tennis rules

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 These procedures were approved by the Board of Directors of the International Tennis Federation (“Board of Directors”) on 17 May 1998.

The referee is the final authority on all questions of tennis law and the referee’s decision is final.
 
In matches where a chair umpire is assigned, the chair umpire is the final authority on all questions of fact during the match.
 
The players have the right to call the referee to court if they disagree with a chair umpire’s interpretation of tennis law.

SCORE IN A GAME (Rule 5):
 
“No-Ad” SCORING METHOD
 
This alternative scoring method may be used.
 
A “No-Ad” game is scored as follows with the server’s score being called first:
 
No point - “Love”

1. Advertising is permitted on the net as long as it is placed on the part of the net that is within 3 feet (0.914 m) from the centre of the net posts and is produced in such a way that it does not interfere with the vision of the players or the playing conditions.

a. The hitting surface, defined as the main area of the stringing pattern bordered by the points of entry of the strings into the frame or points of contact of the strings with the frame, whichever is the smaller, shall be flat and consist of a pattern of crossed strings connected to a frame and alternately interlaced or bonded where they cross.

a. The ball shall have a uniform outer surface consisting of a fabric cover and shall be white or yellow in colour. If there are any seams they shall be stitchless.

b. More than one type of ball is specified. The ball shall conform to the requirements shown in the table below.

The official and decisive text to the Rules of Tennis shall be for ever in the English language and no alteration or interpretation of such Rules shall be made except at an Annual General Meeting of the Council, nor unless notice of the resolution embodying such alteration shall have been received by the Federation in accordance with Article 17 of the Constitution of ITF Ltd (Notice of Resolutions) and such resolution or one h

Coaching is considered to be communication, advice or instruction of any kind, audible or visible, to a player. 

As a principle, play should be continuous, from the time the match starts (when the first service of the match is put in play) until the match finishes.

For matches where officials are appointed, their roles and responsibilities can be found in  Appendix V.