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2017 Rules of Tennis (English)

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10 c. The player returns the ball in play so that it hits the ground, or before it bounces, an object, outside the correct court; or d. The player returns the ball in play so that, before it bounces, it hits a permanent fixture; or e. The receiver returns the service before it bounces; or f. The player deliberately carries or catches the ball in play on the racket or deliberately touches it with the racket more than once; or g. The player or the racket, whether in the player's hand or not, or anything which the player is wearing or carrying touches the net, net posts/singles sticks, cord or metal cable, strap or band, or the opponent's court at any time while the ball is in play; or h. The player hits the ball before it has passed the net; or i. The ball in play touches the player or anything that the player is wearing or carrying, except the racket; or j. The ball in play touches the racket when the player is not holding it; or k. The player deliberately and materially changes the shape of the racket when the ball is in play; or l. In doubles, both players touch the ball when returning it. Case 1: After the server has served a first service, the racket falls out of the server's hand and touches the net before the ball has bounced. Is this a service fault, or does the server lose the point? Decision: The server loses the point because the racket touches the net while the ball is in play. Case 2: After the server has served a first service, the racket falls out of the server's hand and touches the net after the ball has bounced outside the correct service court. Is this a service fault, or does the server lose the point? Decision: This is a service fault because when the racket touched the net the ball was no longer in play. Case 3: In a doubles match, the receiver's partner touches the net before the ball that has been served touches the ground outside the correct service court. What is the correct decision? Decision: The receiving team loses the point because the receiver's partner touched the net while the ball was in play. Case 4: Does a player lose the point if an imaginary line in the extension of the net is crossed before or after hitting the ball? Decision: The player does not lose the point in either case provided the player does not touch the opponent's court. Case 5: Is a player allowed to jump over the net into the opponent's court while the ball is in play? Decision: No. The player loses the point.

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