On game point during mixed doubles our opponents’ high shot hit the roof (clearly to us, not so much to our opponents) so I instinctively caught it. The crown of the roof aligns with the net and we saw the ball hit the plastic lining the roof on their side. Was it a mistake to catch the ball and call it out, or should we have continued play?
— Bill Popp, Renton, WA
No mistake about it. Whether the ball had passed the net or not is irrelevant. It was a shot aimed at your side of the net, and under The Code, Item 5, it was your call and yours alone. Your opponents don’t get a vote.
Except where noted, answers are based on the ITF Rules of Tennis and USTA's The Code.
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