Rules of Tennis
PREPARATION OF COURTS AT TOURNAMENT SITES:
The central section of the net must be 0,914 m high, while at the edges it must be 1,07 m high. In case no measuring device is available, the following approximate estimating method shall be applied -place a standard-size racket vertically at the net, observing its highest point, then turn the racket horizontally and place the bottom of its head at the observed highest point, the net’s central section should not be higher than the racket’s highest edge.
In Latvia it is customary that singles games are played on doubles courts with doubles-game nets adapted for singles games with net supports (1,07m high, ~3cm in diameter metal posts). The supports must be placed at a distance of 0,914 m from the singles game sideline in the direction of the net supporting post (~15cm x 15cm metal posts to which the net is attached). If there is no measuring device available, then the following method will serve as a sufficiently accurate estimate - take the net support and measure the distance from the doubles game sideline to the net support post (15x15cm post), then transfer this distance to the single game sideline, starting therefrom in the direction of the net support post and where there is a marking, place the post in the net perpendicular to the ground.
WARM-UP AND DRAWING LOTS:
A player should begin the warm-up process before coming onto the court (running, stationary bike, jumprope, etc.), so as to minimize risk of injury. The recommended warm-up period is 10-15 minutes or until first breaking a sweat.
Warming-up should continue on court, volleying the ball from one to the other side between opponents. The recommended time for on-court warm-up is 5-10 minutes (maximum 15 minutes) on the so-called small field (players stand on the service line), the large field (players stand on the end-line), at the net and serving.
After the warm-up one of the players takes initiative to draw lots. Lots can be drawn in various ways, i.e. spinning racket, coin-toss or otherwise.
A customary form of drawing lots is as follows - the lot-drawer requests the opponent to choose HEADS or TAILS, then takes their racket and spins it on its axis like a top. At the point when the racket falls, the handle is read to see if the manufacturer’s logo is visible upon it - if it is readable/recognizable it has fallen HEADS, if not, then TAILS.
The player who has won the drawing of lots may choose the following options: to serve or receive a serve, to choose which side of the court, or ask the opposing player to make the choice.
GAMES:
Agreeing to a 3rd set:
Prior to the first serve players must agree how a 3rd set is to be played, if necessary. The possible options are ordered according to the longest-duration game to the shortest-duration: a full 3rd set (averaging 30-60 minutes), a 3rd set starting from a 2:2 score (averaging 15-30 minutes), a SuperTiebreak to 10 (averaging 10-20 minutes), or a Tiebreak to 7 (averaging 7-15 minutes).
Results of non-standard games and determining the winner:
If the time designated for the game has ended and it cannot be extended / rescheduled / resumed at a later time, any rules to determine the winner may be acceptable upon agreement by both players. The result of the game, specifying and affirming the winner, must be entered into the player’s profile at www.ltal.lv. Game results discrepant with the rules of tennis (e.g. 6:1 3:1) may also be acceptable in LTAL tournaments, when agreed upon by both players and the actual winner of the game is affirmed. Game results discrepant with the rules of tennis are not to be acceptable in Finals contests or contests for 3rd place.
Changing sides and time-outs:
After the first game (1:0) sides are changed without any time outs (hydration allowed, but sitting is prohibited). The game continues and then after each two games (e.g. at 1:2, or 3:0, then again at 3:2 vai 5:0) a time out is observed up to 1 minute, during which players are allowed to sit down for resting.
A toilet break may be used once per game, preferably between sets, and sufficient time shall be provided.
If no toilet break is called, then a 2-minute break is observed between sets.
If the sum of the set score results in an even number (e.g. 6:4 summing to 10), then the players must return to those sides of the court where they were upon the conclusion of the previous set, whereas if it is an odd number (e.g. 6:3, summing to 9), then the following set must begin from the player’s opposite side of the court.
Service:
The server must audibly announce the game results prior to serving (e.g. 15:15), thus minimizing the risk of confusing scores during a game.
A serve is counted as complete if the player has attempted to hit the ball.
If a served ball first touches the net before landing in the proper service field the point must be replayed.
The game’s continuity principle must be observed- the second serve must follow immediately after the first, unless the ball served in the first serve is somehow a disturbance to either player, in which case it is allowed to remove it.
The receiving player should not hit back an obviously out-of-bounds first serve error, for that is discrepant with the game’s continuity principle and can delay and/or otherwise disturb the serving player’s second serve.
Striking the ball:
Any strike upon the ball is done with the racket in hand. The movement must be singular and uninterrupted, otherwise an error is called.
During a game the players alternately volley the ball by striking it into their opponent’s court-side. Where the returned ball falls onto an opponent’s courtside and falls back over the net due to the power of its spin or the force of the wind without the opponent touching it with their racket, a point is scored. If an opponent has run to and leaned over the net without touching it, and has struck the ball that then twice bounces against the ground on the courtside, a point is lost. If players manage to strike the ball in return after its first bounce upon the ground the volley continues.
Game at the net:
Players are prohibited from touching the net during play. At the moment of contact the ball must be on the striking player’s side of the court, but the strike may also be completed over the imaginary net height line, without touching the net.
Verification of a bounce:
Players on clay courts have the right to verify whether a bounce has landed correctly by walking to the opponent’s courtside, if no imprint on the court surface is discernible, the original out-of-bounds call shall remain in force, as points are not replayed on clay courts. A point may be replayed on Hard courts in cases where the player is not 100% sure whether the ball stayed in the court or bounced out-of-bounds.
Refereeing - for a fair game:
Players each referee their side of the court, in observance of all ethical, written and unwritten rules of fair play.
If it is difficult for the players to decide and agree over the fate of a point, they may opt to replay its first serve (except on clay courts).
If there is uncertainty as to the results of a game - the course of the game must be restored together with the other player, for instance both recall the instance of a double error and two aces, but no more... then the game can be continued with the result 30:15.
FORMALITIES
Time-frame for playing a game and delays:
For men’s tournaments a 7-day time-frame for playing a game is customary (until Wednesday nights at 22:00)
For women’s tournaments a 10-day time-frame is customary (usually from the 1st to the 10th day, the 11th to the 20th, then to the 30th day of the month, etc.)
Information on the actual game and opponent’s contacts shall be sent by email and also entered in the player’s profile at www.ltal.lv
A reminder email shall be sent two days prior to a scheduled game to those players who have yet to enter their actual game results into their appropriate homepage profiles.
If for any reason it is not possible to complete a game in the given time-frame, it may be extended up to 24 hours, with players notifying thereof by pressing the button - Request extension of game time-frame by 24 hours.
Players competing for first place in a stage may request by email correspondence with the organizers an extension of the game beyond the 24 hour limit.
Delay of a final game in a stage is prohibited.
If the results of a final game in a stage is not entered into the homepage after the expiration of the game time-frame, it shall be marked as “didn’t happen” and the higher-ranked player shall assume the higher position in that stage.
Entering the results of a game:
The winner of a game enters the results unless the players have agreed otherwise.
Rules of conduct:
Players must act courteously and respectfully toward anyone at the tournament site and time.They must treat their own and others’ (tennis clubs’) inventory with care. Organizers should be notified of any behavioral deviations in an email detailing the situation to - info@ltal.lv
Violations of the rules of conduct and ethics can result in the expulsion of a player from the amateur league community.
