Court of Appeals: The Right Call

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The tennis spring swing is in full force, and with the return to clay courts comes more debates over lines and serves, questionable calls, and the perennial query: What does The Code say?

Court of Appeals is here to clear the air. Rebel Good, a past editor of Friend at Court, the USTA’s handbook of rules and regulations, has taught officiating for more than 30 years and will resolve all your rules questions and quarrels.

The Right Call

My opponent called my serve out while returning it and then quickly corrected himself and called it in. Do we play out the point, or is it my point because he initially called it out?

— Sara Miller, Farmington, NY

When your opponent corrected the fault call he automatically lost the point under The Code, #12: “A player who calls a ball out must reverse the call if the player becomes uncertain or realizes that the ball was good. The point goes to the opponent and is not replayed.” Interestingly, this Code item was changed about 15 years ago. Before that, a player reversing an out call could get a replay if their return went in.

—Rebel Good

Got a question? Send it our way. Email your question to courtofappeals@tennis.com.