IT’S OUT, IT’S IN
If you serve your first serve, and one person calls it in and the other calls it out, then what do you do? Also, what if they continue to play the point, but one person from each team knows there is confusion, and they disagree with each other, but the serving team loses the point. Do they redo first serve? Just hit a second serve? Lose the point? Or does the serving team win the point due to disagreement on call?
Bill Price, Mixed Doubles Vice President
According to USTA’s “Friend at Court,” Part 2 – No. 14 Partners’ disagreement on calls: “If one partner calls the ball out and the other partner sees the ball as good, the ball is good.” In this case, the point should have been awarded to the serving team and the point stopped. The fact that this did not happen does not entitle the receiving team to win the point. The receiving partners should have consulted at the end of the point and conceded the point to their opponents. They should not replay the point or grant the server a second serve.
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BEST TO BRING YOUR OWN
At one of our away matches, we thought the home team was a little short in supplying water for the match. Isn’t the home team obligated to furnish enough food and beverages for everyone?
Sandy Depa, Senior Leagues Vice President
Most ALTA teams are generous hosts and opt to share food and drinks with their guests. However, there is no rule requiring teams to do so. Plan ahead. Bring with you what you will drink while playing. Don’t assume the home team will meet your needs for the day. We will not blame the home team if you become dehydrated!
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DID YOU MOVE?
Why don’t I receive a copy of Net News?
Warren Fraser, Men’s League Vice President
Check your address in your profile on the ALTA website. Go to My ALTA > My Profile. Update if necessary. We certainly want current addresses so we don’t incur the cost of returned mail.
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THOSE DARN BUGS
ALTA doubles match: I am on the deuce court, waiting to return a serve. My opponent looks around, thinks everyone is ready and serves. Ball drops in the service box and I get ready to hit it back. Suddenly, the server’s partner, who is near the net, starts yelling, “Let! Let!” because a bug was bothering her. So I stop play and did not return the serve, which was in. I told them to take a second serve, and they were visibly annoyed. After reading your “Let’s Bee Sure” article, I wonder if they were even entitled to a let in the first place. The person at the net was not making a shot and therefore was not hindered by the bug. So what’s the right call here: First serve? Second serve? Our point?
Joyce Vance, Sunday Women Vice President
USTA’s “Friend at Court,” Part 2 – The Code, No. 36, as stated in the previous Net News “Let’s Bee Sure” Good Question: A player who is hindered by an opponent’s unintentional act or by something else outside the player’s control is entitled to a let only if the player could have made the shot had the player not been hindered. Per your statement, this was a let call during a serve from your opponent; since this was an unintentional hindrance, the server should be given a first serve.
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IS SOMEBODY TALKING?
Regarding talking in a doubles match: If you hit the ball and you have a (crazy) habit of talking to the ball when hitting and saying, “Sit,” is this against the code of no talking?
Warren Fraser, Men’s League Vice President
USTA’s “Friend at Court,” Part 2 – No. 34 says that we may talk all we want when the ball is traveling toward our side. However, if we say anything (“short,” “get back,” “sit,” etc.) when the ball is moving toward our opponents, the opponents can call this a deliberate hindrance and claim the point.
