To Replay or Not to Replay
My partner and I were playing a doubles match recently, and I was returning serve. Our opponent served the ball, and my partner initially called it out. Realizing the call was wrong, my partner immediately corrected the call. In the meantime, I was able to return the serve in the court. Our opponents stopped play and said the point was theirs. My partner and I thought we should have replayed the point, and the server should have gotten a first serve. Ultimately, we let them have the point, but I still wonder who was correct in this situation.
Mike Clance, Senior Leagues Vice President
That’s a great question, and one to which many players do not know the correct answer. Many players will correct the call and continue play, or they will offer to replay the point. Some of this confusion likely stems from the fact that The Code (The Players’ Guide to Fair Play and the Unwritten Rules of Tennis) was changed back in 2011, and players don’t always keep up with these changes. Section 12 (Making Calls, page 39) covers this situation, and, before 2011, it did provide for replaying the point when a serve was called out and then corrected. Now, however, Section 12 makes it clear that the point goes to the server when a ball is called out and then corrected. Here’s the wording:
12. Out calls reversed. A player who calls a ball out shall reverse the call if the player becomes uncertain or realizes that the ball was good. The point goes to the opponent and is not replayed. However, when a receiver reverses a fault call on a serve that hit the net, the server is entitled to two serves.
When There Are No Lights
Our team recently had a make-up match at a facility that did not have lights. We were starting our match at 6 p.m. and were concerned about getting the match finished before it became too dark. What’s the rule about lights?
Diane Royston, Sunday Women’s League Vice President
Lights are to be available for the duration of the match at all approved ALTA facilities, except for a handful of courts that have been grandfathered in, which would be the case cited in your question. The ALTA Captain/Member Handbook (page 34, Court Lighting) gives details on the requirements for lighting. In this situation, the following applies:
3. If the home team cannot provide lighted courts (grandfathered facilities) and the match extends beyond sunset, then:
- The visiting team has the first option of providing home courts. If the visiting team cannot provide lighted courts, then
- The responsibility reverts back to the home team, which must provide courts within the approved ALTA area. (See Alta rule IV.J). The courts must be nearby, and the commute cannot exceed the time it would take to drive to the visitors’ courts. If the home team cannot provide courts, then
- The home team will retire any incomplete matches.
ALTA Senior Men’s and Women’s Leagues require lights to be able to remain on until 11 p.m. (See page 11 of the ALTA General Rules.)
Catching the Ball
Johnny and Billy are playing doubles against Mark and Tom. Tom hits a backhand volley which will clearly land behind the baseline. Billy is standing behind the baseline and, rather than letting the ball drop and having to pick it up, he catches the ball in his hand. Mark declares the point is theirs because Billy caught the ball, but Billy claims the point is his because the ball was clearly going out, and he was outside the baseline when he caught it. Who is right?
Kim Freeman, Junior Leagues Vice President
Mark is right. If a player standing outside the court volleys or catches the ball in his hand, he cannot claim the point because the ball cannot be called “out” until it hits the ground outside of the court.
43. If a player catches a ball in play before it bounces, the player loses the point regardless of where the player is standing. (The Code, page 43, Ball Issues, number 43).
