| Rule Submission Title | Eliminate the "Nasty Nelson" serve |
|---|---|
| USAP Board Vote | Disapproved |
| USAP Board Vote Reason | Players must be aware and avoid being hit by the serve. Making this a fault on the server invites gamesmanship, as players could deliberately allow themselves to be hit by the serve to gain an advantage. |
| Existing Rule # | 7H |
| Proposed Rule Change | 7.H. After the serve, the ball contacts a player or anything the player is wearing or carrying, except the paddle or the player’s hand(s) in contact with the paddle and below the wrist. If the player is in the process of changing hands with both hands on the paddle or is attempting a two-handed stroke and either hand is hit below the wrist, as long as a player’s hand is in contact with the paddle, the ball is still in play. The fault is on the player who was hit by the ball. An exception will be during a serve, if the opposing team's non-receiving member is hit with a serve (a 'Nasty Nelson"), the serve will be a do-over. |
| Original Rule Text | 7.H. After the serve, the ball contacts a player or anything the player is wearing or carrying, except the paddle or the player’s hand(s) in contact with the paddle and below the wrist. If the player is in the process of changing hands with both hands on the paddle or is attempting a two-handed stroke and either hand is hit below the wrist, as long as a player’s hand is in contact with the paddle, the ball is still in play. The fault is on the player who was hit by the ball. |
| Reasoning Behind Suggested Change | Eliminate the "Nasty Nelson" serve. I saw a video where a player was hit in the face by a "Nasty Nelson" and her opponent seemed to be relishing the game winning point at the possible physical injury to her. Unacceptable player behavior. |
| Scenarios In Which the Rules Applies | During serves |
| Rule Book Year | 2026 |
| Rule Change ID | 2214 |
| Date Created | May 11, 2025 |
| View Comments | View Comments |
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