HANDBOOK Revised Edition Effective July 1,2005 (with additional revisions 3/28/06) INDEX LLTL HISTORY CONSTITUTION and BY-LAWS | ||
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Article I: NAME Article II: PURPOSE Article III: MEMBERSHIP Article IV: MEETING OF THE MEMBERSHIP Article V: OFFICERS Article VI: BOARD OF DIRECTORS Article VII: BOARD OF DIRECTORS' MEETINGS |
Article VIII: COMMITTEES Article IX: ADVISORY BOARD Article X: FISCAL YEAR Article XI: DISSOLUTION Article XII: AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITIUTION AND BY-LAWS Article XIII: AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES OF LEAGUE PLAY Article XIV: RULES OF ORDER | |
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1. DUES 2. LEAGUE SCHEDULE FOR MATCH PLAY 3. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP/TEAM ROSTERS 4. CAPTAINS (revised) 5. HOME TEAM DUTIES (revised) 6. DIVISIONS 7. DIVISION ELIGIBILITY (TEAM/INDIVIDUAL) |
8. MATCH PLAY 9. RESCHEDULING OF MATCHES 10. COURT CONDUCT 11. PROTESTS 12. POINTS 13. DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP | |
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GENERAL PRINCIPLES THE WARM UP MAKING CALLS SERVING SCORING |
HINDRANCE ISSUES WHEN TO CONTACT AN OFFICIAL BALL ISSUES MISCELLANEOUS | |
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The Lafayette Ladies’ Tennis League began in the fall of 1977 to provide competitive team tennis play for the ladies of the city and surrounding areas. Bob McKenzie, the Head Pro at Thomas Park, saw the need for an organization that would promote tennis. With input from other teaching pros in the area, Lulu Hilliard, who brought her experiences from the Houston Ladies Tennis Association, Ouita Corley, Becky Trahan and Cathy McInerny, LLTL was formed. About 60 ladies were involved in that first year and there was only one level of play. The format was 2 singles and 3 doubles matches. As the league grew, a board of directors was instituted, the handbook was formulated, levels of play were added and the format gradually changed to just doubles play. By the 1993-94 season the league had grown to over 650 participants on 43 teams and levels of play had increased to A1, A2, B1, B2 and B3. As tennis moved into the 21st century, so has LLTL. In 2005, scoring and scheduling is now being handled “on line”. Participation is still growing and competition is fierce. Cell phone usage and extreme weather rescheduling have become our biggest obstacles. This book is dedicated to the tireless efforts of those who worked to establish and perpetuate LLTL (commonly referred to as City League). Though we cannot name everyone who has been influential in the league, listed below as accurately as we can reconstruct, are those ladies who have served as President of the Lafayette Ladies’ Tennis League. Dixie Viator 1980-81 Becky Trahan 1981-82 Marsha LaValle 1982-83 Marilyn Hoffpauir 1983-84 Ann Breaux 1984-85 Betty Cook 1985-86 Cindy Hines 1986-87 Patti Allen 1987-88 Sandra Matthieu 1988-90 Jackie Carroll 1990-91 Colleen Taulbee 1991-92 Debby Kennedy 1992-93 Pam Acosta 1993-94 Annette Arton 1994-95 Yvonne Jumonville 1995-96 Sarah Mitchell 1996-97 Theresa Guidry 1997-99 Becky Credeur 1999-00 Vicki Poole 2000-01 Melanie Martin 2001-03 Jane Sawvel 2003-06 (Thanks to Ouita Corley, Bob McKenzie, Marsha LaValle and Betty Chase for their help in reconstructing this history.) ARTICLE I: NAME The name of this association is Lafayette Ladies’ Tennis League, hereinafter referred to as LLTL. ARTICLE II: PURPOSE The LLTL is a nonprofit association whose purpose is to provide match play, promote tennis and to provide an advancement program for lady tennis players in the Lafayette area. The LLTL operates independently of any state, regional or other association. ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP The membership of LLTL shall be any lady, 18years of age or over, who has paid her dues and is on the team of a participating Lafayette city park or club. Participating Lafayette city parks and clubs are Beaver Park, Oakbourne Country Club, Red Lerille’s Health Club, Thomas Park, Lafayette Health Club and City Club at River Ranch. Each member shall have equal rights and privileges. ARTICLE IV: MEETING OF THE MEMBERSHIP The annual meeting of the membership of LLTL (spring social) shall be held at the end of match play at the date, time and location set by the Board of Directors. The election of Board members shall take place at the annual meeting unless the Board of Directors affixes another time. The Board of Directors may call special meeting of the LLTL at any time. At all meetings of LLTL, those present shall constitute a quorum. A majority of those present at an LLTL meeting shall constitute the action of LLTL unless otherwise provided for in this Constitution and By-Laws. ARTICLE V: OFFICERS The President is the chief executive officer of LLTL and shall direct LLTL toward the purpose set forth in Article II. The President’s duties are to preside at LLTL membership and Board of Directors’ meetings, to appoint all committee chairmen, and to fill vacancies on the Board of Directors. The President is responsible for scheduling match