As my opponent was reaching for a ball, it bounced a second time—and at the same time, she stopped playing. She then called out, “ball on court.” A ball had bounced from another court and stopped by the back wall. Our opponent said a ball anywhere on the court is a “let,” and it doesn’t matter where players are standing or where the ball lands. Was this a valid let?

—Delia Mendoza, El Paso, TX

You should first ask your opponent, “How were you hindered?” A let isn’t a thing unto itself; it is a request for a replay based upon being hindered. If she says, “I was distracted by the ball coming onto our court,” that’s a hindrance, and a let should be granted per The Code, #36. The assumption in this scenario is that she was calling the let simultaneously as she was going for the shot. If she tried to get to the ball, couldn’t, and subsequently requested the let, tough luck for her (The Code, #35).

Except where noted, answers are based on the ITF Rules of Tennis and USTA's The Code.

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