RACKET FALLING OUT OF HAND...WHAT'S THE REAL RULE?

Here is the scenario:  During a doubles match, Team A's partner stumbles on court, the racket falls out of her hand and she falls to the court (unharmed thank goodness).  Her partner is in front of her and doesn't see this happening so she returns the ball to TEAM B.   What should TEAM B have done?  

According to the Rules of Tennis, TEAM B would be wise to play the point to completion and then immediately direct attention to the welfare of their fallen opponent.  I know this sounds uncaring but this is the REAL RULE.

While there are several different rules about rackets falling or flying out of a player’s hand, there is not one that specifically addresses the exact scenario as it happened today.  These types of rulings are taught in our Officials Certification Class each year.

Anyway, there are a few rules that could help you with the situation:

1. If you have a 2011 Friend at Court (FAC), you can read the following rule on page 17, USTA Comment 24.8;  What happens if a player stretches to hit a ball, the racket falls to the ground, and the ball goes into the court for a winner?  Answer:  The player wins the point “unless” the racket was not in the player’s hand at the instant that the ball was struck. (In other words, you can’t throw your racket at a ball, hit the ball, have it land in the proper court and win the point.  You must have control of your racket when striking the ball.)  However, you could hit the ball, drop the racket and the point continue to it’s natural end to decide the point.
2. CASE 2:  After the server has served a first service, the racket falls out of the server’s hand and touches the net after the ball has bounced outside the correct service court.  Is this a service fault or does the server lose the point?  ANSWER:  This is a service fault because when the racket touched the net, the ball was no longer in play.  While Case 2 doesn’t exactly state the situation today, it does infer that the ball is “considered” in play because the ball was ruled a fault, and did not state a call of LET. 
3. Also on page 15;  #24 G and J;  G states;  Player loses the point if;  The player or the racket, whether in the player’s hand or not, or anything which the player is wearing or carrying touches the net, net posts....at any time while the ball is in play.  (This rule infers that even if the racket is not in your hand, it is still considered a ball in play). J states:  Player loses the point if:  The ball in play touches the racket when the player is not holding it.  (Once again, the ball is considered in play even though it is not in control by the opponent.)

I wish I could point all of you to the exact scenario in the 300+ page Friend at Court (FAC), but I don’t believe there is one exactly as it happened.  If I run across it., I'll be sure to post it here.

Even with all this said, whatever decisions league players make and agree on during the course of their match is the way to go I think.  This prevents issues with other tennis loving players and friends that we will play with and/or against at some time in the future.  Keep it friendly and keep it FUN.  That is really what it is all about........

Questions?  Email me at Vickietennisnut@austin.rr.com;