THE THREE-HANDED AND FOUR-HANDED GAME.
27.—The above laws shall apply to the three-handed and four-handed games, except as below.
28.—For the three-handed and four-handed games, the Court is 36 ft. in width. Within the side-lines, at a distance of 4½ ft. from them, and parallel with them, are drawn the service-side-lines. In other respects the Court is similar to that which is described in Law 1.
29.—In the three-handed game, the single player shall serve in every alternate game.
30.—In the four-handed game, the pair who have the right to serve in the first game may decide which partner shall do so, and the opposing pair may decide similarly for the second game. The partner of the player who served in the first game shall serve in the third; and the partner of the player who served in the second game shall serve in the fourth, and so on in the same order in all the subsequent games of a set.
31.—The players shall take the service alternately throughout each game; no player shall receive or return a service delivered to his partner; and the order of service and of striking out, once arranged, shall not be altered, nor shall the Striker-out change Courts to receive the service before the end of the set.
32.—The ball served must drop within the service-line, half-court-line, and service-side-line of the Court, which is diagonally opposite to that from which it was served, or upon any such line.
33.—It is a fault if the ball do not drop as provided in Law 32, or if it touch the Server's partner, or anything that he wears or carries.
34.—If a player serve out of his turn, the Umpire, as soon as the mistake is discovered by himself or by one of the players, shall direct the player to serve who ought to have served; but all strokes scored, and any fault served before such discovery, shall be reckoned. If a game shall have been completed before such discovery, then the service in the next alternate game shall be delivered by the partner of the player who served out of his turn; and so on in regular rotation.
KNOTTY POINTS.
ADDENDA TO THE LAWS OF THE GAME.
(Revised and approved by the Council of the Lawn-Tennis Association.)
1.—In no case may the Striker-out volley the service, not even if the ball is clearly outside the service court.
2.—A player who is struck by, or strikes a ball in play (unless he thereby makes a good return) loses the stroke, no matter whether he is standing within the limits of the court or outside them. (For definition of "in play" see Law 15.)
3.—If the service is delivered before the Striker-out is ready, and he tries to return it, but fails, he loses the stroke.
4.—If the Striker-out cries "not ready" after the service has been delivered, but before the ball touches the ground, he may not claim a fault because the ball ultimately drops outside the service Court.
5.—If the Server, in attempting to serve, misses the ball altogether, it does not count as a fault, but it the ball is touched, no matter how slightly, by the racket, a service is thereby delivered and the rules governing the service at once apply.
6.—If a ball, served or returned, drops into the proper Court and screws or is blown back over the net, the player whose turn it is to strike may reach over the net and play the ball, provided that neither he nor any part of his clothes or racket touch the net. If he fails to play the ball, the stroke of course scores to his opponent, notwithstanding that the ball has gone back over the net.
7.—If a player throws his racket at the ball and so returns the ball into the proper Court, he loses the stroke.
8.—If a player catches the balls on his racket, walks with it to the net, and, reaching over, drops it into Court, he loses the stroke, as such a proceeding cannot be defined as an "act of striking" (vide law 15).
9.—If a player's racket passes over the net after he has returned the ball, he does not lose, providing the ball has passed over the net before being played, and has been properly returned.
10.—If a player or his racket touches the posts or supports of the net or posts while the ball is in-play, he loses the stroke. (For definition of "in-play" see law 15.)
II.—If a player's racket slips out of his hand and touches the net while the ball is in-play, he loses the stroke.
12.—If a player to avoid touching the net, jumps over it while the ball is in play, he loses the stroke.
13.—If a ball is returned outside the posts, either above or below the level of the top of the net, and drops into Court, it is a good return.
14.—If a player succeeds in returning a ball served or in-play which strikes a ball lying in the Court, it is a good return.
15.—If a spectator impedes, or in any way interferes with, a player, a "let" may be allowed under Law 16.
16.—A "let" does not annul a previous fault.
17.—The service always commences from the right-hand Court, even though odds are given or owed, and the service always continues alternately from the right and left Courts.
18.—If an Umpire erroneously calls "fault" and at once corrects himself and cries "play," and the striker-out tails to return the ball, a "let" must be allowed.
19.—If the ball in play (other than a service) strikes any part of the net or its supports, or the centre stay, no matter how low down (provided it does not touch the ground), and eventually goes over into the proper Court, it is a good return.
20.—If in a double game the Server's service strikes either of his opponents, he wins the stroke.
21.—If a match is postponed on account of rain or darkness coming on, or for any similar reason, and is continued on the subsequent day, the match shall be resumed from the point where it was discontinued on the previous day. An entirely new commencement may only be made with the consent of the Referee.
22.—If two players in a handicap play at the wrong odds, the match stands, unless they have been wrongly instructed by the referee, or any person or persons acting under his instructions, in which case the loser may claim to have the match replayed, unless the mistake in the odds has been in his favour. Such claim must be made within a reasonable time.
23.—A similar decision must be given if two players neglect to play advantage sets when one of the conditions of the event in which they are competing is that advantage sets should be played.