APTA Rule changes – Bob Callaway Rules Committee Chair reported

Bob Callaway, Chair, Rules Committee reported:

At the Annual Board of Directors meeting in May, a number of rule changes were approved and will be in effect for this 2006- 2007 season. Since a most recent edition of the Official Rules of Platform Tennis has not been printed and distributed, the APTA wanted to alert all players of the following changes:

Rule 1: Dimensions and Terminology
The Board approved as an option, a gap of up to six inches in the alley lines where the alley lines meet the service line and extending toward the baseline. It was felt that this optional alteration in the painting of the lines will make it easier to make calls on serves.

Rule 10: Fault or Out
In the third paragraph an additional sentence will be added: “In an officiated match, depending on the Chair Umpire’s responsibilities regarding line calls, agreed to ahead of time with the Tournament Director, the Chair Umpire may call for a let or loss of point if he overrules the player’s call. If the players make an incorrect “out” call on a ball that is returnable, the Chair Umpire will call for a let, and the point will be replayed. If the players make an incorrect “out” call on a ball that is unreturnable, the Chair Umpire will call for a loss of point to the team making the out call.”

Rule 13: A Let
The third sentence (a) will now read: “it hits an overhanging obstruction such as a corner cross piece on a court or a tree limb.” Also, an additional clause will be added: “(e) a player loses an item of clothing; i.e., hat, glasses, hair accessory, etc., the opposing team has the option to call a let. A let must be called immediately. If not, the point will stand as concluded. ”

Rule 18: Loss of Point
An additional clause will be added: “(j) A player strikes a ball in the court which then rebounds off a screen, comes back across the net and lands inside the lines without being touched by an opponent.”

This rule was added because there are players who are capable of hitting balls off the back screen which will rebound all the way back over the net. If an opposing player attempts to field such a ball by either running around the net or jumping over the net, the player will have lost the point as soon as his/her feet touch inside the court on the other side. However, this does not preclude a player running around the net and hitting a ball while staying outside the court lines. Also, please note this rule change only refers to balls hit off a screen. It does not affect, for instance, a ball struck with such severe underspin that it crosses the net and then comes back across the net.

These changes are intended to facilitate play and make the game more enjoyable and safe.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 8, Issue 2, November, 2006