play. The President will also serve as President Emeritus the year following her term in office. As President Emeritus, she will have voting privileges. The Vice-President shall assist there President in the performance of her duties and shall exercise all the powers of the President in her absence or in the case of her resignation, incapacity, or death. The Vice-President is responsible for score keeping and publicity, which includes, but are not limited to, receiving and tallying score sheets and reporting weekly standings to the local newspaper. The Vice-President shall also rule on all protests properly submitted. The Secretary shall draft and maintain the minutes of the Board of Directors meetings. She is also responsible for the typing, printing and distribution of league schedules, team rosters, score sheets, Rules of League Play and other duties deemed necessary by the President. The Treasurer is responsible for the financial management of LLTL funds. The Treasurer shall collect dues and fees and keep the checking account and other accounts in good order. The Treasurer is also responsible for preparing and updating the team rosters and other financial reports deemed necessary. ARTICLE VI: BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Board of Directors shall conduct the affairs of LLTL. The Board of Directors shall be composed of current officers of LLTL and representation from each participating Lafayette Club or Lafayette park referred to as a club representative. Any time a club has 15 or more teams, it shall have two (2) voting representatives. The Board of Directors shall pledge their support and will abide by the Constitution and By-Laws, Rules of Play and any other board policies. The Club Representative’s duties are to represent the members of LLTL who play for her club or park. A Club Representative should participate in Board of Directors meeting and activities and advise club members of action taken by the Board of Directors. Club Representatives will be elected annually by the members who play for the club or park. Vacancies on the Board of Directors, except for the President, shall be filled by appointment by the President with the concurrence of the Board of Directors. ARTICLE VII: BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS Regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held twice a year at a time, date and place set by the President. The primary purpose of the second regular meeting is to check on the progress of match play and to organize the annual meeting (spring social) of LLTL. The President may call special meetings at any time. The President shall call a special meeting when a written protest is submitted in accordance with Rule 11 of League Play. Any LLTL member may participate in board meeting, to offer suggestions or complaints, only if she has properly submitted a protest or presents a request to participate, in writing, to a member of the Board prior to the meeting. The request must specify the matter or matters to be discussed. The President shall honor all such request and shall preside at the Board meeting. At all Board of Directors meeting, a majority of the board members shall constitute a quorum and a majority of the quorum shall constitute the action of the Board of Directors, unless otherwise provided in the Constitution and By-Laws. Each Board member, except the President, is entitled to one vote on all league maters. The President only votes in the case of a tie. When a Club Representative is unable to attend a Board of Directors meeting, she may send an alternate in her place. The alternate must be a member of LLTL. The alternate may participate in discussion but will not be allowed to vote. Any officer or representative who has 2 unexcused absences from meetings will be removed from the Board of Directors. The President will appoint a suitable replacement. ARTICLE VIII: COMMITTEES The President may designate one or more committees. The President shall also appoint the chairman thereof with the concurrence of the Board of Directors. The chairman of the committee shall appoint the remaining committee members. The chairman will fill any vacancies that may arise. The President shall specify the duties and authority of said committees. Each year, a Nominating Committee, appointed by the President shall be made up of 4 or 5 ladies of different levels of play. The Nomination Committee shall prepare a slate of officers to be voted on at the annual meeting (spring social) of LLTL, unless the Board of Directors designates another time. ARTICLE IX: ADVISORY BOARD An Advisory Board may be appointed by the President for the purpose of providing historical background and resources to the Board of Directors. The Advisory Board may include past Board members, players or club pros whose expertise may enhance and support the purpose of LLTL. The Board of Directors must approve all appointees to the Advisory Board. Advisors are invited to attend any and all Board of Directors meetings. Advisors shall not be counted in the quorum or be allowed to vote, but may speak on issues presented. They shall function as an ad hoc committee. ARTICLE X: FISCAL YEAR The fiscal year of LTL shall begin July 1 and end June 30 of each year. ARTICLE XI: DISSOLUTION In the event of dissolution of LLTL, the funds remaining after all debts have been paid shall be donated to a charitable or non-profit tennis related organization chosen by the Board of Directors currently in office at the time of dissolution. ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITIUTION AND BY-LAWS This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended, modified or repealed, in whole or in part, by two-thirds majority vote of the Board of Directors. The amendment, modification, or repeal shall be effective immediately, unless other wise specified by the Board of Directors. ARTICLE XIII: AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES OF LEAGUE PLAY Changes in the Rules of League Play shall be by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Said changes shall not become effective until the next fiscal year. ARTICLE XIV: RULES OF ORDER Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern LLTL in all instances in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this Constitution and By-Laws. 1. DUES Each member is required to pay annual dues in an amount set by the Board of Directors at the beginning of each fiscal year. 2. LEAGUE SCHEDULE FOR MATCH PLAY Match play shall be scheduled during the school year in two rounds, the fall session and the spring session, which combined equals the league season. 3. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP/TEAM ROSTERS Application for membership must be made through a team, from a designated club or park, contingent upon space availability. Each team submits a list of players, known as a team roster. The player’s membership dues are submitted to the Treasurer. All team rosters must consist of a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 18 players. Roster changes (drop/add) will be due August 31 for the fall session and January 31 for the spring session. Roster changes shall not be allowed at any other time. Therefore, if a team loses players, they must operate around their losses. After the August 31 drop/add deadline, a player listed or added to a tem roster becomes a member of that team and LLTL for the entire league season (August 31-May 31). A player may not change teams once their league play has begun. A player becomes eligible to play one (1) week after her name is submitted and her dues are received by the Treasurer. A player shall not play for more than one (1) team during the league season. EACH CLUB OR PARK MUST PROVIDE A MINIMUM OF 4 COURTS FOR EVERY HOME TEAM. 4. CAPTAINS Each team shall have a captain who is a playing member of the team. The captain’s duties include submitting team rosters and dues to the Treasurer, scheduling players for matches, completing Any captain not fulfilling her duties satisfactorily may be reported to the Board of Directors in writing. Upon the receipt of multiple complaints, the Board of Directors may take whatever action deemed necessary, including the removal of the captain from her position. (revised 3/28/06) 5. HOME TEAM DUTIES The home team shall provide a new can of five(5) yellow Wilson or Penn balls for each match. The home team shall also provide a minimum of four(4) courts, in reasonably safe condition. Any required court or guest fee shall be paid by the home team. Failure to provide the required number of courts (free of fee) will result in a default to the extent of the failure. The bottom court shall be defaulted first. Home team captains enter scores in computer. (revised 3/28/06) 6. DIVISIONS The divisions shall be Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Monday Divisions in descending order of playing ability. The maximum number of teams in any division will be 14. New teams may not be added to any division having 14 teams. 7. DIVISION ELIGIBILITY (TEAM/INDIVIDUAL) An individual or team’s status in the league season determines eligibility for the entire next fiscal year (July 1-June30). To determine where and individual/team should play, see Definitions and Designation of Playing Division below. All changes are subject to specific limitations at the division and club level. I. Definitions A. Individual player 1. New player - Anyone not playing league the previous season (see II.A.1.) 2. Existing player - Anyone playing on an established team the previous season (see II.A 2 or 3) B. Teams 1. Established team - 5 or more players listed on the same team roster from the previous season (if 5 or more players from different established teams join together, see I.B.2.) 2. Combined team - 2 or more established teams (5 or more players from each team’s roster) combining to form one team. II. Designation of Playing Division A. Individuals 1. New player - may choose any level of play 2. Existing player a. Moving alone- may move to any level unless she played on a division championship team or a team that finished in last place in its division. b. Moving with 4 or more teammates from the previous season is subject to team eligibility rule (see B.) B. Teams 1. Established team a. Any team that does not finish in either first place or last place in their division must remain in the same division. b. Any team finishing in last place in its division must move down (12 players must move down to the next lower division). c. Any team finishing in first place in its division must move up (12 players must move up to the next higher division). 