Officials and reviews

28 and Appendix VII. Rules questions and factual decisions

Where officials are appointed, the referee is the final authority on interpretation of tennis law. In a match with a chair umpire, that umpire normally has final authority over questions of fact during play.

A player who disputes the chair umpire’s interpretation of a rule may call the referee to court. A disagreement about whether a ball actually landed in or out is a factual matter, not a rules appeal to the referee.

In a team event where the referee sits on court, the referee also has final authority on factual questions.

Line and net calls

Assigned line and net umpires make the calls for their lines or net, including foot faults. The chair umpire covers any unassigned line or net and may overrule an assigned official only when certain that a clear mistake occurred.

A line umpire unable to make a call must immediately signal the chair umpire, who decides. If there is no usable line-umpire call and the chair umpire also cannot decide the fact, replay the point.

Stopping play and applying conduct provisions

The chair umpire may stop or suspend play whenever necessary or appropriate. The referee may also do so for darkness, weather or adverse court conditions.

A suspension for darkness should occur at the end of a set or after an even number of games in the current set. When play resumes, retain the score and the players’ on-court positions from the suspension.

The chair umpire or referee decides continuous-play and coaching matters under any approved Code of Conduct in operation.

Cases 1–2. A law appeal versus a factual dispute

If the chair umpire awards a 1st serve after an overrule but the receiver argues that an earlier fault means it should be a 2nd serve, the referee may be called on appeal. The chair initially applies the law to the facts, but the referee makes the final rules decision.

If a ball is called out and a player simply says it landed in, the referee cannot be called to re-decide that fact. The chair umpire’s factual decision is final.

Cases 3–6. Limits on changing a call

• A chair umpire must overrule a clear line-call mistake immediately, not wait until the point ends to correct an earlier call.
• A chair umpire must never overrule merely because a player protests or appeals.
• Thinking a ball was probably in without having seen clearly is not enough to overrule. The chair must be certain of a clear mistake.
• A line umpire who realises their own mistake should correct it as soon as possible, even after the score is announced, provided the correction is not the result of a player’s protest or appeal.

Cases 7–8. A corrected out call and interference over the net

When an out call is corrected to good, the chair decides whether the original call hindered either player. If it did, replay the point; if not, the player who struck the ball wins it.

If wind blows a ball back across the net and the player legally reaches over to play it, an opponent who obstructs that attempt may cause hindrance. The chair awards the point for deliberate hindrance or orders a replay for unintentional hindrance.

Clay-court ball-mark inspections: eligibility and inspection

Ball-mark inspections are available only on clay. A player or team may request one only for a point-ending shot, or after stopping a rally immediately; a return is allowed, but the player must then stop at once. The chair must also be unable to determine the call with certainty from the chair.

If an inspection is needed, the chair comes down and personally inspects. A line umpire may help locate the mark, but the chair makes the inspection.

If the officials cannot locate the mark or it cannot be read, the original call or overrule stands. Once the chair identifies the mark and rules on it, the decision is final and cannot be appealed.

On clay, unless absolutely certain of the call, the chair should avoid announcing the score too quickly. If in doubt, wait to establish whether an inspection is needed.

Clay-court ball-mark inspections: player conduct

• In doubles, make the appeal so that play stops or the chair stops it. The chair first checks that the appeal was correct and timely; an incorrect or late appeal may be judged deliberate hindrance of the opponents.
• Erasing the mark before the chair’s final decision concedes the call.
• Crossing the net to inspect a mark exposes the player to the Code of Conduct’s unsportsmanlike-conduct provision.

Electronic review: requesting and resolving a review

These procedures apply only on courts at tournaments where an Electronic Review System is used. A player or team can request review of a line call or overrule on a point-ending shot or after immediately stopping a rally. A return is allowed only if the player stops immediately afterwards.

The chair should use review when doubtful about the call or overrule, but may refuse an unreasonable or late request.

In doubles, the appeal must stop play or cause the chair to stop it. The chair checks its procedure and timing. An incorrect or late appeal may be deliberate hindrance; if so, the appealing team loses the point.

If the system cannot decide for any reason, the original call or overrule stands. Otherwise the review’s outcome becomes the chair’s final, unappealable decision. If someone must manually select the ball impact to review, that choice is made by a review official approved by the referee.

Electronic review: appeal allowances

• Each player or team has 3 unsuccessful appeals per set and 1 additional appeal in a tie-break. Successful appeals are unlimited.
• In an advantage set, the allowance resets to a maximum of 3 unsuccessful appeals at 6–6 and every 12 games after that.
• A match tie-break counts as a new set, so each player or team starts it with 3 appeals.