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Tennis Etiquette and Code of Conduct (2025)
Have you ever wondered what happens if a player drops the ball from his pocket in the middle of a point or calls his serve long? This article discusses tennis etiquette and the various anomalies in the game and how to respond to them.
- External Distractions
- Player-Related Distractions
- Serving Distractions
- Court Equipment Distractions
- Read More
External Distractions
This chapter discusses regulations related to external distractions of the game.
A ball or other object falls out of the player’s pocket in the middle of a point, or a player’s headgear falls from his head
The point is stopped as soon as an object falls on the court. The player whose object falls receives a warning and the point is replayed. If later in the game the player drops an object onto the court again during a point he/she loses the point instantly.
A ball comes out of the adjacent court while the point is still in play
The point is stopped as soon as either of the players notices the stray ball. The point is then replayed starting from first serve. If the player hits a clear winner but the ball has not yet hit the back wall or bounced twice, and a stray ball rolls to the court, the point is not replayed.
If either of the players hasn’t noticed the stray ball during the point, there is no need for the point to be replayed.
A sunshade or a corresponding object falls near the court during a point
A point must be replayed every time the court’s equipment and the location of the equipment have changed from what they were at the start of the point.
The ball hits the ceiling during a point
The player who hit the ball loses the point. The ceiling is considered to be a fixed object that the ball must not hit during the point before the first bounce.
The ball flies between the ceiling beams without touching any of them and then lands on the court
If the ball hasn’t touched any of the court’s fixed objects before its first bounce, the shot is considered legal.
The ball hits a bird during a point
The point is replayed because the bird wasn’t at that place when the point started.
Player-Related Distractions
This chapter discusses regulations concerning player-related distractions.
The ball is going out, but it hits the player’s body
If the ball hits a player, the point is awarded to the player who hit the ball. Players are not allowed to touch the ball with any of their body parts or clothing during a point.
The player calls his own serve long
The fundamental rule in tennis matches without officials is that each player calls shots that land on their side of the court. Therefore, a player can’t call his serve long because the ball lands on the opponent’s side of the court.
In a doubles match, the returning team’s net player calls the serve long
Both of the players in the receiving team have a right to call the serve long because the ball lands on their side of the court. Usually, the net player is closer to the service line and therefore he/she should make the calls.
If the players on the receiving team disagree on whether the ball was in the decision is made in favor of the serving team.
The player thinks that the ball bounced twice before the opponent managed to hit it and awards himself/herself a point
The fundamental rule in tennis matches without officials is that each player calls shots that land on their side of the court. Therefore, the player can’t make calls on balls that don’t land on his/her side of the court.
The player calls the ball out, but several people from the crowd call it in
The crowd can’t interfere with the match under any circumstance. Only match officials such as the umpire and referee have the right to change calls.
On a clay court, the player calls the opponent’s shot out but can’t find a mark of the last bounce
On a clay court, the player doesn’t have to show the mark to justify that the ball was out. According to fair play players usually show the mark or respectively that there is no mark.
It is good to keep in mind that the player is not allowed to enter the opponent’s side of the court without permission. However, the player is allowed to enter the opponent’s side if he/she asks permission.
The player grunts loudly when he/she is hitting the ball
Players are allowed to make reasonable noises when playing. If the grunting is excessive or intentionally distracting, the player can be penalised.
The player makes noises when the opponent is hitting the ball
Players are allowed to make reasonable noises during the match. But if the player makes intentional noises that interfere with the opponent’s preparation for the shot, it can lead to a code violation.
The player repeatedly hits the court with his/her racket during a point
Players are allowed to touch the court with their racket for example, in situations where they hit a low slice or take support from the racket when exiting a corner. This shouldn’t distract the opponent.
However, if the player hits the court repeatedly with his/her racket on purpose to distract the opponent, it may result in a penalty. If the match is played without an umpire, the player can ask the tournament’s referee to evaluate the intentionality of the offence.
