What rules are different in college tennis?

M

myservenow

Semi-Pro
I went to the first round of the NCAA tennis tournament yesterday in Knoxville, Tennessee. Aside from getting to watch Tennessee throttle Winthrop and ETSU upset Alabama in the first round, I also learned something new about the college game.

I had no idea that they played net cord "lets" on the serve. I knew I was hearing serves hit the net all day long and that the play continued, but figured I was mistaken. Finally, I had to ask someone there if I was seeing that right. Sure enough.

Are there any other rules that are significantly different for college tennis (men's div I) than for regular tennis?
 
Men's division one: Play the service lets

No bathroom breaks allowed. If they need a bathroom break, it needs to be within the time of the changeover/set break. Unless both coaches agree before the match to allow more time.

One medical timeout per match, not per injury (all division one tennis)

If a player is overruled twice, then any subsequent overrules receive a code violation.

Umpire can ONLY overrule after a VERBAL appeal from the player (in other tennis, the umpire CANNOT overrule after a player appeal.)

Server and receiver both have the full 20 seconds between points (receiver does not have to play to the reasonable pace of the server)
 
In college doubles, the receiver's partner CANNOT step in the service box that the server is aiming for. That includes standing on the line.
 
there are no warnings in college tennis, at least not in D3. For instance, the first language violation, racket abuse, or anything like that is loss of point. Second is game, third is match.
 
That is not different from USTA tennis though.

Different from pro tennis, yes.
 
I would not want to be one of the officials in a college tennis match. Not sure what the standard is, but yesterday there was only one on court official for each match. The official sat in the traditional umpire's chair. Apparently, you have to be 75 years old and wear thick glasses before you are allowed to be a NCAA tourney official.

Anyway, a lot of the tennis players I saw acted like jerks to the opponent and the officials. Alabama questioned calls left and right (some legit but others were not even close). Lots of unsportsmanship like stuff going on. Guess that is part of the college game.

During the Tennessee match, I was watching a point. The point ended and both players looked over and the umpire was out of his chair getting a drink of water. It was the first point after a change over. The only thing I can think is the players started playing without realizing the umpire hadn't returned to his chair. Both players were dumbfounded and the ump casually climbed back into his seat. The Tennessee player won the point, but the ump didn't recognize it and they had to basically replay the point. Before serving, the UT player said something to the ump and hit a ball over the ump's head. The ump never saw it. I never did get to the bottom of it. Ump was an old man.

Lots of bad officiating throughout the day, but I would think these older officials would have a difficult time making some calls on opposite sideline and corners. Some of those college players are very intimidating and were jerks to the officials.
 
A lot of the rules in college tennis were changed because of the SEC teams.

One of the SEC coaches was known for telling his guys to call a let on a big point if the opponent served an ace, and that caught on with some other teams.

Another SEC coach was telling his guys to take a medical timeout for any injury at 5-4, and that caught on.

So they eliminated the lets and limited to one medical timeout per match.

And, don't let a couple of bad examples influence your opinion of all ITA officials.

Most of us are pretty good officials.
 
woodrow1029 said:
A lot of the rules in college tennis were changed because of the SEC teams.

One of the SEC coaches was known for telling his guys to call a let on a big point if the opponent served an ace, and that caught on with some other teams.

Another SEC coach was telling his guys to take a medical timeout for any injury at 5-4, and that caught on.

So they eliminated the lets and limited to one medical timeout per match.

And, don't let a couple of bad examples influence your opinion of all ITA officials.

Most of us are pretty good officials.
Click to expand...
Hi Woodrow,

I think the no let rule was put into effect because of UCLA. I have often heard it referred to as "The UCLA Rule".
 
Last edited:
Joeyg said:
"The UCLA Rule".
Click to expand...

bad-trip-kitteh.jpg
 
Woodrow - something I'd like you to consider passing on in light of these college rules and why they were put in place in the first place:

Former players who did these things and got away with them in college now do them in different contexts. What mitigations can/should be put in place for that?

Case in point - I play 35s and 40s age divisions. While playing an opponent who was top nationally ranked in 35s at a Tier 2 national event (years ago now) three or four times when I hit a service winner against him - either right at his rib cage or a clean ace - he calls a let. Immediately I'm thinking to myself - that cleared the net by 2" - WTF?!? Eventually I let it go.

Afterwards five different people who played him either at that tournament or in years later tell me of similar things and I learn people call him "The Hook". I am told one opponent walked off the court against him at a Tier 2 national event after he repeatedly pulled such "shenanigans".

Thoughts? K_I
 
I was in Gainesville this weekend for both the mens and womans. The matches were fairly clean with few disagreements. Great tennis.
 
I went to a college match not long ago for the first time in years and, like the OP, had to learn some new rules. When I asked a more experienced spectator about no lets on net serves (which, incidentally, was an experimental rule at some levels of the pro game in the early 00's), I was told it was "because they (college players in general, I inferred) cheat so relentlessly."

It's a pretty good rule change, I've often thought: speeds things up, takes away an area of likely dispute, gives advantage to neither player, adds to elegance of rules by making serves more like other strokes, etc. However, it's a hell of a shame for it to come about only because some of the best players of a sport that has traditionally prided itself on character, honesty, and being above some of the baser practices of other sports can't man up and accept losing a point.
 
Joeyg said:
Hi Woodrow,

I think the no let rule was put into effect because of UCLA. I have often heard it reffered to as "The UCLA Rule".
Click to expand...

I've never heard it called that but if it's true it's probably cause UCLA players were htting so many aces and the other teams were calling the lets. SEC teams sounds about right.
 
Because they have to "go" more? What's the deal here?
I'm over here, I gotta p*** like a racehorse, my knees are shaking like a newborn calf, I got blue lips and I can't go take a p***!? You CANNOT be serious!?
But girls can go run and potty anytime they'd like...pits of the WORLD!
 
justinmadison said:
If there is a let off the serve in doubles either player can return the serve.
Click to expand...
No they can't. That is only a rule in World Team Tennis.

In men's div. 1 college tennis, if the serve hits the net, only the intended receiver may return it.
 
SirSweetSpot said:
Because they have to "go" more? What's the deal here?
I'm over here, I gotta p*** like a racehorse, my knees are shaking like a newborn calf, I got blue lips and I can't go take a p***!? You CANNOT be serious!?
But girls can go run and potty anytime they'd like...pits of the WORLD!
Click to expand...
The guys were taking more bathroom breaks at inopportune time because certain coaches were instructing them to.

Remember in college tennis, the coaches collectively vote on the rules and make the rules that are in the rulebook.
 
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