Can an umpire call service fault?

Discussion in 'Rules / Tournament Regulation / Officiating' started by Andrew, Oct 15, 2000.

  1. Andrew

    Andrew Guest

    Is an umpire allow to call a service fault? please let me know which section of the rule allow the umpire to call a service fault. I have always thought th eumpire is not allow to call a service fault because of parallel effect. Anyone to help me out on this one?
     
  2. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    interesting question!

    the following are exerpts from the official rule. so in other words, no, the umpire cannot overrule the service judge, but however, if the umpire get sick of him/her, he can kick him/her out. :)

    kwun

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    17.3 The service judge shall call service faults made by the server should they occur (Law 9)..

    17.5 An official's decision is final on all points of fact for which that official is responsible.

    17.6 An umpire shall:

    17.6.4 appoint or remove line judges or a service judge in consultation with the Referee;
     
  3. Andrew

    Andrew Guest

    Can an umpire call service fault in the absence of a service judge or does he or she have to appoint a service judge if there is doubt?
     
  4. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    oh, i see what you mean. when the umpire is sitting so high up, he won't be able to tell if the service is over the waist or not. that make sense. i guess for club competition where the umpire is sitting down low, or sometimes even just standing, he can possible be the service judge too. but he also has to watch the receiver. that will make it difficult.

    kwun
     
  5. Erik L.

    Erik L. Regular Member

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    The umpire can call service faults when he sees an incorrect service whether a service judge is there or not. When there is no service judge he will have to, because as umpire he is responsible for the duties of other officials, including those of the absent service judge, to be carried out properly.
    It is also generally excepted that foot faults made on the centre line from the SJ end of the court can be called by the umpire because the service judge will be unsighted on that line. Other service faults that the umpire will call, are time faults, like waiting too long before starting the forward movement. I have called a few of those myself. In any other case I would find it very hard to imagine that an umpire would call service faults whilea service judge is present. I have certainly never done this myself and also never had it happen to me working as a service judge.

    Erik L.
     
    #5 Erik L., Sep 5, 2012
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2012
  6. Blitzzards

    Blitzzards Regular Member

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    Under normal circumstances the umpire will also have to notice the receiving player and make sure he/she does not move before the serve has been struck. To do this, the umpire will have to pay attention to both the serving player's hand/racquet and at the same time the receiving player's body.

    Due to the amount of attention and time judgement the umpire has to make in this case, it would be very hard for the umpire to focus on a third variable which is the serving player's quality of serve (whether if it is above the waist, or if the racquet has been held with the head down or up etc.).

    So technically the umpire can make a service fault call by himself without the serving judge's intervention but that would not be an easy task and thus it is better for the serving judge to do his job. Although in the absence of a serving judge, such calls will be hard to justify unless the umpire is directly focusing on a serving player whom the umpire has suspected of repeatedly making such fault services.
     

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