Rules of the Game
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5. THE PLAYERS shall stand on opposite sides of the net; the one who first delivers the ball shall be termed the Server, the other the Receiver.
6. THE CHOICE of sides and the right to be Server or Receiver in the first game shall be decided by a toss. If the winner of the toss elects to be Server or Receiver his opponent shall have the choice of sides. If the winner of the toss elects to have the choice of sides his opponent shall have the choice to be Server or Receiver. The winner of the toss may, if he so choose, require his opponent to make first choice.
7. THE SERVICE shall be delivered in the following manner - the feet shall be behind the Baseline and between the Service Guideline and the Singles Court Sideline. Contact with the ground behind the Baseline with both feet or one foot must be continuous from the start of the service: it is permissible, however, to have one foot over the Baseline, but not touching the ground, when the ball is struck. The service shall b from behind the right and left Courts alternately, beginning with the right in every game.
The server shall project the ball by hand into the air in any direction strike it with his thug before it touches the ground. The Delivery shall be deemed to have been completed at the moment of contact between the Thug and the Ball, The ball shall then pass directly over the net and hit the ground within the diagonally opposite service court, or upon any line surrounding such court, before the Receiver returns it.
The service is a fault if the Server commit any breach of the above rule but if the ball strike a natural hazard or hit the top of the net and continue in flight so as to drop within the diagonally opposite service court, a let shall be called and the service played again without change to the score.
a) After a fault (if it be the first fault) the Server shall serve again from behind the same half of the Court from which he served that fault. If the second service is a fault, the point is lost to the Server, the players shall change to the positions for the playing of the next point to be played and the score shall be called. It shall be an understood fact that the calling of the score signals readiness to commence the next point unless either player shall, before the next service is delivered, signify that he is not ready to commence play. A fault may not be claimed after the next service has been delivered, if a Receiver attempts to make a return from a service he shall have deemed to have been ready to receive and the point shall be a good one.
8. ORDER OF PLAY The game shall be played as shown in Rule 6. At the end of the first game, the Receiver shall become the Server and vice versa, and so on, alternately in all the subsequent games of a match. If a player serves out of turn, the player who ought to have served shall serve as soon as the mistake is discovered, but all points scored before the mistake be discovered shall count. If a game shall have been completed before such discovery, the order of service remains as altered. A fault served before such discovery shall not be reckoned. The players shall change sides after each first, third and subsequent odd game of each set, and at the end of each set.
9. THE BALL is in play from the moment at which it is delivered in service (unless a fault or a let) and remains in play until the point is decided.
10. THE SERVER wins the point if the ball touch the Receiver or anything which he wears or carries before the ball strikes the ground or if the Receiver otherwise lose a point as provided by Rule 12.
11. THE RECEIVER wins the point if the Server loses the point as provided by Rule12.
12. The player loses the point if:
a) he fails, before the ball in play has hit the ground twice consecutively, to return it directly over the net (except as provided in Rule 16) or
b) he returns the ball in play so that it hits the ground, a permanent fixture, or other object, outside any of the lines which bound his opponent's court or
c) he volleys the ball and fails to make a good return even when standing outside the court or
d) he touches or strikes the ball in play with his thug more than once in making a stroke or
e) he or his Thug (in his hand or otherwise) or anything which he wears or carries touch the net, posts, cord or metal cable, or band, or the ground within his opponent's court at any time while the ball is in play or
f) he volleys the ball before it has passed the net or
g) the ball in play touches anything which he wears or carries, except his Thug, in his hands or hand or
h) he throws his Thug at and hits the ball or
i) he drops anything which he carries (except his Thug) while the ball is in play more than once. On the first occasion a “let” is to be called.
13. A BALL falling on a line shall be deemed as falling in the Court bounded by that line.
14. If the BALL in play touches a permanent fixture (except as provided in Rule 15a in respect of court fittings), a let shall be called and the point played again without change to the score as it stood at the start of the point. Overhanging branches and the like shall come within this category, but not the boundary fencing.