2. Combined teams A team must determine which ESTABLISHED TEAM has the most players on the team being formed. This team then plays in the division in which the established team played during previous season, provided the team did not win or place last in its division. EXAMPLE: last year’s roster showed this combined team consisted of: (ESTABLISHED TEAM) 5 players from Reds1, Tuesday (ESTABLISHED TEAM) 6 players from Oak 2, Wednesday (INDIVIDUALS) 2 players from Oak 1, Tuesday (INDIVIDUALS) 2 players from Thomas Pk, Tuesday (INDIVIDUALS) 1 player from Beaver Pk, Thursday TEAM MUST PLAY in Wednesday Division since, of the ESTABLISHED TEAMS represented, the Oak 2, Wednesday team is the one with the most players on the newly combined team. In the event of an equal number of players from tow or more ESTABLISHED TEAMS, the teams playing level will be decided by the majority of the player’s levels from the previous season. EXAMPLE: (ESTABLISHED TEAM) 6 players from Reds 1, Thursday (ESTABLISHED TEAM) 6 players from Oak 2, Wednesday (INDIVIDUALS) 2 players from Oak 1, Thursday (INDIVIDUALS) 2 players from Thomas Pk, Thursday (INDIVIDUALS) 2 players from Beaver Pk, Wednesday TEAM MUST PLAY in Thursday Division since, of the ESTABLISHED TEAMS represented, the majority of players played the Thursday division the previous season. 3. New team a. Chooses level of play, provided the division has not reached the 14 team maximum. b. Chooses a club in accordance with court availability and club eligibility rules. 8. MATCH PLAY Only members of LLTL shall participate in match play. A team who fields an ineligible player shall default the match played by the ineligible player. Match play for all divisions shall consist of 5 courts of doubles, playing the best two out of three sets. A 12-point tiebreaker shall be played when the score reaches 6-6 in any set. Should additional divisions be necessary, the Board of Directors will determine the day of play. Teams shall play on the date and at the place specified on the league schedule and on the courts assigned by the club. Play begins as follows: 9:00 AM - Captains exchange lineups. ALL PLAYERS MUST BE PRESENT. Defaults begin with 5th court, if any player is not present at 9:00 AM. The home team captain assigns the courts and in the event only four (4) courts are available for play at 9:00 AM (ALL PLAYERS MUST STILL BE PRESENT), the home team captain will determine which court will wait. Players should warm up and practice serves before match play begins. 9:15 AM - Match play begins. 11:00 AM - Teams may be reassigned other courts, if match play goes over time allowed. If match play is in progress and courts are no longer available, rescheduling rules apply. NOTE: If weather interrupts a match once play has begun, play must resume at the point it was interrupted. Captains shall record partial score. Lineups shall remain the same when play is rescheduled. (See Rule 9. RESCHEDULING) Match play shall be shall be scheduled during the school year allowing for breaks or school holidays. The number of matches played will be based on the following: 1. If a division has 11 or more teams, teams should play each other twice - once in the fall and once in the spring ( a minimum of 11 weeks is required for each round, 22 weeks for the two rounds). 2. If a division has 9 or 10 teams, a telephone poll of the captains will be taken to determine if the majority wants to play 2 or 3 rounds (9 weeks are required for each round). 3. If a division has 8 or fewer teams, teams should play each other 3 rounds - 1 1/2 rotations in the fall and 1 1/2 rotations in the spring (a maximum of 21 weeks required for 3 rounds). 9. RESCHEDULING OF MATCHES Matches may be rescheduled to accommodate clubs or parks, TALL events, bad weather and any other reason approved by the Board of Directors. Matches shall not be rescheduled to allow a team to field a stronger line up. Likewise, the match MUST be played if the park/club determines that the courts are playable at 9:00 AM on the scheduled match day. Also, it must be played in the same calendar year. Both team captains must meet to exchange rosters by 3:00 PM on the day of scheduled match play. The responsibility for court assignments and playing time rests with the four players on each court. Matches should be played during school (8:00 AM - 3:00 PM) on the home courts, if possible. All rescheduled matches MUST be played within 2 weeks of the original match date. If rescheduled match is unable to be played due to inclement weather, a one (1) week grace period will be allowed. If the players cannot agree on rescheduling, both teams forfeit the court or courts for which no agreement can be reached. The Board of Directors my intervene if it is felt that one team is deliberately making rescheduling impossible. The Board of Directors decision will be final. IT IS THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CAPTAINS TO MAKE SURE ALL RESCHEDULED MATCHES ARE PLAYED WITHIN TWO (2) WEEKS. 