Court of Appeals: Let’s Go to the Judges

The tennis summer swing is in full force across all surfaces, and with the turn from clay to grass comes more debates over lines and serves, questionable calls, and the perennial query: What does The Code say?

Court of Appeals is here to clear the air. Rebel Good, a past editor of Friend at Court, the USTA’s handbook of rules and regulations, has taught officiating for more than 30 years and will resolve all your rules questions and quarrels.

Let’s Go to the Judges

During a junior doubles match, my daughter’s partner forgot that service lets were to be played. She called “let” while returning the serve, then immediately realized her mistake. The other team stopped play and claimed the point. My daughter disagreed because the return was good, and said the opponents should have kept playing. The referee ruled that because the “let” should have been played instead of calling it, the point went to the other team. Did the referee make the right call?

—Gelin Gil, Puerto Rico

The referee was spot on. Your daughter’s improper let call hindered her opponents. They stopped play, as they should have under The Code, #33, and are awarded the point under Rule 26 (“If a player is hindered in playing the point by a deliberate act of the opponent(s), the player shall win the point.”)

—Rebel Good

Got a question? Send it our way. Email your question to courtofappeals@tennis.com.