The Rules of Tennis
Last week in “Skipping Forward in the Interest of Continuous Play” we discussed that the time limit between points in the official rules of tennis is 25 seconds. There is a USTA comment on this rule that establishes one pretty significant exception.
The 25-second time limit does not apply if a player has to chase a stray ball.
USTA Comment 29.1, USTA Friend at Court 2020
Early in the junior tennis career of the umpire I gave birth to, a tournament match was played at one of the local high schools on a blazingly hot summer day in Texas. Actually, in mid-July, no other weather should be reasonably expected.
There were several times in the match where my daughter’s opponent slammed the ball to the fence, four courts down. With no other matches on those courts, my daughter dutifully retrieved those balls. Over and over. It is one of the sharpest memories I have of post match advice rendered. “Next time tell that little [expletive] that she can go retrieve the ball herself.”
On the surface, the stray ball exception to the rule makes sense. The player who has to retrieve a ball is not necessarily the player who created the fact that the ball needs to be retrieved. It is not equitable or fair to arbitrarily force a one player to sprint against the clock in this situation.
Oh the other hand, it is possible for players to create ball retrieval situations to slow the pace of play. Intentionally doing so pushes the boundaries of good sportsmanship. Maybe there will be something in “The Code” that governs that hypothetical scenario when we get to that point in the rules.
In recreational tennis, the 25 second rule is challenging to enforce. Unlike professional matches, there is no “shot clock” timing points, and no officials to start the clock at the appropriate time. I have observed that many player’s do not have a sense for what 25 seconds feels like on court. While I have witnessed umpires issue warnings for slow play, I have yet to see a player penalized for violations.
Then again, I mostly play recreational adult tennis. It is usually too hot, cold, or windy to stand around all day. Let’s keep those matches moving, people.
- United States Tennis Association (2020) Friend at Court. White Plains, NY
