Amend Act of Volleying

9. B. It is a fault if the volleying player or anything that has contact with the volleying player touches the non-volley zone during the volley interval. For a wheelchair player, the front (smaller) wheels may touch the non-volley zone.
9.B.1. The volley interval starts when the volleying player contacts the ball and includes the momentum from the action.
9.B.2. If the paddle touches the non-volley zone during the volley interval, it is a fault.
9. C. During the volley interval, it is a fault if the volleying player’s momentum causes the player to contact anything that is touching the non-volley zone, including the player’s partner. For a wheelchair player, the front (smaller) wheels may touch the non-volley zone.
9.C.1. It is a fault even if the ball becomes dead before the player contacts the non-volley zone.

9. B. It is a fault if the volleying player or anything that has contact with the volleying player while in the act of volleying, touches the non-volley zone. For a wheelchair player, the front (smaller) wheels may touch the non-volley zone.
9.B.1. The act of volleying the ball includes the swing, the follow-through, and the momentum from the action.
9.B.2. If the paddle touches the non-volley zone during the volley motion, before or after contacting the ball, it is a fault.
9. C. During the act of volleying, it is a fault if the volleying player’s momentum causes the player to contact anything that is touching the non-volley zone, including the player’s partner. For a wheelchair player, the front (smaller) wheels may touch the non-volley zone.
9.C.1. It is a fault even if the ball becomes dead before the player contacts the non-volley zone.

Under the current rules, if a player starts a swing, then steps on the NVZ, reestablishes both feet outside the NVZ, then contacts the ball in a volley, this is a violation under 9.B. It appears to be allowed under 9.D since both feet were reestablished.  Many players believe it is permitted and don't realize there is a 9.B violation.  Under the proposed rule change, it would be allowed under both 9.B and 9.D.

It is difficult for the referee to decide if a swing started before a player stopped contacting the NVZ.  The term swing is not defined in the rules, and the referee has to watch both the swing and the feet at the same time.  By defining the volley interval as starting when the player contacts the ball, the referee can watch the feet and listen for the contact.  If the feet are down outside the NVZ at contact, the volley is legal.

When a player executes an erne and touches the NVZ but has both feet down outside the NVZ at contact, the volley would be legal.

If the player contacts the NVZ with the paddle before striking a volley, this would also be legal under the proposed rule change.  This situation happens infrequently and touching the NVZ with the paddle before striking the ball does not confer a competitive advantage, so making it legal would have a negligible effect.