10. COURT CONDUCT Every LLTL member’s court conduct is a reflection on themselves, their team an on LLTL as a whole. Verbal abuse, heckling, foul language, abuse of drugs or alcohol or any other disruptive behavior (both on and off the court) will not be tolerated. The Board of Directors will have disciplinary discretion including possible suspension from the league. Cell phone ringing is not allowed on the courts. First call is a warning, second call will result in offending player’s loss of that point. Third call results in the offending player’s loss of that game. 11. PROTESTS A member may protest a match or the actions of another member relating to match play by submitting a written complaint or protest to the Vice-President within four (4) days from the date of the match. 12. POINTS The points awarded shall be the same for all five (5) courts. Each team shall receive two (2) points for each match and one (1) for each set won. The non-defaulting team shall receive automatic four (4) points. Defaults by opposing tams for the same court shall not count as a win by either team and no team will receive points from the match. 13. DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP The winner of each division shall be the team with the highest number of points for league season. If a tie should occur, the President and Vice-President shall determine the time, place and rules to apply for the play-off match. Player on the first place team in each division shall receive individual awards at the annual meeting (spring social) of LLTL. Second place teams with four (4) or more teams in its division shall also receive individual awards. If a beginners/training division exists, prizes will also be awarded. PREFACE When your serve hits your partner stationed at the net is it a let, fault or loss of point? Likewise, what is the ruling when your serve, before touching the ground, hits an opponent who is standing back of the baseline. The answers to these questions are obvious to anyone who knows the fundamentals of tennis, but it is surprising the number of players who don’t know these fundamentals. All players have a responsibility to be familiar with the basic rules and customs of tennis. Further, it can be distressing to your opponent when he makes a decision in accordance with a rule and you protest with the remark: “Well, I never heard of that rule before!” Ignorance of the rules constitutes a delinquency on the part of a player and often spoils an otherwise good match. What is written here constitutes the essentials of The Code, a summary of procedures and unwritten rules which custom and tradition dictate all players should follow. No system of rules will cover every specific problem or situation that may arise. If players of good will follow the principles of The Code, they should always be able to reach an agreement, while at the same time making tennis more fun and a better game for all. The principles set forth in The Code shall apply in cases not specifically covered by The Rules of Tennis and USTA Regulations. Before reading this you might well ask yourself: Since we have a book that contains all the rules of tennis, why do we need a code? Isn’t it sufficient to know and understand all the rules? There are a number of things not specifically set forth in the rules that are covered by custom and tradition only. For example, if you have a doubt on a line call, your opponent gets the benefit of the doubt. Can you find that in the rules? Further, custom dictates the standard procedures that players will use in reaching decisions. These are the reasons why we need a code. Colonel Nick Powel Note: This edition of The Code (revised in 1999) is an adaptation of the original, which was written by Colonel Nicholas E. Powel. 1. Courtesy. Tennis is a game that requires cooperation and courtesy from all participants. Make tennis a fun game for all by praising your opponents’ good shots and by not: conducting loud postmortems after points complaining about shots like lobs and drop shots embarrassing a weak opponent by being overly gracious and condescending losing you temper, using vile language, throwing your racket, or slamming a ball in anger or sulking when your are losing 2. Counting points played in good faith. All points played in good faith stand. For example, if after losing a point, a player discovers that the net was four inches too high, the point stands. If a point is played from the wrong court, there is no replay. If during a point, a player realizes that a mistake was made at the beginning (for example, service from the wrong court), he shall continue playing the point. Corrective action may be taken only after a point has been completed. 3. Warm-up is not a practice. A player should provide his opponent a five-minute warm-up (ten minutes if there are no ball persons). If a player refuses to warm up his opponent, he forfeits his right to a warm-up. Some players confuse warm-up and practice. A player should make a special effort to hit his shots directly to his opponent. (If partners want to warm each other up while their opponents are warming up, they may do so.) 4. Warm-up serves. Take all you warm-up serves before the first serve of the match. Courtesy dictates that you not practice your service return when you opponent practices his serve. If a player has completed his warm-up serves, he shall return warm-up serves directly to his opponent. 