Challenging a Correct Score Call

4.K Wrong Score Called.

If the wrong score is called, the referee or any player may stop play before the return of serve to correct the score.  The rally shall be replayed with the correct score called.  After the return of serve, play shall continue to the end of the rally and the score correction made before the next serve. After the return of serve, a player who stops play to identify or ask for a score correction will have committed a fault and shall lose the rally.  A player who stops play at any time after the serve to identify or ask for a score correction when the score was correctly called will have committed a fault and shall lose the rally.

4.K Wrong Score Called.

If the wrong score is called, the referee or any player may stop play before the return of serve to correct the score.  The rally shall be replayed with the correct score called.  After the return of serve, play shall continue to the end of the rally and the score correction made before the next serve. After the return of serve, a player who stops play to identify or ask for a score correction will have committed a fault and shall lose the rally.  A player who stops play at any time after the serve has been hit to identify or ask for a score correction when the score was correctly called will have committed a fault and shall lose the rally.

4.K Wrong Score Called.

If the wrong score is called, the referee or any player may stop play before the return of serve to correct the score.  The rally shall be replayed with the correct score called.  After the return of serve, play shall continue to the end of the rally and the score correction made before the next serve. After the return of serve, a player who stops play to identify or ask for a score correction will have committed a fault and shall lose the rally.  A player who stops play at any time to identify or ask for a score correction when the score was correctly called will have committed a fault and shall lose the rally.

This will clarify that a fault for challenging a correctly called score does not apply before the serve has been hit. The ball, by definition, is live/in play when the score call begins. By saying “who stops play at any time” the last sentence applies any time after the score call starts. Challenging the correctness of the score before the serve is essentially the same as asking for confirmation of the score, which is allowed before the serve is hit.