15. It is a GOOD RETURN if:
a) the ball touches the net, posts, cord or metal cable or band, provided that it passes over any of them and hits the ground within the Court
b) the ball be returned outside the posts, either above or below the level of the net band, even tough it touches the post, provided that it hits the ground within the proper Court.
c) the player's Thug pass the net, either over or round, after he has returned the ball provided the ball passes the net before being played and be properly returned,
16. IN CASE a player is hindered making a stroke by anything not within his control, the point shall be termed a 'let' and replayed. In all cases where a “let” is called the point is to be replayed from either the first or second service, whichever the point was started with.
17. If a PLAYER wins the first point, the score is called 15 for that player; on winning his second point the score is called 30 for that player; on winning his third point the score is called 40 for that player, and the fourth point won by a player is scored game for that player except as below:
If both players have scored three points the score is called deuce; at which the next point scored by the player is called advantage for that player. If the same player wins the next point he wins the game; if the other player wins the next point however, the score is called deuce.
The player who wins two consecutive points immediately following the score at deuce wins the game.
18. The SET shall be won by the first player to win six games, except that if the score reaches 5 games all, the set be not completed until one player is two games in front.
The tie-break will come into operation when the score is 6 games all, in all sets except the last, when a normal full set will be played where other rules may apply (See Rule 29 and Appendix II).
19. The MAXIMUM number of sets in an official match shall be 5, but there shall be a maximum of three sets where women take part.
20. EXCEPT where otherwise stated, every reference in these rules to the masculine includes the feminine gender.
21. The PREVIOUS rules shall apply to the Doubles Game, except as below:
22. The PAIR who have the right to serve in the first game of each set may decide which partner may do so, and the opposing pair may decide similarly for the second game. The partner of the player who served in the first game shall serve in the third game, the partner of the player who served in the second game shall serve in the fourth game, and so on in the same order in all subsequent games of a set.
23. The ORDER OF SERVICE having been arranged may not be altered during the set, but it may be changed at the beginning of each new set. Similarly, the order of receiving services may not be changed before the end of a set, but they may be so at the beginning of a new set.
24. The SERVICE is a fault as provided in Rule 7, or if the ball served touches the Server's partner or anything which he wears or carries; but if the ball served touches the partner of the Receiver or anything which he wears or carries, before it hits the ground, the Server wins the point.
25. The SERVICE in doubles shall be delivered in the following manner – both feet shall be behind the Baseline and at all times between the server’s side of the Service Guideline and the outside of the Doubles Court Sideline. Contact with the ground behind the Baseline with both feet or one foot must be continuous from the start of the service: it is permissible, however, to have one foot over the Baseline, but not touching the ground, when the ball is struck.
26. If a PARTNER serves out of his turn, the partner who ought to have served shall serve as soon as the mistake is discovered, but all points scored, and any fault served before such discovery, shall be reckoned. If a game shall have been completed before such discovery, the order of service remains as altered.
27. The PLAYERS to Receive the Service shall receive alternately throughout each game. The order thus established shall not be altered during the set.
28. The BALL shall be struck alternately by either player of the opposing pairs, and if a player touches the ball in play with his Thug in contravention of this rule, his opponents win the point.
29. The TIE-BREAK will come into operation when the score is 6-6 in all sets except the last, when a normal full set will be played.
SINGLES
a) Players do not change ends at the start of the tie-break.
b) Service order shall be continuous and the player whose turn it is to serve shall be the Server for the first point. His or her opponent shall then be the Server for the next two points and then each player shall serve alternately, two points at a time, until the winner of the tie-break and set has been decided.
c) At the start of the tie-break the initial service shall be from the left hand court. Thereafter each service shall be delivered alternately from the right hand court and the left hand court, beginning with the right hand court.
d) A player who wins 9 points and leads by at least 2 points shall win the tie-break and the set. If the score reaches 8 point all the tie-break shall continue until a two point lead has been gained.
e) Players shall change ends after every six points have been played and at the conclusion of the tie-break, irrespective of the number of points played.
f) The player who served first in the tie-break shall receive service in the first game of the following set.
DOUBLES
a) The procedure for the Singles game shall apply to the Doubles game also.
b) The serving order of the Doubles game shall follow the same order as previously in that set until the winners on the tie-break have been decided.
c) The pair serving first in the tie-break shall receive service in the first game of the following set.