5. Player makes calls on his side of the net. A player calls all shots landing on, or aimed at, his side of the net. 6. Opponent gets benefit of doubt. When a match is played without officials, the players are responsible for making decisions, particularly for line calls. There is a subtle difference between player decisions and those of an on-court official. An official impartially resolves a problem involving a call, whereas a player is guided by the unwritten law that any doubt must be resoled in favor of his opponent. A player in attempting to be scrupulously honest on line calls frequently will find himself keeping a ball in play that might have been out or that he discovers too late was out. Even so, the game is much better played this way. 7. Ball touching any part of line is good. If any part of the ball touches the line, the ball is good. A ball 99% out is still 100% good. 8. Ball that cannot be called out is good. Any ball that cannot be called out is considered to have been good. A player may not claim a let on the basis that he did not see a ball. One of tennis’ most infuriating moments occurs after a long hard rally when a player makes a clean placement and his opponent says: “I’m not sure if it was good or out. Let’s play a let.” Remember, it is each player’s responsibility to call all balls landing on, or aimed at, his side of the net. If a ball can’t be called out with certainty, it is good. When you say your opponent’s shot was really out but you offer to replay the point to give him a break, you are deluding yourself because you must have had some doubt. 9. Calls when looking across a line or when far away. The call of a player looking down a line is much more likely to be accurate than that of a player looking across a line. When you are looking across a line, don’t call a ball out unless you can clearly see part of the court between where the ball hit and the line. It is difficult for a player who stands on one baseline to question a call on a ball that landed near the other baseline. 10. Treat all points the same regardless of their importance. All points in a match should be treated the same. There is no justification for considering a match point differently that the first point. 11. Requesting opponent’s help. When an opponent’s opinion is requested and he gives a positive opinion, it must be accepted. If neither player has an opinion, the ball is considered good. Aid from an opponent is available only on a call that ends a point. 12. Out calls corrected. If a player mistakenly calls a ball “out” and then realizes it was good, the point shall be replayed if he returned the ball within the proper court. Nonetheless, if the player’s return of the ball results in a “weak sitter,” the player should give his opponent the point. If the player failed to make the return, his opponent wins the point, If the mistake was made on the second serve, the server is entitled to two serves. 13. Player calls his own shots out. With the exception of the first serve, a player should call against himself any ball he clearly sees out regardless of whether he is requested to do so by his opponent. The prime objective in making calls is accuracy. All players should cooperate to attain this objective. 14. Partners’ disagreement on calls. If a player and his partner disagree about whether their opponents’ ball was out, they shall call it good. It is more important to give your opponents the benefit of the doubt than to avoid possibly hurting your partner’s feelings by not overruling. The tactful way to achieve the desired result is to tell your partner quietly that he has made a mistake and then let him overrule himself. If a call is changed from out to good, the point is replayed only if the out ball was put back in play. 15. Audible or visible calls. No matter how obvious it is to a player that his opponent’s ball is out, the opponent is entitled to a prompt audible or visible out call. 16. Opponent’s calls questioned. A player may ask his opponent about his call with the query: “Are you sure of your call?” If the opponent reaffirms that the ball was out, his call shall be accepted. If the opponent acknowledges that he is uncertain, he loses the point. There shall be no further delay or discussion. 17. Spectators never to make calls. A player shall not enlist the aid of a spectator in making a call. No spectator has a part in the match. 18. Prompt calls eliminate two chance options. A player shall make all calls promptly after the ball has hit the court. A call shall be made either before the player’s return shot has gone out of play or before the opponent has had the opportunity to play the return shot. Prompt calls will quickly eliminate the “two chances to win their point” option that some players practice. To illustrate, a player is advancing to the net for an easy put away when he sees a ball from an adjoining court rolling toward him. He continues his advance and hit’s the shot, only to have his supposed easy put away fly over the baseline. The player then claims a let. The claim is not valid because he forfeited his right to call a let by choosing instead to play the ball. He took his chance to win or lose, and he is not entitled to a second chance. 