Ball in Play & Point Outcomes

Interference

Interference occurs when a player's deliberate or accidental action distracts or affects an opponent while they are making a shot.

Deliberate interference results in the point being awarded to the opponent. Involuntary interference is treated as a let and the point is repeated.

If the same pair causes a second unintentional interference, the referee penalises that pair with loss of the point.

Ball in Play

The ball is in play from the moment a valid service takes place until a let is called or the point is decided.

After the ball bounces in the opponent's court, it remains live if it hits parts of the court such as walls, metallic mesh, ground, net, or posts, provided it is returned before the second bounce.

For these purposes, the mesh and frame in their entirety are considered part of the fence.

Point Lost

A point is lost for actions such as touching the net while the ball is in play, allowing the ball to bounce twice, playing the ball before it crosses the net, double-hitting, or striking the ball with a thrown racket.

A point can also be lost if the ball hits a player or their equipment, if both partners hit the ball as separate actions, or if the player is outside the court when out-of-court play is not authorised.

The point is also lost if a player serves two consecutive faults, if a racket safety cord breaks, or if a player drops their racket during the point.

Correct Return

A return is generally correct if the ball is sent into the opponent's court, either directly or after using the player's own wall, and meets the legal return conditions.

The ball may touch the net or posts and still be a correct return if it then lands in the opponent's court. A return may also be correct if the ball bounces in the opponent's court and then hits the metallic fence, wall, ceiling, lights, or another object not related to the court.

Certain returns from outside the court are valid when out-of-court play is authorised, provided the rest of the correct-return conditions are fulfilled.

Point Won

A point may be won when the ball bounces correctly in the opponent's court and then goes out through a hole in the metallic fence, becomes stuck in that hole, or becomes stuck on the flat horizontal surface at the top of the wall.

These situations are specific, so organisers and officials should check the full PDF for exact rulings when unusual court features are involved.