APTA reviews key rules- Foot-fault and ball hit out of court

The foot-fault revision was unofficially known as the “Kimberly Rule,” after Kim Kimberly who took a running leap at the ball, ignoring the baseline and violating most rules, however modified. He was fun to watch though!

The First APTA newsletter carried a discussion on foot-faults and the let rule if a ball was bounced out of the court.

“Foot-Faults
At a recent meeting of the Executive Committee, the foot fault rule was discussed ad infinitum due to the flagrant violation of it by numerous players who are beating their serve to the net. To reiterate, the APTA foot-fault rule is a direct copy of’ the USLTA rule:

The server shall throughout the delivery of’ the serve:
A. Not change his position by walking or running.

B. Not touch, with either foot, any area other than that behind the baseline within the imaginary extension of’ the center mark or sideline.

Section A was further clarified that slight movement is movement not in excess of two or three inches. Servers are permitted to jump in the process of serving so long as their feet do not touch the court before contact of racket and ball, but they may not take a forward step with either one or both feet prior to serving whether they jump during the serve or not.

Tournament Chairmen are asked to enforce this rule throughout all play and the rule will be enforced at all APTA Tournaments.

Ball Hit Out Of Court¹
There has also been much discussion concerning the ball out of court – let point rule. It was decided at the aforementioned meeting that when a ball is hit out of’ court, the point shall be replayed. So the rule stands.

Points covered in defense of’ the rule were:
1. Points are hard enough to make without being penalized for hitting the ball out of’ court.

2. Balls hit out of’ court ·are so hit by players on the offensive and such players are not trying to lose their advantage by having to replay the point.

3. The object on offense is often to hit the ball high so that it drops down close to the wires making it more difficult to return. Such a shot might result in the ball being hit out of’ court, but that is never the objective of’ the player hitting such a shot.”

Note 1: This rule was revisited in 1975 when the present day rule was adopted which stipulated that a ball hit out of the court resulted in a loss of point

Source: First edition of The APTA Paddle Newsletter. Personal communication from Robert R. Kingsbury.