19. Lets called when balls roll on the court. When a ball from an adjacent court enters the playing area, a player shall call a let as soon as he becomes aware of the ball. The player loses the right to call a let if he unreasonably delays in making the call. 20. Touches, hitting ball before it crosses net, invasion of opponent’s court, double hits, and double bounce. A player shall promptly acknowledge if: a ball touches him he touches the net he touches his opponent’s court he hit’s a ball before it crosses the net he deliberately carries or double hit’s the ball the ball bounces more than once in his court 21. Balls hit through the net or into the ground. A player shall make the ruling on a ball that his opponent hits through the net and on a ball that his opponent hits into the ground be for it goes over the net. 22. Calling balls on clay courts. If any part of the ball mark touches the line on a clay court, the ball shall be called good. If you can see only part of the mark on the court, this means that the missing part is on the line or tape. A player should take a careful second look at any point-ending placement that is close to a line on a clay court. Occasionally a ball will strike the tape, jump, and then leave a full mark behind the line. The player should listen for the sound of the ball striking the tape and look for a clean spot on the tape near the mark. If these conditions exist, the player should give the point to his opponent. 23. Server’s request for third ball. When a server requests three balls. The receiver shall comply when the third bal is readily available. Distant balls shall be retrieved at the end of a game. 24. Foot Faults. A player may warn his opponent that the opponent has committed a flagrant foot fault. If the foot faulting continues, the player may attempt to locate an official. If no official is available, the player may call flagrant foot faults. Compliance with the foot fault rule is very much a function of a player’s personal honor system. The plea that he should not be penalized because he only just touched the line and did not rush the net is not acceptable. Habitual foot faulting, whether intentional or careless, is just as surely cheating as is making a deliberate bad line call. 25. Service calls in doubles. In doubles the receiver’s partner should call the service line, and the receiver should call the sideline and the center service line. Nonetheless, either partner may call a ball that he clearly sees. 26. Service calls by serving team. Neither the server not his partner shall make a fault call on the first service even if they think it is out because the receiver may be giving the server the benefit of the doubt. But the server and his partner shall call out any second serve that either of them clearly sees out. 27. Service let calls. Any player may call a service let. The call shall be made before the return of serve goes out of play or is hit by the server or his partner. If the serve is an apparent or near ace, any let shall be called promptly. 28. Obvious faults. A player shall not put into play or hit over the net an obvious fault. To do so constitutes rudeness and may even be a form of gamesmanship. On the other hand, if a player believes that he cannot call a serve a fault and gives his opponent the benefit of a close call, the server is not entitled to replay the point. 29. Receiver readiness. The receiver shall play to the reasonable pace of the server. The receiver should make no effort to return a serve when he is not ready. If a player attempts to return a serve (even if it is a “quick” serve), the he (or his team) is presumed to be ready. 30. Delays during service. When the server’s second service motion is interrupted by a ball coming onto the court, he is entitled to two serves. When there is a delay between the first and second serves: the server gets one serve if he was the cause of the delay the server gets two serves if the delay was caused by the receiver or if there was outside interference. The time it takes to clear a ball that comes onto the court between the first and second serves is not considered sufficient time to warrant the server receiving two serves unless this time is so prolonged as to constitute an interruption. The receiver is the judge of whether the delay is sufficiently prolonged to justify giving the server two serves. 31. Server announces score. The server shall announce the game score before the first point of the game and the point score before each subsequent point of the game. 32. Disputes. Disputes over the score shall be resolved by using on of the following methods, which are listed in the order of preference: count all points and games agreed upon by the players and replay only the disputed points or games play from a score mutually agreeable to all players spin a racket or toss a coin 33. Talking during a point. A player shall not talk while the ball is moving toward his opponent’s side of the court. If the player’s talking interferes with his opponent’s ability to play the ball, the player loses the point. Consider the situation where a player hit’s a weak lob and loudly yells at his partner to get back. If the shout is loud enough to distract his opponent, then the opponent may claim the point based on a deliberate hindrance. If the opponent chooses to hit the lob and misses it, the opponent loses the point because he did not make a timely claim of hindrance. 