There was a great illustration of one of the more subtle rules of tennis during the epic 5-set Wimbledon Finals between Carlow Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic last month. In fact, it was so subtle that I am guessing that most tennis fans missed it.
At 3-1 in the third set, Alcaraz hit a return of serve that went unusually short, causing Djokovic to lunge for the ball. Alcaraz hit the attempted passing shot wide and immediately asked for the ball. The ball had lost compression during the point. Alcaraz passed the ball to the umpire. My guess is that most people assumed that this was simply to remove an unplayable ball from the match.
However, Alcaraz was probably likely asking the umpire if the ball was soft or broken. The distinction matters.
If a ball gets broken during play, the point shall be replayed.
Case 1: If a ball is soft at the end of a point, should the point be replayed?
Decision: If the ball is soft, not broken, the point shall not be replayed.
ITF Rules of Tennis, Rule 3, Excerpt
Based on the response of the chair umpire Fergus Murphy, the ball was not broken. If it had been, the point would have been replayed.
A few years ago, I experienced this exact rules situation during a women’s doubles match in the Fort Worth Major Zone. One of my partner’s serves came off her racquet with an unusually loud pop. The ball landed in, and the receiving team sailed the return long. When my partner retrieved the ball, it was obvious that it had lost compression.
Upon hearing this, the other team threw a conniption fit, complaining that the point should be replayed as a let. The ensuing debate attracted the umpire to the court. Unfortunately, for our opponents, they never asked the umpire to examine the ball, arguing only for a let.
I should note that at the time, my partner and I held the good faith position that the ball was soft rather than broken. However, upon examining the ball after the match, we discovered that a crack could be produced with considerable force exerted on the right spot.
Oops. That is a broken ball and the point probably should have been replayed.
Should you ever find yourself in a debate with an opponent or advocating a position with an umpire for a similar situation, the strategic approach is to use the word “soft” if the point was won and “broken” if the point was lost.
In any case, the ball should be carefully examined.
- ITF Rules of Tennis, International Tennis Federation, 2023
I wonder if the ball was purchased at a discount store for $1.99??? LOL