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Ask The Official
Heard Not Seen
by Mark Flannery
Q: Playing behind the baseline near the fence, I called "ball on" and stopped play when I heard another ball bounce near my feet and thought I was going to step on it. My doubles partner and opponents looked perplexed. Like me, they hadn't seen it. The ball had come from the court behind us and bounced around on the other side of the fence where only I noticed it. Not sure what to do, I gave them the point. But later, I wonder if I was wrong to stop play?
A: If the ball did not actually come onto your court, you may not call a let. By calling, "ball on" and stopping play, you forfeit the point. You did the right thing, giving your opponent the point.
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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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