My forehand with a fair amount of topspin appeared it might go long. But before it could bounce, my opponent knocked it down with his racquet and called it out. I protested, but my opponent disagreed, and I conceded the point because I thought perhaps the ball would have landed out.
— Daniel Picker, Haddonfield, NJ
Your opponent can’t hit a ball before it bounces and call it out at the same time. And he can’t call a ball out that hasn’t yet hit the ground or a permanent fixture. USTA Comment 11.1 answers “No” to the question, “Is a point decided when a good shot has clearly passed a player, or when an apparently bad shot passes over the baseline or sideline?” You won the point.
Except where noted, answers are based on the ITF Rules of Tennis and USTA's The Code.
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