The Rules of Tennis
Long time readers of the Fiend at Court may recall that I rejoiced when this steady march through the ITF Rules of Tennis reached the section titled “Player Loses Point.” I am nothing, if not an expert, in the art of losing a point. Now that this project is in the midst of the Rules of Wheelchair Tennis, it comes at no surprise to discover that there are some unique ways in which a wheelchair player can lose a point.
There are three specific adaptations listed.
Player Loses Point:
A player loses a point if:
The player fails to return the ball before it has bounced three times; or
[Subject to rule f) below] the player uses any part of their feet or lower extremities against the ground or against any wheel while delivering service, striking a ball, turning or stopping while the ball is in play; or
The player fails to keep one buttock in contact with their wheelchair seat when contacting the ball.
The Rules of Wheelchair Tennis, Section d
The first adaptation falls under the category of something that is obvious, but needs to be stated anyway. Since a wheelchair player is allowed two bounces before returning the ball, it stands to reason that the ball has to be struck before the third bounce. This essentially overrides the rule in section 24(b) of “Player Loses Point” which states that the player loses the point if they do not “return the ball before it bounces twice consecutively.” The wheelchair version of that rule would use the phrase “thrice consecutively.” (I am so happy for this gratuitous opportunity to deliberately use the word “thrice.”)
The second rule adaptation the Player Loses Point section is that a wheelchair player is not permitted to use their feet to propel the wheelchair during a point. Essentially, if the player’s feet contact the ground the point is lost. However, there are some exceptions if the player is unable to propel the chair without using a foot. That is the forward reference which points to rule “f.” That rule will require a dedicated post once we reach that section.
Finally, the third way a wheelchair player can lost a point is by failing to keep at least one buttock in contact with the chair. (And no, that is NOT a gratuitous opportunity to use the word “buttock.” It is right there in the rule!) Essentially a player who is capable of standing in the chair is not permitted to do so when contacting the ball.
In addition to these three adaptations, essentially all the other standard ways of losing a point are directly applicable to Wheelchair Tennis. The deeper I get into the Rules of Tennis, the more impressed I become with the elegant simplicity of the modifications required for competitive play. Tennis truly is the ultimate adaptive sport for the Wheelchair community.
- United States Tennis Association (2021), Friend at Court: Handbook of Rules and Regulations, White Plains, NY
