Let's say you're serving during a tennis match. If you fault on your first serve, start playing the point off your second serve, but then call a let because a ball from an adjacent court rolls onto your court, how many serves do you now get to restart the point? One, because you already served a fault, or two, because you're restarting the point?
While I thought the answer here was pretty obvious, it turns out not everyone knows all of the in's and out's of service lets. In fact, this issue came up in a match that I officiated. And since the players in that match were top-level teens (Girls Super Champ Division A 18s) and one of them didn't know the correct answer, I realized the answer might not be so obvious.
The question you might ask, and which one of the Super Champ Girls asked me, is why should the server get two serves? Why not just one? If the server faulted on her very first serve, why should she now get two serves?
ITF Rule of Tennis 23 – “The Let” – comes into play here. Rule 23 says that, “In all cases when a let is called, except when a service let is called on a second service, the whole point shall be replayed.” Seems pretty clear. If the “whole point” is being replayed, that means start from scratch which means take two serves.
But if that's not clear enough for you, Case 1 of Rule 23 addresses the exact situation that occurred in my Super Champ Girls match:
Case 1: When the ball is in play, another ball rolls onto the court. A let is called. The server had previously served a fault. Is the server now entitled to a first service or second service?
Decision: First service. The whole point must be replayed.
Conclusion – replay the point, take two serves.
There are, however, two little things to keep in mind here. First, just because a ball from an adjacent court rolls onto your court doesn't automatically mean you get two serves. For example, if the ball rolls onto your court between your first and second serves, you might only get your second serve. USTA Comment 23.3 explains:
What happens when a ball from an adjacent court rolls on the court between the first and second serves? The time it takes to clear an intruding ball between the first and second serves is not considered sufficient time to warrant the server receiving two serves unless this time is so prolonged as to constitute an interruption. The receiver is the judge of whether the delay is sufficiently prolonged to justify giving the server two serves.
So a ball rolling in from another court while you're between your first and second serves only restarts the point if there has been a “justifiable delay.” That would mean more than just the minute or so it might take to retrieve the ball and return it to the court from where it came. And, note that the receiver, not the server, is the judge of whether the delay justifies two serves. (So the polite receiver will say something like, “Take two serves.” To which the polite server might reply, “Thanks.”)
The second twist to know is that, should that stray ball come rolling onto your court during your second serve, you once again get two serves per USTA Comment 23.1:
What happens when the server is interrupted during delivery of the second service? The server is entitled to two serves.
And, in that situation, taking two serves is not dependent on the receiver's judgment of what constitutes an interruption of delivery of service. If you're taking your second serve and you think you've been interrupted by a stray ball, you get to take two serves.
Frankly, in my opinion, that's a little weird. Why not just retake your second serve? Why should you get two serves?
The only thing I can think is that the USTA is concerned about safety. Most of us are looking up at the ball when hitting a serve, not down at our feet where stray balls may be rolling around. By allowing the server to take two serves in this situation, you avoid the possibly unsafe situation of the “impolite” receiver who doesn't say anything about that stray ball in hopes that he or she wins the point off a service fault.
And you thought there wasn't much to say about service lets! I would love to hear your questions on tennis rules. If you have any, let me know in the comments below and I'll try to get you an answer (with lots of quotations!).
Happy Tennis!
© Kim Selzman 2013 All Rights Reserved
I had a twist to that happen recently. I was the receiver. Server served first serve and it was long, a fault. Ball hit the fence behind me and rolled a few inches and then stopped. I looked back at the ball, determined it was not an issue and waved to the server that I was ready for the second serve. The server’s PARTNER then asked me to clear the ball, saying it was bothering her. I quickly did, and then the server asked for two serves. I said, no just one. . . otherwise, wouldn’t you ALWAYS be able to create the condition of getting your server two serves simply by asking someone to clear a ball. I did not initiate the clear, the serving team did. They were upset with me, but I felt like I was in the right.
Tennis: my question is ” which other game in the world allows a mistake/fault to go unpenalised/pardoned ? Hence in my opinion ,the second serve in Tennis should be abolished. The point needs to be awarded to the opponent in case of Faulty First Serve. The Game can be made (15 – 30 -40 -50 or even 60). This will improve the Game quality and the Players will not free to attempt an ACE on every first serve. Today the game has become First SERVE oriented . At least at very High Professional Level this should be implemented….like Wimbledon , US open , French open etc
Completely agree. I am even not watching tennis as much any more because of this. It is beyound my comprehension to understand why this rule still remains and nobody is even mentioning it. Tennis matches are so boring now because of this. I just wish someone comes along and serve 3 out of 4 aces consistently and see the crowd reaction and tv ratings.
I would be curious to hear what should occur in the following — similar, but somewhat different — case.
It is, I think, also a case of the server being interrupted while serving (between his/her first and second serves) but not because of a ball rolling onto the court.
“What happens when the server is interrupted during delivery of the second service? The server is entitled to two serves.”
I encounter many players who, when the server’s first serve is out, call “out” and proceed to hit the ball back to, or in the direction of, the server. I was taught as a child not to do this; one should tap the ball into the net, or let it go by, or catch it and put it in your pocket, etc. The server has the right to carry out his serve without interruption.
Usually the server either has to catch the ball, or move to catch it, or hit it back into the net, or go move it to a safe place from behind him/herself. An irritating interruption!
For ages I have just let myself be irritated by what I perceived as very impolite behavior, but while reading the rules of tennis recently (and finding this thread) I think it is actually a rule violation.
What to do?
I play with friends and, in Summer, in a team. I think I shoulld mention this to my friends in advance and tell them I will start to ‘enforce’ it (in a friendly way!) by warning/reminding them the first time it happens in a match, and if it still continues, by tasking a let and taking 2 new serves.
In slightly more ‘official’ matches, I would mention it the first time it happens, explain it is not allowed and ask the opponent to discontinue. If it continues, maybe give one more warning (?) and if it still continues then take a let and 2 new serves.
There is one obvious exception to this: when the first serve is very close but still out, the receiver cannot stop his motion in time and the ball ‘accidentally’ is returned to the server. In that case no let is ever awarded.
One last comment: I think this is all a reflection of how one learned the game. I have discussed it with a few players over the years and they seem to think they are doing the server a favor by returning serves that are out back to him/her (“So that he has enough balls on his side”). 🙂
Thank you for your thoughts and opinions!
JL
If the server stops play before his second serve to tell the opponent that a ball has rolled right behind them is that considered a let, or does he have to say let. And, if the opponent turns to pick up the ball, is the server entitled to two serves?
He or she does not have to say the word let in this situation. I would just say something like “Hey there’s a ball behind you. I don’t want you to step on it.” They should pick it up. If they don’t, you can ask them to as it might be considered a hindrance to you because it throws your focus off. If the opponent does pick the ball up, the server probably does not get two serves as not enough time will go by as to disrupt the server in most situations. It is up to the receiver to decide, however, if the server should get two serves and so depending on the circumstance, they might give you two serves. I will be doing a podcast episode on this situation – balls rolling around on court – very soon. I’ll go more in depth on the rules. I’ll email you and let you know when that comes out. Kim