Playing the Game

The Etiquette of Tennis:

Player Conduct: Good sportsmanship is the key to tennis etiquette.  Treat others as you desire to be treated.  The following specific rules will make tennis more enjoyable for & for those around you.

1. Know your opponent.  Before you play, greet your opponent & introduce yourself.
2. Spin your racquet to decide the choice of serve & side before you walk on to the court.
3. After a brief warm – up (10 minutes max.), ask whether & your opponent wishes to practice any serves.  All practice serves should be taken by both players before any points are played. Never agree to simply play the “first serve in.”
4. Begin a point as server only if you have two balls in your hand or on your person.
5. Don’t serve until your opponent is ready.
6. Never fail to on serve the foot – fault rule.  Failure to do so is considered a breach of tennis etiquette.
7. Keep score accurately, & when serving, announce the score periodically.
8. Return only balls that are good, especially on the serve.
9. Call the balls on your side of the net (promptly say “out” if the ball is out), & trust your opponent to do the dame.  Call faults & lets loudly & clearly.  IF the ball is in, or if you are unsure, you must play the ball as good & day nothing.
10. Talk only when pertinent to the match & only when the ball is not in play.  However, acknowledge a good play by your partner or opponent.
11. Control your emotions & temper.
12. After each point, collect all balls on your side of the net & return them directly to the server.  Don’t lean on the net to retrieve a ball – the net cables break easily.
13. Leave no balls or debris on the court when the match is completed.
14. Retrieve balls from an adjacent court by waiting until the point is over & then do so politely, saying “Thank You” or “Ball, please.”
15. Return balls from an adjacent court by tossing or rolling them to the nearest players after the play in progress has been completed.
16. Call a let when there is reasonable interference during play (such as another ball entering your court).
17. Make no excuses.  At the conclusion of play, shake hands with & thank your opponent for the match.  Congratulate your opponent if he or she has won.
18. Don’t monopolize the courts if others are waiting to play.  Either play doubles or rotate at the conclusion of each set.
    
    Spectator Conduct: Whether you are a casual spectator watching an informal match or a member of large crowd watching a championship tournament, you should be aware of some unwritten rules.  Players concentration is essential to top performance, & anything that detracts from concentration could affect the outcome of an entire match.  The general rule is The Golden Rule – govern your actions as you would have others act if you playing.
    
    
19. Remain seated in the areas provided for spectators.  Never sit on any branches or seats within the fenced area unless you have a specific function.
20. Keep quiet during points.  Nothing is more disturbing than unnecessary conversation.
21. Applaud good play only after the point is completed.
22. If you are interested in the score, keep score yourself.  Don’t continually bother the players by asking the score.
23. If you disagree with a decision, keep your opinion to yourself.
24. Referee a match only if acting in official capacity. (If you are asked to serve as umpire or linesman, you should so willingly).
25. If you are heading for another court, walk inconspicuously behind the fence of the court at the conclusion of the point.