... it is towards the end of the summer here and all the nets in town are starting to fall apart. (nets here survive a single summer and are replaced) so have had this more than a few times. Everyone has always agreed when it happens.

But yes, whose call is it if there is disagreement?

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

So I had an interesting point in doubles this am. One of our nets is starting to tear away from the net cord leaving a few holes under the tape. During a point, my opponent hit a BH into the tape and it went through the hole into our court. I was playing the net and clearly saw the ball come through the net. Because the net threw the ball up a little, everyone else presumed it went off the net cord and over the net rather than under the net cord. I stopped play and explained what happened. Once everyone saw the gaping hole the ball opened, no one fussed, but it got me thinking, "whose call is it?"

Is it like a let where anyone that sees or hears it can make the call? Is it on the person hitting the ball or on the people receiving the ball?

Since it's not in the rulebook [you looked, I assume], I would think it's the call of the person on whose side the play occurred, just like a double bounce.

 

[blakesq]

Seems like a ball going through the net occurs on both sides of the net, the ball goes through the net on one side, comes out the net the other side. I wonder if this is like other rules where a player has to call it on himself—like reaching over the net?

The opponent makes the call if a ball goes through the net, from the code, see post below.

 

[blakesq]

I just found this from the code:


20. Balls hit through net or into ground. A player makes the ruling on a ball that the player’s opponent hits:
• Through the net; or
• Into the ground before it goes over the net.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

20. Balls hit through net or into ground. A player makes the ruling on a ball that the player’s opponent hits:

• Into the ground before it goes over the net.

That's interesting: so the player who hit the ball makes a double bounce call but the opponent calls a bounce after the hit? That seems contradictory: I thought the general idea was that a player makes calls for things happening on his side of the court.

 

[esgee48]

@blakesq is citing the correct rule. Your opponent has hit the ball and it is coming back to you. There is no issue at this point whether the hit was illegal.The net is a 'no-persons land' at this point and the receiver calls balls if they go out by missing the court or not going over the net. Players who watch the ball can easily see if there is a net cord when the ball bounces up. When the path of the ball goes down on net impact, but yet is on the other side, it is a thru-the-net. This happens a lot when old nets are used and the net separates from the cable tape/cord.

 

[Creighton]

Good question .... it is towards the end of the summer here and all the nets in town are starting to fall apart. (nets here survive a single summer and are replaced) so have had this more than a few times. Everyone has always agreed when it happens.

But yes, whose call is it if there is disagreement?

Wow that has to get pricey.

 

[OnTheLine]

Wow that has to get pricey.

I'm sure it is. The tennis clubs all replace annually .... the city parks not so much.

The desert air and high heat (and winds!) wreck havoc on nets.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

I'm sure it is. The tennis clubs all replace annually .... the city parks not so much.

The desert air and high heat (and winds!) wreck havoc on nets.

"Cry havoc and let loose the dogs of...tennis?"

 

[Cindysphinx]

That's interesting: so the player who hit the ball makes a double bounce call but the opponent calls a bounce after the hit? That seems contradictory: I thought the general idea was that a player makes calls for things happening on his side of the court.

The general rule about who makes a call does not depend on whose side it is. Instead, it is you get to make calls on balls headed toward you.

People really get confused for permanent fixtures, like top of bubble. Say I hit a ball that hits the top of the bubble while still on my side. That is my opponents call because my shot was headed toward her.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

The general rule about who makes a call does not depend on whose side it is. Instead, it is you get to make calls on balls headed toward you.

Yeah, I was thinking of that right after I posted. Same for when me saying something is a hindrance: if the ball is heading towards me, it's not a hindrance [ie yelling "switch" to my partner]. But if I've already hit it, then it is a hindrance [ie yelling "run for the hills" when I hit a short lob].

Is it stated so in the rules or does one have to infer it?

Technically, some of the grunting/shrieking is a hindrance because it's done after contact. But no one gets called for it except Robin Haase, who was previously silent but then started grunting to match his opponent and the umpire hit him with a warning [unsportsmanlike conduct?].

 

[Dartagnan64]

Thanks for the clarity guys. Makes a ton of sense since the receiver is most likely to be watching the ball clearly as it moves into his court.

 

[Matthew ATX]

Hrm, I never knew whose call it was. If I see it happen, I always just ask "Hey, did that go through?" Usually we can come to a consensus.

This reminds me that I need to toss some zip ties in my bag. I used to carry them but forgot to reload when I changed bags.

 

[Dartagnan64]

Hrm, I never knew whose call it was. If I see it happen, I always just ask "Hey, did that go through?" Usually we can come to a consensus.

This reminds me that I need to toss some zip ties in my bag. I used to carry them but forgot to reload when I changed bags.

If I ever play on that court again, I'm bringing zip ties. Once the gaping hole was opened we had another couple balls whizz through it.

 

[FlamingCheeto]

If I ever play on that court again, I'm bringing zip ties. Once the gaping hole was opened we had another couple balls whizz through it.

that's what she said

 

[ChaelAZ]

Interestingly, I have rarely had this issue, but we played top court this weekend that Surprise and the net had several holes right near the center. had a good dozen balls go through between 4 players and 2+ hours of dubs. Personally I wanted to call them as in the net, but we played them as a let.

And then complained about it to the facilties.