Key Tennis Rules for Unofficiated Matches

Most high school tennis matches are not officiated by USTA-certified umpires, and therefore, young players are on their own to call their own lines, interpret unclear rules and otherwise police themselves.

In addition to the official rules of the game, the USTA has produced a code of conduct which governs unofficiated matches.

Below are highlights of some of the key rules from The Code.

PLEASE NOTE: The rules of tennis change each year. Make sure you have a copy of the Code of Conduct, Friend at Court and Rules of Tennis at each match. Some state interscholastic associations change some rules, so be aware of those “house rules” for your state.

Warm Up is Not a Practice

A player should provide his opponent a five-minute warm-up (10 minutes if there are not 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 doubles partners want to warm each other up while their opponents are warming up, they may do so.

When in Doubt, Call it “In”
If there is any doubt, give the call to your opponent. If you honestly can’t see a call, you may ask your opponent if they saw the ball. If they saw the ball, they should make the call. If they didn’t, then you must give them the call.

According to Friend at Court, “Player calls own shots out. With the exception of the first serve, a player should call out the player’s own shots if the player clearly sees the ball out regardless of whether requested to do so by an opponent. The prime objective in making calls is accuracy. All players should cooperate to attain this objective.”

There are no “do overs” if you are not sure of a call.

In years past, a player could reverse an out call and replay the point if the player put the ball back in play with force (not a weak sitter that would have lost her the point anyway). Doubles team who disagreed on calls could also replay a point if they put the ball back in play.

This is no longer the case. If you call a good ball “out,” you must give the point to your opponent.

Foot Faults

A player may warn his opponent that the opponent has committed a flagrant foot fault. If the foot faulting continues, the play 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 the player’s personal honor system. Check your state and conference rules about this rule.

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 of his partner. If the serve is an apparent or near ace, any let shall be called promptly.

Returning 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 the close call, the server is not entitled to replay the point.

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” server), then he (or his team) is presumed to be ready.

Delays During Service

When the server’s second service motion is interrupted by a ball coming on 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 the 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 the whether the delay is sufficiently prolonged to justify giving the server two serves.

Disputes

Disputes over the score shall be resolved by using one 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.

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 hits 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.

For a complete, low-cost copy or copies of The Code for your team members, contact the USTA. Here is a link to Friend at Court.