There are so many rules in tennis that it can be tough to accurately determine who is at fault when certain situations come up. The more that you know about the sport, the better the chance you have at being able to avoid any controversy should one of the less-common situations in tennis come up.
Q: When can I call
a foot foul on my opponent?
A: In a match that
is not being judged by a referee, it can be difficult to determine whether or
not you should call out a foot foul. Since tennis rules stipulate that the
opponent should be given the benefit of the doubt in any controversial calls,
foot fouls should only be called when every effort of informing the opponent
about the practice has failed and the foot fouling continues to a flagrant
degree.
Q: What mistakes
result in a service fault?
A: Service faults
can be caused by a number of factors. When a player makes a foot foul, doesn't
serve from the proper area, or doesn't follow the proper form for preparing the
serve, they are said to have a service fault. In addition, players that miss
the ball whilst trying to serve are also said to have committed a service
fault. If, after serving, the ball hits a permanent fixture of the court, such
as the singles stick or the posts of the net before bouncing, a service fault
is committed. Finally, when the ball touches the server or the server's
partner, or any part of their clothing, before or after a serve, a service
fault is said to have occurred. After the first service fault occurs, the
server is expected to take their second serve without delay as to ensure that
they are not simply buying time to rest.
Service should be
performed by the serving party within 20 seconds, or they will incur a time
violation.
Q: What determines
a let?
A: A let occurs
most often when, during service, the ball touches the net and lands on the
opponent's side of the court. There are a few other situations that merit a
let, including the unlikely situation in which the ball hits one of the
receivers or an article of their clothing before bouncing. Also, if the ball is
served before the receiver is ready, a let occurs. The service is considered to
have never occurred, and it does not change the results of any prior faults on
the part of the server.
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