Tennis Etiquette

How we play the game at the Richmond Hill Lawn Tennis Club

Court Etiquette

• Do not walk on to or behind other courts to retrieve your ball - wait for a break in play, then identify the court by saying “Court #, thank you”.
• Do not delay play unreasonably. Play to the servers pace. If you have to take a washroom break, it is taken after a set is completed, not during the set.
• If a ball rolls onto your court, call let immediately and replay the point. If it happens between the first and second serve, offer the server first serve. 
• You cannot call let after a ball is struck and a point lost or won. 
• The server should always call out the score before each serve. 
• If you forget the score, go back to the last score you all agree upon. If you still cannot agree, spin the racquet and whoever wins, use their recollection of the score.
• Respect your opponents, give them the credit for playing well and hitting good shots. In many cases, their good shots were more than likely a result of your poor shot. But in some cases, they hit a beauty, so give them their dues.

• Line Calls -  If you didn't see it or cannot make a quick call, it is “IN”. Late calls or looking to your partner is a sure sign of doubt. You must always give your opponent the benefit of your doubt. 
• If you challenge a call, approach the net and ask your opponent "Are you sure of your call". If it happens again, approach the net and say " I think you are making bad calls, lets get a line judge". If no judge is available and it happens a third time, pack up your belongings and end the match. For competitive play (ICTA), find a neutral line judge, if no judge is available, continue to play the match but indicate that regardless of the outcome, indicate that you will be protesting the match. This is very important as it will put the players on notice and it will help identify individuals who make questionable line calls on a regular basis.   
• Purposely making a retaliatory bad calls is disgraceful behaviour. Simply follow the "challenge a call" approach and if that does not work, find a way to end the match immediately, say something like " I got a head ache and this match is not worth aggravating it". 

• Get control of your emotions, don’t expose your weaknesses, your poor play has already done that.  
• Control your temper, do not use foul language, abuse the courts or your equipment. 
• Avoid load arguments - approach the net, speak with your opponents in a calm and respectful manner. Raising your voice and/or yelling does not strengthen your case, it weakens it and it really annoys the players on the court beside you who really do enjoy tennis. 
• Treat your opponents and you partner with respect and accept defeat graciously. 

One's true character is revealed in defeats. 

Always focus on the positives!