Coaching Tip - May 2021

Losing Points in a Tennis game
The Rules that some of us don’t know

Unfortunately there are more ways to lose points than to win them in a Tennis game.
I am sure that there are many players at club level – Junior, Senior and Social – who are unaware of the tennis rules in regard to losing the point in a match.
I thought I would outline these rules so that players can be aware if any of these scenarios happen to them on match day or at practice.

Losing the point in brief
The 2 more common reasons are
• You hit the ball and it lands out of the court before it bounces
This includes hitting the fence or a permanent fixture or any another object
• The ball in play bounces twice before you hit it.
The point is lost
In addition there are others
• On the serve if you hit the ball before it bounces in the service box or elsewhere you lose the point
You also lose the point if the Serve hits you or if playing doubles your partner
• If you volley the ball from behind the baseline and don’t hit the ball over the net into the court at the other end the point is lost.
Similarly the point is lost if you catch the ball or it hits you before it has bounced
• The point is lost if you, your Racquet or anything else you are wearing or holding makes contact with the net.
• You can’t play the ball before it crosses over to your side of the net or the point is lost.
If the ball has bounced on your side of the net and with the wind or spin has gone back to the other side of the net you may then hit the ball by reaching over the net as long as you don’t touch the net.
• You can’t catch the ball on the strings of your racquet and then carry the ball then hit it over the net as the ball can’t be hit twice.
It is ok if the during the one swing the ball double hits the Racquet and it is play on
• The point is lost if the ball touches you or your clothing or anything else except for your racquet in your hand during a rally
• You can’t throw your racquet towards the ball in attempt to hit it as the racquet must be in your hand at all times while the ball is in play.
• You are not allowed to distract your opponent(s) by movement and/or sound when your opponent is about to hit the ball.
• You are not allowed to make adjustments to your racquet or indeed swap racquets while a rally is in progress.
There are a number of ways that you can lose a point but hopefully the information above will alert you to some of these so that you don’t get too distracted during your match play.

Try not to confuse yourself by thinking too much.
Keep it Simple. Relax and let it happen

Tennis the game of a lifetime

Contact me by Email if you have any comments or helpful Tennis hints.
Let me know the things that work for you.

Coach Steve
Website www.stevejamestennis.com