Tennis Rules and “The Code” – 2018 Q3

When the professionals play tennis, the chair umpire and lines people officiate the match using the official rules of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), of which the United States Tennis Association (USTA) is a member. The ITF rules can be found here.

But when we play for fun or even competitively, we don’t have officials to help us. Therefore, we should follow “The Code” contained in the USTA’s “Friend At Court” to ensure that we are playing fairly.

Question: During my doubles match, my partner was pulled off court returning a very wide serve. I was unable to react quick enough to our opponents second shot, but my partner threw his racquet at the ball and miraculously hit a winner. Our opponents claimed the point, sighting some vague rule about holding onto the racquet. What gives?

Answer: Though your partner may regale in the telling of his amazing shot for many years to come, you did indeed lose the point. If you are not holding the racquet when the ball hits it, you lose the point. See USTA’s Friend at Court, item 24 Player Loses Point (j) under Part 1 ITF Rules of Tennis.

Question: During the Women’s Doubles Club Championship final, one of our opponents accidentally dropped her racquet in the middle of a point. This caused my partner to look up when she should have been looking at the ball resulting in her shot hitting the back fence – clearly out. She called for a hinderance, but our opponents argued against it. Eventually after consulting the club pro we played the point over. What is the correct call?

Answer: Your opponents were right in objecting to a hinderance for a dropped racquet. The dropping of a racquet is not considered “sufficiently unusual” during the course of play to warrant a hinderance or even a let to be called. See item 36 of “The Code” section of the “Friend at Court.”