Permanent Fixtures

Permanent fixtures are all the objects around and above the court like:

• trash bin;
• chair umpire’s chair;
• player’s chair / bench;
• backstop and sidestop;
• for indoors events ceiling and lightning;
• camera;
• fridge.

As you already realized, permanent fixtures those are not only objects but also ‘humans’:

• spectators;
• chair umpire;
• ball kids;
• line umpires.

In their recognized position, ball kids and line umpires have to meet one important condition. They are permanent fixtures as long as they are in their recognized position. It means in the position that they normally should be. It does not mean that they cannot move.

Line judges that work on sidelines very often (after the serve) change position by running from the centre service line to the left or right sideline.

They sometimes move out of players’ way (not to get hit). But this is ok. This is what they are expected to do.

Even if this is happening during the rally the running/moving line umpire is still a permanent fixture and it cannot be considered as a hindrance. But if the same line umpire after the serve starts running from centre serve to far sideline instead of near sideline they stop being a permanent fixture.

If the chair umpire decides this might have disturbed one of the players the point should be replayed.

We would not replay the point if the ball that is still in play gets caught by the ball kid when they are in their recognized position (for example, the ball kid kneeling by net – it is possible that this ball kid catches the ball that is still in play).

But if by mistake (probably thinking that the rally is over) the ball kid moves out of their position to catch the ball the hindrance can be called and the point replayed.

Net posts

“If the ball in play touches a permanent fixture after it has hit the correct court, the player who hit the ball wins the point. If the ball in play touches a permanent fixture before it hits the ground, the player who hit the ball loses the point.”

USTA Friend at Court, ITF Rules of Tennis, Section 13

The net post is not a permanent fixture. It doesn’t happen very frequently, but it does not defy the laws of physics for a ball to strike the net post and land in the court.

There are no permanent fixtures attached to, or anywhere near, the proximity of the net post. In recreational tennis there are frequently accessories attached to the post such as scoreboards, drink trays, and trash cans. These can make it difficult to tell whether a deflection was off the post or a permanent fixture.

When singles sticks are used, the singles sticks essentially become the net post. The area of the net outside of the singles sticks and the actual post become permanent fixtures in that case. This is addressed in USTA Comment 13.1.

What happens if a ball hits an object attached to the net or post (such as a scoring device) or the top of the net outside the singles stick and then lands in the court? The player who hit the ball loses the point because it hit a permanent fixture before landing in the court.

USTA Friend at Court, Comment 13.1

Neither the rules of tennis, nor the code is clear on which player makes the call when the ball strikes a permanent fixture. When the ball hits the fence on the fly, generally it is receiver making the call. The terminology “Out” is used for this situation, but that might not be technically correct for a ball that never bounces.

Hindrance rule

Player cannot call hindrance when they cannot or they get disturbed by a permanent fixture.

The easy example is when a player, after the opponent’s tight cross, cannot make a shot because of sidestop. Of course, this cannot be a hindrance and point cannot be replayed. Even if we are sure that if there was no side stop player for sure would hit the ball back.

That is why this is so important to know when the line umpires and ball kids stop being permanent fixtures.

Human’s factor

We have to remember that this is not an automatic decision that the point must be replayed.

In all hindrance situations this is only the chair umpire’s call if any of the players have been disturbed. Talking about permanent fixtures we are always touching the hindrance rule that in tennis is not black and white.

It means that in exactly the same situation one umpire could call let and another would let the rally continue. What is more, that also doesn’t mean that any of the umpires made a mistake. They just judged the situation differently.

Very often this is very controversial but this is simply the human’s factor in the game.