| Rule Submission Title | 4.A.9 Elimination of Serve Replays |
|---|---|
| USAP Board Vote | Disapproved |
| USAP Board Vote Reason | The current rule has been successful and should not be deleted. It is a useful tool to assist in the enforcement of the service rules. |
| Existing Rule # | 4.A.9 |
| Proposed Rule Change | 4.A.9. In officiated matches, the referee shall call a fault if they are certain that one or more of the requirements of the serve, other than Rule 4.A.6, has not been met. If the referee isn't certain that one or more of the requirements of the serve has been met, then the serve has to be presumed legal. |
| Original Rule Text | 4.A.9. In officiated matches, the referee may call for a replay if they are not certain that one or more of the requirements of the serve has been met. The replay must be called before the return of serve. The referee shall call a fault if they are certain that one or more of the requirements of the serve, other than Rule 4.A.6, has not been met. |
| Reasoning Behind Suggested Change | A serve is either legal or not legal. Calling for a reserve because the referee isn't sure makes the referee seem incompetent. The serve should be handled in the same manner as a challenged line call. The ball is either "in" or "out." If the referee isn't sure then "by rule, the call stands." The same rule should apply to the serve. If the referee clearly sees that the serve is illegal then a fault should be called. If the referee isn't certain that the serve was illegal, then it should be presumed legal. |
| Scenarios In Which the Rules Applies | In officiated matches when a player is serving the ball and the referee isn't sure if one or more of the requirements of the serve have been met. |
| Rule Book Year | 2026 |
| Rule Change ID | 2407 |
| Date Created | May 31, 2025 |
| View Comments | View Comments |
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