Watching a recent doubles match played in humid conditions, I saw a player make a short-angled, putaway volley. Her racquet slipped from her hand and into the net right after the ball bounced in the opponents’ court. The opponents, who had no play on the volley, contended that since her racquet touched the net, the point was theirs. The other team said that since the ball bounced in the opponents’ court before the net incident, it was their point. Who was right?
—Pat Smith, Johns Creek, GA
Would you believe . . . no one? One team obviously has to win the point, but both teams were wrong in their reasoning for claiming it. A team loses the point if one of their racquets touches the net while the ball is in play (Rule 24.g). The ball is in play until it bounces twice or hits a permanent fixture (USTA Comment 11.1). The player whose racquet hit the net should make the call on whether this occurred before or after it bounced twice (The Code, Item 19). If before, it’s a loser; if after, a winner.
Except where noted, answers are based on the ITF Rules of Tennis and USTA's The Code.
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