In a tiebreak against a hard-hitting server, I had my partner stand behind me as I returned serve and rushed the net. Seeing the open court, the server hit my return into the net, but then complained that we both couldn’t stand on the same side of the court. What’s your ruling?
— Daniel Young, Henderson, NC
Rule 8, Case 1, says that “the receiver may take any position inside or outside the lines on the receiver’s side of the court.” What goes for the receiver in singles, goes for both partners in doubles. And USTA Comment 15.1 addresses the confusion that can arise on the first point of a set when receiving partners both line up in the deuce court. They can do that, “but the spirit of the rule requires that the server know which member of the receiving team is going to receive the first point of the set.” The server just needs to ask,“Who’s taking the serve?”
Except where noted, answers are based on the ITF Rules of Tennis and USTA's The Code.
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