Warm-Up Time Equity, and Excessive Requests
Each Wednesday, this site tackles a topic related to the rules of tennis. For the past few weeks, we have been systematically breaking down eachRead More
1 responseWarming Up With Your Doubles Partner
We are continuing our meticulous, and admittedly overthought, breakdown of The Code, one principle at a time. This is the fourth consecutive week focused on PrincipleRead More
2 responsesThe Fully Cooperative Warm-Up
We are in the midst of breaking down every principle in The Code as a meticulous overthinking exercise that is the hallmark of this site.Read More
3 responsesWhat Happens When a Player Refuses the Warm-Up in Tennis?
For readers who may be new to the organized tennis landscape, the Friend at Court is the USTA’s compendium of all rules governing sanctioned playRead More
2 responsesThe Code: Warm Up is Not Practice
This week, we resume coverage of Principle 3 from the section in the USTA’s Friend at Court known as “The Code.” Today’s post brings usRead More
The Code: We’re Just Getting Warmed Up
We have arrived at the section of The Code that shifts into the pre-match rituals of the sport. This portion of the document contains two principles underRead More
1 responseThe Final Handshake
Last Wednesday’s post on Principle 2 of The Code noted that the text has remained largely consistent between the 2001 and 2025 editions of the USTA FriendRead More
All Points Played in Good Faith Count
Principle 2 of The Code opens with one of the most elegant statements in all of tennis ethics: “Points played in good faith are counted.” For context, hereRead More
Temper Tantrums, Profanity, Racquet Smashing, and Ball Abuse
This is the final post of what has turned out to be a lengthy examination of Principle 1 of The Code. Despite the brevity of thatRead More
Is Grumpy Behavior Unsportsmanlike?
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been unpacking Principle 1 of The Code, which is currently striking in its brevity but also foundational to sportsmanship inRead More
1 response