Page 6 - Tennis Magazine April 2019

Court of
Appeals

Resolving

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My partner accidentally served with a ball that wasn’t from the can we started

playing with. Our opponent returned the serve out, but then claimed the ball
was “bad”—which, to her, was the reason it went out—and that we should replay

the point. I said she had tried to return the ball, so there should be no replay.

We ended up replaying the point, but who was right? —Becky Pearson, Dallas, TX

Rule 3 doesn’t make any provision Listen to your fellow spectators. “count as part of the net.” Rule 2
for declaring the use of a stray ball While you are correct that The defines permanent fixtures, and the
“bad.” If the ball had any compres- Code, #5, begins by saying a “player net and net posts are not included in
sion—i.e., you couldn’t squeeze makes calls on own side of net,” the definition (except for the posts
it flat with your hand—the point this only relates to “shots landing and parts of the net outside the
counts. If it had lost compression on, or aimed at, the player’s side of singles sticks). Rule 13, USTA Com-
(“broken” under Rule 3), you would the net.” In this case, it’s not an in or ment 13.1, says that a player loses
replay the point. out call that needs to be made. The the point if their shot first hits “an
Code, #19, says that a player who object attached to the net or post
A Net Cross No-No hits a ball before it crosses the net (such as a scoring device).”
I was watching a doubles match “shall concede the point.” It’s up to
where a player clearly struck a ball the hitter to make the concession. Let This Let Pass?
before it crossed the net. No one As my opponent was reaching for
called it or mentioned it on either Post Powers a ball, it bounced a second time—
side. Most of my fellow spectators Why do net posts count as part and at the same time, she stopped
agreed that a player can only call of the net, but scoreboards, trash playing. She then called out, “ball
this on himself. I insisted that I can cans and cup holders attached to on court.” A ball had bounced from
call it on an opponent since I can the net do not? another court and stopped by the
make calls on my side of the net. —M. Kaytaz, Naples, FL back wall. Our opponent said a ball
Am I right? anywhere on the court is a “let,”
—Greg Jungman, Norman, OK It’s not so much that the net posts and it doesn’t matter where play-

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