No-Let service rule made permanent

In a major decision that led the way for other racquet sports, the Board of Directors voted 17-3 to make the “no let on net cord service” a permanent part of the official rules. The vote had been taken following a random poll of 10% of the membership that showed support for the change.

At the annual meeting in 1996, under the leadership of the late Charley Stevens, the Board of Directors approved, by a narrow margin, the change proposed by Rules Committee Chairman Robert A. Brown, under which serves that touched the net, but landed in the correct service box, were in play.

The 1996-97 season was a first-year trial, with a provision that the change would be reviewed again at the annual Board meeting in 1997.

At the meeting in 1997, there was a strong sentiment to make the rule permanent, but knowing that there was a group of players who were unconvinced of the wisdom of the change, the Board approved a second trial year.

Source: Platform Tennis News, Summer 1998