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Correcting Errors: Forgetting to Change the Balls

On By Teresa Merklin

We did it! Well… almost. Today marks the final rule documented in Section 27 of the ITF Rules of Tennis as published by the USTA Friend at Court. I feel like this is cause for celebration. For the most part, the “Correcting Errors section has been a mind bending exercise for me. The mental trauma of struggling to understand how some of the errors could even occur, coupled with corrections that did not always seem equitable has taken a toll on me.

Correcting Errors: Accidental Sets

On By Teresa Merklin

Tie-breaker in lieu of a full third set has recently become the more common match format at Adult NTRP tournaments. As a result, many of my tournaments singles matches start with the umpire reminding us of that fact. I almost always make the joke that there is very little chance that I will accidentally play a third set of singles.

Correcting Errors: Advantage Sets

On By Teresa Merklin

I finally catch a break in my slog through the “Correcting Errors” section of the ITF Rules of Tennis as published in the USTA Friend at Court. I have been struggling through horror after horror in this section. In previous weeks we have discussed errors that I am quite frankly challenged to understand how they could occur. Additionally, some of the recent corrections don’t always seem to be equitable to me. Today’s rules are a welcome respite.

Correcting Errors

On By Teresa Merklin

It seems weird to be writing about the rules of tennis after my extended tangent. Trying to remember that I had just wrapped up the “Hindrance” section was somewhat disorienting. Even the act of pasting the USTA Friend at Court reference into the footer of this post caused a new sensation. I wonder where the 2021 USTA publishing location will be, since the closure of the White Plains office was announced in the interim.

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