The player smashes his/her racket during a match
If the player smashes his/her racket during a match, it can be seen as racket abuse and it can lead to a penalty.
The player waves his/her hands and jumps excessively when the opponent is serving
The general rule is that the receiving player is allowed to perform movements that can be considered normal and part of the preparation. However, the player is not allowed to disturb his/her opponent with intentional sounds or movements.
The player hits the ball away with his/her racket outside of the point
If the player hits the ball away with his/her racket outside of the point, it can be seen as ball abuse and it can lead to a penalty.
The player uses offensive language during a match
If the player uses offensive language during a match, it can be seen as unsportsmanlike conduct and it can lead to a penalty.
The player’s phone rings during a point
If a player’s phone rings during a point, the opponent is allowed to stop the point and claim the point for himself/herself on the grounds of interference. However, if a phone rings in the crowd or the adjacent court, the point is not stopped.
Serving Distractions
This chapter discusses the regulations concerning serving distractions.
The serving player steps to the baseline after the serving motion has started, but catches the ball with his/her racket or hand
The player is allowed to step over the baseline to catch the ball. Foot fault only occurs in situations where the player has already hit the ball.
Players are allowed to interrupt their serving motion by catching the ball with their hand, or racket, or by letting the ball bounce.
The player fails to perform the serve within the time limit
If the player exceeds the allowed time limit for the serve he/she can receive a time violation. The most common time limit for a serve is 30 seconds.
The receiver calls a foot fault on the serving player
The receiver is only allowed to notify his/her opponent of the possible foot fault. In the doubles match, the receiver’s teammate can call the server’s foot fault after he/she has notified the server of the foot fault.
A stray ball rolls onto the court as the player is preparing to serve his/her second serve
The point starts from the moment the serving player starts the serving motion. Every time a point is replayed it starts from the first serve.
If the player has started his/her serving motion when the stray ball rolls onto the court, the point is replayed from the first serve. However, if the player is not performing the serving motion when the ball rolls onto the court, the point is not replayed.
For some reason, the player is unable to perform his/her serve when he/she would like to
If the player can’t perform his second serve for a reason beyond his control, he may be entitled to a new first serve. This can occur when the net breaks down or the first serve has broken the receiver’s strings.
If the serving player’s strings break after the first serve, he/she is not allowed for a new second serve because his/her initiative caused the pause.
In a singles match, the serve hits the net post and bounces back to the correct service box
The serve is ruled invalid. In the singles play, the net posts are not considered to be a part of the net.
Court Equipment Distractions
This chapter discusses the regulations concerning court equipment distractions.
The player’s shoe touches the net during a point
Players are not allowed to touch the net during a point. If a player does, the opponent is automatically awarded the point.
However, during a singles match players are allowed to touch the area between net sticks and net posts. This area is not considered to be a part of the net in singles play.
During a point, the player hits the ball around the net post and it lands within the boundaries
Players are allowed to hit the ball around the net post. In tennis, there is no rule that the ball must go over the net.
The player hits the ball out of the air before it has crossed the net
Not allowed. Players are allowed to hit the ball once it has crossed the net from the opponent’s side to their side. The only exception is if the ball has crossed the net due to a spin and/or wind and, after bouncing, has gone back to the hitting player’s side.
Why does the referee shake the new balls before placing them on the court?
- Checking for Proper Bounce & Pressure – Tennis balls are pressurized, and shaking them helps the referee ensure they are not empty or defective. A defective ball might feel dead or lack the proper bounce.
- Ensuring Consistency – The referee ensures that all balls in play are of the same quality and condition so that neither player gets an advantage or disadvantage. Shaking also helps to ensure that there is no loose debris inside the ball.
- Removing Any Loose Fuzz – New tennis balls are covered in a layer of felt, and shaking them can help remove any excess fluff, which could affect aerodynamics and ball movement.
- Standard Procedure – It is part of the officiating routine to verify the new balls before putting them into play.
