The Rules of Tennis
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.
The truth of the matter is that I prefer a full three sets. This is because I have a lot of confidence in my conditioning. Additionally, a large part of my shot and point composition arsenal is designed to wear my opponent down. I have previously referred to my military grade drop shot on this site. In the first set, my dropper is generally greeted with a “nice shot” from my opponent. Toward the end of a third set… the language is not fit for a family oriented tennis blog.
Today’s rule covers the situation if players forget that a match tie-break was to be played for the final set and inadvertently start a third set. It is one of the longer entries in the “Correcting Errors” section.
If in error an “Advantage Set” or “Tie-break Set” is started, when it was previously agreed that the final set would be a match tie-break, the error shall be corrected immediately if only one point has been played. If the error is discovered after the second point is in play, the set will continue either until a player or team wins three games (and therefore the set) or until the score reaches 2 games all, when a match tie-break shall be played. However, if the error is discovered after the second point of the fifth game has started, the set will continue as a “Tie-break Set”.
USTA Friend at Court, ITF Rules of Tennis, 27g
I can definitely see how this could happen. I played a mix of NTRP and Open events in my last tournament before the COVID-19 shutdown. In NTRP singles, a tie-break in lieu of third was played. In Women’s Open Doubles and Husband-Wife Mixed, a full two out of three sets was played. I can see this context switching creating some confusion for players.
I tried to reconstruct 27(g) as a narrative and gained an appreciation of the nuances in this rule that cause the wordiness. Ultimately I decided that a table provides the greatest clarity.
| When Error Detected | Continuation | Resolution |
| After one point is played. | Switch to match tie-break. | First point stands, start with second tie-break point. |
| After two points are played. | Continue playing games. | 1) First to win three games wins the match. 2) If the score reaches 2-2, play a match tie-break. |
| After the first point of the fifth game. | Switch to match tie-break. | First point stands, start with second tie-break point. |
| After the second point of the fifth game. | Continue playing games. | Final set will be a full tie-break set. |
This is another obscure rule that I am delighted to learn. Furthermore, unlike the scenarios presented last week, this one could plausibly happen.
- United States Tennis Association (2020) Friend at Court. White Plains, NY
