Rule Submission TitleUpdate to Cross-Court definition.
USAP Board VoteApproved with Amendment
USAP Board Vote ReasonThe term is not used anywhere in the rulebook.
Existing Rule #3.A.5.
Proposed Rule Change (edited)

Remove the cross-court definition from Section 3

Proposed Rule Change

Because the definition of Cross-Court utilizes the definition of Court, the definition of Cross-Court implies the adjacent Court rather than the path of the ball. To clarify, the following is offered:

3.A.5. Cross-Court – A ball struck such that it's trajectory crosses the Centerline of the Court, including the imaginary extension of the centerline through the Non-volley Zones.The court diagonally opposite of the court from which the ball was last struck.

Editor's note: The terms 'Cross-Court' and 'Cross Court' are not referenced in the rulebook except in Definitions. We might want to consider simply dropping this definition.

Original Rule Text

3.A.4. Court – The area inside the outer dimensions of the baselines and sideline.
3.A.5. Cross-Court – The court diagonally opposite of the court from which the ball was last struck.

Reasoning Behind Suggested Change

Clarification.

Scenarios In Which the Rules Applies

Any rule (such as Serve) or teaching/ coaching discussion, where the term "cross-court" is used. Truthfully, everyone who plays the game knows what cross-court actually means, but the rule book written definition is not congruent with that understanding.

Rule Book Year2026
Rule Change ID2080
Date CreatedApril 6, 2025
View Comments View Comments