Hindrance in tennis

There are not that many rules for hindrance, but the rules are important. So that you can take advantage of every aspect of the tennis match that you can get an edge over your opponent.

What is a hindrance?

A hindrance is an act made during play that can cause a disturbance for the player(s), which can lead to a point loss.

This act can be made by some of the players, spectators, line umpires, or even a bird.

Rules of hindrance:

A hindrance can be deliberate or unintentional.

So, if a player is hindered during play by a deliberate act of the opponent, that player shall win the point.

But if that player was hindered during play by an unintentional act of the opponent, or something outside the players own control, the whole point should be replayed.

Here are the cases that can happen as hindrances:

Hindrance that comes from the players:

As we said before, the rule says that if a player deliberately hinders the opponent, he loses the point. If the act was unintentional the point is replayed.

If a ball is falling out of a player’s pocket even unintentionally, this would cost him the loss of the point

Now when the player drops his racket during the point is normally an advantage to his opponent, so we don’t consider it a hindrance.

The most common hindrance is when a player’s cap or headband falls off. Assuming this action isn’t deliberate. The correct procedure is to replay the point, and to advise the player that if it happens again it will be judged as a deliberate hindrance (point loss).

What if a player double hits the ball unintentionally? Well, that’s not considered as a hindrance. If he did it deliberately, he will lose the point.

Moreover, a player will lose the point if he claims to stop play because he thought that the opponent was being hindered.

Also, it is not hindrance if a ball or any other object was lying on the player’s court when the point started.

What about talking during play? For a singles match, talking is not allowed.
And for doubles, talking is allowed between partners only when the ball is moving toward them. But if the ball is moving away from them, they should not talk.

Hindrance that doesn’t come from the players:

The common decision is whether an incorrect call from a line umpire was a hindrance to the player, or whether the call made no difference to the playing of the point.
Here, the chair umpire must decide it. If it made no difference to the play. Then it is not a hindrance.

Hindrance also applies when the ball kid starts to run on as if the point was finished. The chair umpire shall replay the point.

When it comes to hindrance there can be some unusual rules that you don’t see very often. If any object is falling into the court like a piece of paper. This is a hindrance, and the point should be replayed.

Similarly, if a ball hits a bird flying over the court, the point shall be replayed.

Normally, the noises from outside the court are not considered to be a hindrance. We can see that when a spectator shouts out during the service motion, the server is distracted.

At the end of the point, the chair umpire should ask for quiet during the service but it is not ruled as a hindrance.