Conceding the Call
The ITF Rules of Tennis contain detailed procedures for inspecting ball marks resulting from close line calls that occur during officiated matches played on clay.Read More
1 responseAn Untimely Code Violation
The first week of Wimbledon delivered yet another example of a professional tennis player that is a little fuzzy on the finer points of theRead More
That Should Have Left a Mark
The ITF Rules of Tennis includes a detailed appendix that describes procedures for inspection of ball marks for line call verification when tennis matches are played on clay. Today we are examining what happens if the line umpire or chair umpire can’t find the mark. Additionally, this rule also covers the situation when the actual mark is not readable.
Who’s Who in Ball Mark Inspection
In an officiated tennis match, the chair umpire cannot delegate ball mark inspection to a line umpire. The rules are explicit that only the chair umpire may perform that duty. The ITF Rules of Tennis stipulates that the umpire is also supposed to physically climb down from the chair to actually make the inspection.
2 responsesWhen Ball Mark Inspection is Allowed
Ball mark inspection by the chair umpire only applies to tennis matches played on clay courts. Additionally, the rules stipulate the times when ball mark inspection is allowed to occur. The clay court inspection procedures also provide the foundational philosophy underpinning modern electronic line challenge systems.
3 responsesBall Marks and Hard Court Life
This week I learned that the procedures for inspection of ball marks to confirm or overrule line calls only apply during clay court play. Anyone who has played tennis on a hard court in Texas following a dusty windy day has experienced what I call “West Texas Clay.” It is pretty common around these parts to play on outdoor hard courts where the ball leaves a discernible mark. Additionally, depending on how indoor courts are maintained, tennis ball fuzz can also leave clear bounce marks on the court.
1 responseBlow Back and Hindrance
The final Case Decision in the “Role of Court Officials” section of the ITF Rules of Tennis is mysterious in a couple of ways. First, imagining how the scenario could even happen requires significant mental gymnastics and I am unable to find any evidence that it has ever actually occurred. Additionally, the interpretation of tennis law seems straight forward which leaves me wondering why this Case is even included.
3 responsesHindrance from Corrections
Tennis played with a full cadre of line officials is a privilege typically reserved for tour level professional matches. With electronic line calling becoming more and more prevalent, even that may soon be a relic of the past. Sometimes people make mistakes, and there are provisions in the ITF Rules of Tennis for handling the situation when a call is made, but immediately corrected.
Crossing the Net
A clip of Denis Shapovalov yelling at the Italian Open crowd to “Shut the f*** up!” went viral last week. The incident occurred in his first round match against Lorenzo Sonego following a call that didn’t go his way after the umpire inspected a ball mark. The episode revealed that Shapovalov didn’t understand one of the fundamental rules of tennis.
3 responsesFoxTenn Permanent Fixture Considerations
Last week I wrote about an unusual point where a ball in play bounced off one of the sensors used by the FoxTenn line calling system. It happened at Estoril during the semifinal match between Sebastian Korda and Francis Tiafoe. After a week of overthinking that occurrence, I want to revisit this rules interpretation and implications. Additionally, the Estoril tournament posted a video of it in the interim and this gives me the perfect chance to share out that clip.