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Ask The Official
Bathroom Breaks
by Krissie Douglas
Q: Are bathroom breaks legal during a match on a change over? My partner did this in our last match at 3-2, and the opponents questioned me about it after she left the court. I was pretty sure it is legal.
A: USTA Regulation I.W.9 says, "A player may request one or more suspensions of play for a toilet visit." It is recommended that, " Whenever possible, toilet visits should take place during the 120 second Set Break", but in reality they can be taken anytime. In an officiated match, the umpire can decide if it is a genuine toilet emergency, as opposed to general player fatigue or gamesmanship, and can refuse the toilet visit request.
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Jim Flood has been a USTA Professional Tennis Official for many years and has officiated at many of the biggest and most prestigious USTA professional tournaments, including the U.S. Open. He is also a computer instructor and multimedia specialist and also fills his spare time as a commercial actor and voiceover artist. Jim's motto is: "Play by the rules."
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