Point Penalty System
- Mandatory Use in Any Sanctioned Tournament. The Point Penalty System applies to violations occurring during the warm-up and the match in any sanctioned tournament.
- Purposes of the System. The purposes of the System are to:
- deter unsportsmanlike conduct;
- ensure compliance with the continuous-play rule; and
- ensure on-time appearance for matches.
The objective of the Point Penalty System is not to punish, but to secure compliance with the Rules of Tennis and USTA Regulations.
- Code Violations for Misconduct. Misconduct shall be penalized pursuant to Table 3.
- Time Violations. Time Violations shall be penalized pursuant to Table 4.
- Delay Between Points. When practical in tournaments using a certified official in direct observation of the match, the time which shall elapse from the moment the ball goes out of play at the end of the point to the time the ball is struck shall not exceed 20 seconds.
- Officials Authorized to Impose Penalties. The imposition of penalties is primarily a function of the Chair Umpire, but the referee may impose penalties in any umpired or non-umpired match on the basis of the Referee’s observations or those of the Referee’s designated assistants. If a Line Umpire observes a conduct violation or is the object of unsportsmanlike conduct by a player, the Line Umpire shall as soon as possible, without disrupting play in progress, inform the Chair Umpire. The Chair Umpire shall then make a decision under the Point Penalty System.
- Flagrant Violations. While the imposition of penalties normally follows Table 3, any flagrantly unsportsmanlike act may result in immediate Default. If an umpire imposes the Default, the player may appeal to the Referee. If the Referee imposes the Default, the player may appeal to the Tournament Appeals Committee.
- Appeal of Penalty to Referee. A player’s appeal of any penalty is limited to questions of law. See Appendix VI, ITF Rules of Tennis also in the Friend At Court (FAC).
- Penalties To Be Imposed on a Doubles Team. A penalty on a member of a doubles team is considered to be imposed on the team except that a doubles partner who was not responsible for the penalty:
- Penalties Treated As If Points Actually Played. All penalties under the Point Penalty System are treated as though the points or games actually had been played so far as serving order, court occupancy and ball change are concerned. One exception, as Table 5 indicates, is that a player penalized for lateness also shall be deemed to have lost the toss provided for in Rule 9 of the ITF Rules of Tennis. The penalized player is allowed to choose an option but only after his opponent has chosen. The first ball change shall be calculated from the first game played. The choice to serve or receive shall apply to the first game played.
- Time Delays When Each Side Is Responsible. If both players or teams are equally responsible for delay during a match, any penalty will be imposed upon the Server.
- Penalties After Medical Condition Develops. Except during the warm-up, a player suffering from a medical condition may buy time with a penalty.
- Penalties Imposed Between Games or Before a Match. A penalty imposed between games or before the start of a match shall apply to the first point of the next game scheduled to be played.
- Point Penalties. A point penalty is scored as though the player had played and lost what would have been the next point.
- Player May Not Decline Penalty. A player who is the beneficiary of a penalty imposed upon the opponent may not decline to accept it. A player who disobeys the instructions of an official in such a case is himself liable to being defaulted.
- Reporting Penalties to Referee. When feasible, a roving Umpire should promptly notify the Referee that a Code Violation has been assessed. After the match, officials shall report to the Referee each Code Violation imposed.
- Other Disciplinary Action. Nothing in the Point Penalty System rules out a subsequent imposition of monetary fines, suspensions or other disciplinary actions by whatever governing body has jurisdiction.
- Announcing Score After Penalty. After a point or game penalty, the new score should be announced. After assessing a Default, announcing the final score should be delayed until it is determined whether the defaulted player wishes to appeal.
- Lateness. Lateness for a match and for resumption of a suspended match and lateness after a rest period shall be penalized pursuant to Table 5.
- Default for Failure To Arrive On Time.
- Discretion of Referee. The Referee, in the Referee’s sole discretion, after consideration of all relevant circumstances, may elect not to Default a player or to reverse a prior declaration of a default for failure to arrive within 15 minutes of the time when the match was scheduled and called.
- Appeal of Default. If the Referee defaults a player for failure to arrive within 15 minutes of the time when the match was scheduled and called, the player may appeal the Default to the Tournament Appeals Committee. The Committee may reverse the Default in its sole discretion after consideration of all relevant circumstances. If the Committee reverses the Default and if an alternate already has been placed in the draw, the Committee may not reinstate the defaulted player in the main draw or add the player to the consolation unless an opening becomes available.
- Penalties Assessed Before Default. If the Referee elects not to declare a Default, or if either the Referee or the Tournament Appeals Committee reverses a declared Default, any penalties for lateness assessed before the Default shall stand unless the lateness was caused by an error of a tournament official. For example, if player A, after having been assessed a penalty of loss of toss plus 3 games, is defaulted for failure to arrive within 15 minutes of the time when the match was scheduled and called, and the Default is subsequently reversed, the penalty of loss of toss plus 3 games stands, and player A begins play with the score 0-3. The player who received the benefit of the Default shall have no right to appeal the reversal of the Default.