34. Feinting with the body. A player may feint with his body while the ball is in play. He may change position at any time, including while the server is tossing the ball. Any movement or sound that is made solely to distract an opponent, including but not limited to waving the arms or racket or stamping the feet, is not allowed. 35. Lets due to hindrance. A let is not automatically granted because of hindrance. A let is authorized only if the player could have made the shot had he not been hindered. A let is also not authorized for a hindrance caused by something within a player’s control. For example, a request for a let because the player tripped over his own hat should be denied. 36. Grunting. A player should avoid grunting and making other loud noises. Grunting and other loud noises may bother not only opponents but also players on adjacent courts. In an extreme case, an opponent or player on an adjacent court may seek the assistance of the referee or a roving official. The referee or official may treat grunting and the making of loud noises as a hindrance. Depending upon the circumstance, this could result in a let or loss of point. 37. Injury caused by a player. When a player accidentally injures his opponent, the opponent suffers the consequences. Consider the situation where the server’s racket accidentally strikes the receiver and incapacitates him. The receiver is unable to resume play within the time limit. Even though the server caused the injury, the server wins the match by retirement. On the other hand, when a player deliberately injures his opponent and affects the opponent’s ability to play, then the opponent wins the match by default. Hitting a ball or throwing a racket in anger is considered a deliberate act. 38. Withdrawing from a match or tournament. A player shall not enter a tournament and then withdraw when he discovers that tough opponents have also entered. A player may withdraw from a match or tournament only because of injury, illness, personal emergency, or another bona fide reason. If a player cannot play a match, he shall notify the referee at once so that his opponent may be saved a trip. A player who withdraws from a tournament is not entitled to the return of his entry fee unless he withdrew before the draw was made. 39. Stalling. The following actions constitute stalling: warming up for more than the allotted time playing at about one-third a player’s normal pace taking more than the allotted 90 seconds on the odd-game changeover taking a rest at the end of a set that contains an even number of games taking more than the authorized ten minutes during an authorized rest period between sets starting a discussion or argument in order for a player to catch his breath clearing a missed first service that doesn’t need to be cleared bouncing the ball ten times before each serve. Contact an official if you encounter a problem with stalling. It is subject to penalty under the Point Penalty System. 40. Requesting an official. While normally a player may not leave the playing area, he may visit the referee or seek a roving official to request assistance. Some reasons for visiting the referee include: stalling chronic flagrant foot faults a medical time-out a scoring dispute a pattern of bad calls A player may refuse to play until an official responds. 41. Retrieving stray balls. Each player is responsible for removing stray balls and other objects from his end of the court. A player shall not go behind an adjacent court to retrieve a ball, nor shall he ask for return of a ball from players on an adjacent curt until their point is over. When a player returns a ball that comes from an adjacent court, he shall wait u7ntil their point is over and then return it directly to one of the players, preferably the server. 42. Catching a ball. Unless you have made a local ground rule, if you catch a ball before it bounces, you lose the point regardless of where you are standing. 43. New balls for a third set. When a tournament specifies new balls for a third set, new balls shall be used unless all the players agree otherwise. 44. Clothing and equipment malfunction. If clothing or equipment other than a racket becomes unusable through circumstances outside the control of the player, play may be suspended for a reasonable period. The player may leave the court after the point is over to correct the problem. If a racket or string is broken, the player may leave the court to get a replacement, but he is subject to code violations under the Point Penalty System. 45. Placement of towels. Place towels on the ground outside the net post or at the back fence. Clothing and towels should never be placed on the net. | ||