Court of Appeals: Many (Un)happy Returns
Tennis Magazine’s resident rulebook expert Rebel Good is here to resolve all your rules questions and quarrels.
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.
Many (Un)happy Returns
During the warm-up for a doubles match, I told the other team I was ready and didn’t need to hit any more serves. One opponent said she wanted to take some more, so as she hit serves, I returned them. She got angry and told me that I could not return serves in a warm-up because it messed up her rhythm. She said there are rules regarding this, but when I asked her to show me, she couldn’t. Is there one?
—Summer Shelton, Atwater Village, W.V.
Remember, it’s “warm-up,” not “practice” (The Code, #3). Also, The Code, #4, notes that in the warm-up “a player who returns serves should return them at a moderate pace in a manner that does not disrupt the server.” Be nice.
—Rebel Good
_Got a question? Send it our way. Email your question to courtofappeals@tennis.com._