Rule question????

[TooOld4singles]

In doubles, the server gives the correct score, looks at the receiver who is ready and serves. Receiver blocks the good serve and calls a let because his partner was talking to him about whether the score is correct. Question....can he call a let or even what would actually be a hindrance when he was ready and it was his partner that was talking?

 

[schmke]

A player who has become ready can become unready for a number of reasons, one being to question the score. However, they should clearly hold up their hand or verbally say something to indicate they have become unready and not play the ball, and should not just say after playing the ball that they weren't ready. They also can't become unready just because their partner says something to them, they or their partner needs to signal the unreadiness clearly.

It gets fuzzy when the returner does play the ball but perhaps in a way that indicates they weren't trying to hit it in the court, then says they weren't ready. Hard to tell from your description where your scenario falls, nor can I tell if you called the score and served quickly before it could sink in and they could object, but I would likely grant a let and just ask them to more clearly/quickly indicate if they have a question on the score.

 

[ShaunS]

I have to admit that I'm not sure about the ruling here.

My unofficial thought would be - if there's legitimate confusion over the score that's a reasonable excuse to stop play. I'd like to see the "questioning" partner bring it up before the serve is made, but I'm unsure how much time passed between the score being called out and serve struck to know if that's fair. The decision on whether it can be called a "let" is semantics, and potentially useful for the determination on ruling but not my thought. Unless this happened more than once, I'd say it's nothing.

 

[kylebarendrick]

That's why I usually call the score well before actually getting ready to serve... Not sure about schmke's statement that the player can become "unready". The rule as I recall it is that once ready the receiver cannot become unready. Some level of being reasonable, of course, applies.

 

[schmke]

From The Code:

Receiver readiness. The receiver shall play to the reasonable pace of the server. The receiver should make no effort to return a serve when the receiver is not ready. If a player attempts to return a serve (even if it is a “quick” serve), then the receiver (or receiving team) is presumed to be ready.​

And from the ITF Rules of Tennis:

21. WHEN TO SERVE & RECEIVE
The server shall not serve until the receiver is ready. However, the receiver shall play
to the reasonable pace of the server and shall be ready to receive within a reasonable
time of the server being ready.
A receiver who attempts to return the service shall be considered as being ready. If it
is demonstrated that the receiver is not ready, the service cannot be called a fault.​

These do not discuss becoming unready, but I think it is reasonable (and there are other rules dealing with hinderances) that if an outside interference occurs the player can become unready. And certainly if the score is not called until the player is ready, they have to be able to become unready in order to dispute it before the point begins.

I suppose technically if things have become contentious, the receiver should hold their hand up until the score is called.

 

[kylebarendrick]

From The Code:

Receiver readiness. The receiver shall play to the reasonable pace of the server. The receiver should make no effort to return a serve when the receiver is not ready. If a player attempts to return a serve (even if it is a “quick” serve), then the receiver (or receiving team) is presumed to be ready.​

And from the ITF Rules of Tennis:

21. WHEN TO SERVE & RECEIVE
The server shall not serve until the receiver is ready. However, the receiver shall play
to the reasonable pace of the server and shall be ready to receive within a reasonable
time of the server being ready.
A receiver who attempts to return the service shall be considered as being ready. If it
is demonstrated that the receiver is not ready, the service cannot be called a fault.​

These do not discuss becoming unready, but I think it is reasonable (and there are other rules dealing with hinderances) that if an outside interference occurs the player can become unready. And certainly if the score is not called until the player is ready, they have to be able to become unready in order to dispute it before the point begins.

I suppose technically if things have become contentious, the receiver should hold their hand up until the score is called.

This is from the 2018 FAC, this is the full rule on receiver readiness (bold is mine):

Receiver readiness. The receiver shall play to the reasonable pace of the
server. The receiver should make no effort to return a serve when the receiver is
not ready. If a player attempts to return a serve (even if it is a “quick” serve), then
the receiver (or receiving team) is presumed to be ready. The receiver may not
become unready unless outside interference occurs.
​

I'd argue that a conversation with your partner doesn't constitute "outside interference", so I think by rule the receiver would lose the point. In terms of being a reasonable player, I'd probably mention that once they are ready to receive they can't stop to have a conversation and would agree to replay the point.

 

[schmke]

I'd argue that a conversation with your partner doesn't constitute "outside interference", so I think by rule the receiver would lose the point. In terms of being a reasonable player, I'd probably mention that once they are ready to receive they can't stop to have a conversation and would agree to replay the point.

Agreed, which is why I noted that a receiver should hold their hand up and not become ready until the score is called if this is becoming an issue.

 

[kylebarendrick]

Agreed, which is why I noted that a receiver should hold their hand up and not become ready until the score is called if this is becoming an issue.

Exactly - server calls the score earlier and receiver doesn't get ready until they hear it. Then this becomes a non issue.

 

[gmatheis]

This is from the 2018 FAC, this is the full rule on receiver readiness (bold is mine):

Receiver readiness. The receiver shall play to the reasonable pace of the
server. The receiver should make no effort to return a serve when the receiver is
not ready. If a player attempts to return a serve (even if it is a “quick” serve), then
the receiver (or receiving team) is presumed to be ready. The receiver may not
become unready unless outside interference occurs.
​

I'd argue that a conversation with your partner doesn't constitute "outside interference", so I think by rule the receiver would lose the point. In terms of being a reasonable player, I'd probably mention that once they are ready to receive they can't stop to have a conversation and would agree to replay the point.

I would possibly consider the server announcing what they believe to be an incorrect score to be outside interference, but hard to judge without being there as some servers announce the score almost as they toss the ball and others before they even step up to the line.