What's the rule on this...?

[GeoffHYL]

Played doubles last weekend. I was up at net on the deuce side, maybe 9 feet from the net. Opponent hit a high volley down at my feet. I stuck my racquet out and essentially half-volleyed the shot, which went almost straight up about 9 or 10 feet, just dropping on the other side of the net into the alley. It had a ton of side and backspin on it, bounced sideways and towards my side of the court. I couldn't tell if it passed back over the net or around it, but it was on my side of the net, but outside of the doubles alley. My opponent ran it down and hit the ball while it was on our side of the net, but off the court, and placed the ball behind me for a winner. Is this a legal shot?

 

[kylebarendrick]

A player can run around the net and hit the ball as long as their foot doesn't enter the court of play. Sounds like you lost the point.

 

[McLovin]

Yeah, many people don’t realize this is the only time a player may break the plane of the net BEFORE hitting the ball. They still cannot physically touch the net, but they can reach over & around in order to hit the ball.

 

[kevrol]

As long as the opponent didn't touch your side of the court with his body or racquet then yes it's a perfectly legal shot. Did you give them the point?

 

[kylebarendrick]

Yeah, many people don’t realize this is the only time a player may break the plane of the net BEFORE hitting the ball. They still cannot physically touch the net, but they can reach over & around in order to hit the ball.

Yeah, it helps to think of it as "the ball must break the plane of the net before I can hit it" rather then "I can't break the plane of the net before I hit the ball".

 

[tennisisgood]

Someone (not me of course) should post the rule. Always post the rules please.
Ok, ok: I'll post it:

USTA: Find a Tennis Tournament & Play Tennis Near You

The official site of the U.S. Tennis Association. Find a tennis court near you, learn to play tennis, and get tennis news from the USTA.

www.usta.com

https://www.itftennis.com/media/194067/194067.pdf

A player can reach over the net to hit the ball if it first bounces on his/her side of the court, but the ball goes back over the net (e.g., due to spin or wind) before the player can hit it.

Another, but lesser common, instance when a player is allowed to cross the plane of the net involves a ball that first bounces on the player’s side, but the ball goes back over the net to the opponent’s side (e.g., due to spin or wind) before the player can hit it. In this case, to win the point, a player must reach over the net and hit the ball before it lands. However, if while doing so the player touches the net or if the ball lands (on the opponent’s side) before the player makes contact with it, then the opponent gets the point.

 

[GeoffHYL]

As long as the opponent didn't touch your side of the court with his body or racquet then yes it's a perfectly legal shot. Did you give them the point?

Yes, awarded them the point, although I wasn't clear on the rule, it just seemed okay since they didn't enter the actual court on our side of the net. I have seen cases where the ball bounced back over the net due to backspin, but within the court of play, and the player had reached over the net to make contact with the ball legally. Just wasn't sure about the player actually going outside the area of the court to cross the plane of the net with their entire body before making contact with the ball.

 

[kylebarendrick]

From Friend At Court in the ITF Rules of Tennis Under "24 Player Loses Point"

Case 4: Does a player lose the point if an imaginary line in the extension of the net
is crossed before or after hitting the ball?
Decision: The player does not lose the point in either case provided the player
does not touch the opponent’s court.

 

[ShaunS]

Since we've got the original question answered, would you be so kind as to help me with another?

If you hit a permanent object (prior to hitting the ball in) then you lose the point. Also, umpires/officials count as permanent objects when in position.

Is there any prohibition against hitting around a permanent object though? Specifically if the umpire is standing courtside, and I'm pulled out wide. I hit the shot behind them, but it catches the back corner of the court.

 

[kylebarendrick]

You can hit around a permanent object. An easy example is in a singles match using singles sticks (which are of course required for singles matches). The net post becomes a permanent object in this situation and you can legally hit around it as you describe.

 

[Zman]

Another, but lesser common, instance when a player is allowed to cross the plane of the net involves a ball that first bounces on the player’s side, but the ball goes back over the net to the opponent’s side (e.g., due to spin or wind) before the player can hit it. In this case, to win the point, a player must reach over the net and hit the ball before it lands. However, if while doing so the player touches the net or if the ball lands (on the opponent’s side) before the player makes contact with it, then the opponent gets the point.

I once asked a former ATP player what was the best shot he ever saw. He said it was this situation, player A hit a ball that bounced on player B's side and then bounced back over the net. Player B ran up, dove over the net, and before the ball bounced again player B hit the ball incredibly hard and sideways (parallel to the net). After player B hit the ball, the ball bounced on player A's side and then hit the side fence before player B touched the ground on player A's side of the court. That last bit is crucial, player B would lose the point if he touched the ground on player A's side of the court before the ball hit the side fence and hence ended the point.

I actually had an opportunity to try this during a match, but while sprinting towards the net I realized that I was about to break my neck, so I conceded the point. If anyone reading this has the athleticism to actually make this kind of shot, I would love to see a video!

 

[winchestervatennis]

You can hit around a permanent object. An easy example is in a singles match using singles sticks (which are of course required for singles matches). The net post becomes a permanent object in this situation and you can legally hit around it as you describe.

I think a scoring device affixed to the net counts as a permanent object as well and hitting around it is fair game.

 

[JLyon]

I once asked a former ATP player what was the best shot he ever saw. He said it was this situation, player A hit a ball that bounced on player B's side and then bounced back over the net. Player B ran up, dove over the net, and before the ball bounced again player B hit the ball incredibly hard and sideways (parallel to the net). After player B hit the ball, the ball bounced on player A's side and then hit the side fence before player B touched the ground on player A's side of the court. That last bit is crucial, player B would lose the point if he touched the ground on player A's side of the court before the ball hit the side fence and hence ended the point.

I actually had an opportunity to try this during a match, but while sprinting towards the net I realized that I was about to break my neck. If anyone has the athleticism to actually pull this off, I would love to see a video!

legal shot since ball was deemed dead/out of play prior to player touching opposing court, must have been an incredible shot.

 

[JLyon]

I think a scoring device affixed to the net counts as a permanent object as well and hitting around it is fair game.

score cards are permanent fixtures just like a light pole, etc..., but yes can hit around the fixture

 

[ShaunS]

score cards are permanent fixtures just like a light pole, etc..., but yes can hit around the fixture

Yeah, it makes sense. I wasn't sure if there was some special consideration because of the possibility that the "permanent fixture" (such as an umpire) would've obstructed the view of the other player.