Rules of the Game… An Overview - United States Tennis ...assets.usta.com/assets/536/15/Umpire...
Transcript of Rules of the Game… An Overview - United States Tennis ...assets.usta.com/assets/536/15/Umpire...
Rules of the Game…
An Overview
Bob Mount
Chair of Officials, CITA
May 7, 2011
Agenda
• 2011 Significant Rule Changes
• The Code – Players’ Guide for matches when officials are not present
• Common Rules Questions / Mistakes
• Procedures
– Tie Breaks
– Changeovers
• Questions from the captains
2011 Significant Rule Changes
• Correction of Out Calls
– You now lose the point
• Cell Phone Interruptions
– During Point – Opponent may claim point
based on hindrance
– Between Points – Treated as time violation
• Code 16 removed – “Are you sure?” can
now be anything
2011 Rule Changes (continued)
• On the first point of a set or match tie-
break in a doubles match, both players
may not line up on the deuce side of the
court
The Code – Warm-up
• Codes 3 & 4 define Warm-up
– Warm-up is NOT practice
– If a player refuses to warm up with opponent,
the player loses the right to warm up
– Players should make a special effort to return
the ball to their opponent
– Warm-up serves should be returned at a
moderate pace (if returned)
The Code – Making Calls
• Player makes call on own side of net
• Opponent gets benefit of doubt
– A ball that cannot be called out is good
– A ball that is 99% out is 100% good
• A player may (and should) call his own
shot out
– Except first serve
• Opponent wins point on reversed out call
Making Calls (continued)
• If you request the help of an opponent on
a call, the opponent’s decision must be
honored
• Calls must be prompt (to eliminate second
chance situations)
• Let calls must be immediate after a ball
rolls on the court
Making Calls (continued)
• Players makes the following calls on
themselves
– Ball touches player
– Player touches net or opponent’s court
– Player hits ball before it crosses the net
– Player deliberately carries or double hits
– Ball bounces more than once (not up)
• The opponent may not make these calls
Making Calls (continued)
• The player(s) that the ball is going toward
make the following calls
– Balls hit through the net
– “Foul” hits – when the ball comes off the
opponent’s racket and the ball hits the ground
before crossing the net
– Balls that hit a permanent fixture
• i.e. ceiling, umpire chair, score cards, etc.
The Code - Serving
• Receiver shall play to the reasonable pace
of the server
• When the second service motion is
interrupted by a let, the server is entitled to
a first serve
• A ball rolling on the court between first and
second serve does not normally require a
first serve
Serving – (continued)
• Foot faults – the receiver (or receiver’s
partner) may call a foot fault only after
– The server has been warned at least once
– A request for an official has failed
– The foot fault is flagrant and unquestionable
from the receiver’s side
• i.e. the foot touching the court inside the line fits
this definition
The Code - Scoring
• Code 30 – The server shall call the score
before each point
• Scoring dispute resolution shall follow
these three methods
– Replay only the point(s)/game(s) that are
disputed
– Play from a score mutually agreeable
– Toss a coin or spin a racket
Other Issues Raised
• Use of score cards (when to change)
– Preferred method is to change only at
changeover
– True for both games and tie-break score
• Toilet breaks
– USTA says that all legitimate requests should
be honored
– Reasonable time is allowed
Other Issues (continued)
• Injury time outs
– Anyone identified by the player may treat
– Needed supplies should be available before
treatment begins
– Treatment time limited to three minutes
– No evaluation time unless trainer is present
– Only one injury time out per injury
Other Issues (continued)
• Bleeding Time Out
– Fifteen minutes of treatment allowed
– Only one bleeding time out per location
• Nose is one location
• Elbow and knee are different locations
Other Issues (continued)
• Hindrance
– A player may move during the opponent’s service motion
– Any movement that is done just to distract the opponent is a hindrance
– The receiver’s partner may take a position in the service box
– A let may not be called on a hindrance caused but the player/team calling the let
Procedures – Tie-Breaks
• Set Tie-Break (called both 7 point and 12
point tie-break)
– First player/team to 7 and ahead by two wins
the set
– Service order continues from set
– Receiver side continues from set
– Coman format is used
Tie-Breaks (continued)
• Match Tie-Break (used in lieu of third set)
– Treated like a new set
• Either player in doubles team may serve first
– First player/team to 10 and ahead by two wins
the match
– Coman format is used
Coman Procedure
• Same service rotation as a standard tie-
break procedure
– First point from the deuce side, then two
points served in service rotation starting at the
add side
• Change ends after the first point, and then
after every four points (i.e. after points 1,
5, 9, 13, 17, 21, etc)
Changeovers
• The first changeover (after the first game)
in a set is a “walkthrough”
– A quick towel off and a quick drink are
allowed
• Other changeovers (after odd number of
games have been played) are 90 seconds,
where “time” would have been called at 60
seconds
Changeovers (continued)
• Set break is two minutes (time called at 90
seconds)
• Both changeovers and set breaks are
allowed (and expected)
• The time limits are reasonable and should
not be abused
QUESTIONS?
Hopefully we will have time to
answer any and all that you may
have.
Bonus Question
• Define the procedure for setting the net at
the proper tension.
• What is the length of the court?
• What is the width of the doubles court?
• What is the width of the singles court?