Tennis, anyone?

[David Evil Overlord]

I'm hoping someone knows the rules of tennis a little better than I do.

Planning on Our Hero almost crash-landing onto centre court during the Australian Open. This leads a player to miss, and lose the match.

According to Almighty Google, tennis rules include:

Section 13 of USTA Rules states, "Involuntary interference, such as noise from an adjacent court, thunder, or a car horn, is not a basis for replaying the point." Outside interference such as a ball rolling onto your court from an adjacent court does constitute a let. So, unless there is a significant delay, sudden or loud noises do not constitute a let.

RULE 25 : Hindrance of a Player: In case a player is hindered in making a stroke by anything not within his control, except a permanent fixture of the Court, or except as provided for in Rule 21, a let shall be called.

Now, if I'm reading this right, if she startles the player, he's lost the match. If she physically gets in his way and stops him from hitting the ball, then they have to replay the point (unless the Rule 21 allows for can't-leap-a-tall-tennis-court superheroes).

Thoughts? Comments? Rules lawyers?

 

[LittleStar]

Im not a tennis buff, just used to watch it a fair amount. Hard to interpret superhero involvement in the match but I'd have to imagine the umpire would at least call a let and allow the point to be replayed. In fact I'm sure I've seen times when they call the players over, perhaps to make a team decision, make sure everyone is happy with the choice.

 

[Kylara]

If she was physically on the court they would replay the point. If she landed in the stands then they shouldn't replay the point, but the umpire may let them, depends on how big the disruption was and how distracting.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

The way I've written it so far (rough first draft), she manages to pull out of a dive just before hitting the ground (she can fly), and hovers for a moment to get her bearings. She finds a tennis player staring at her. He totally ignores the ball, and loses the match.

Technically, she's not on the court, but floating in the air just above the ground. Which would probably be an enormous distraction.

I would like him to lose the match, and blame her. Might have to make her a slightly less distracting distraction.

Maybe she just pulls up above the stadium, he sees her, but everyone else is watching the ball. Everyone thinks he's lying about his own poor tennis, until the security camera images are checked. By then, the result stands. Hmmm.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Or they could replay the point, and he loses anyway. He blames her, she blames him. That might just work.

 

[Kylara]

I'd suggest replay the point, but he is so unsettled/distracted (is she now in the stands?) that he loses anyway. Her "landing" like that would definitely be a let, and the point replayed.

Random afterthought - I remember a golfer going ballistic at a photographer who took his picture slightly too soon and the click apparently ruined his shot and put him in a bad mood, ruining play for the entire hole or some such rubbish - so all the photographer's fault that his shot was a bit rubbish hah. I find things like that amusing, especially as I ride and something that small would never be blamed, heck most rider blame themselves even if it was 100% not their fault! So a tennis player losing "BECAUSE OF HER!" *pointing shaking finger, red faced* I would totally believe, and find hilarious. Heck, they smash their rackets on the floor often enough that they obviously have anger issues

 

[Phyrebrat]

Not helpful but I just wanted to say I loved this scenario. It really tickled me.

pH

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Kylara, that's the idea - it's all her fault!!!

Phyrebrat, it's always helpful to hear someone loves your writing.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Oh, I should point out @Mad Alice gave me the tennis idea.

 

[Dan Jones]

It's a brilliant idea, if nothing else. I think the Umpire would probably call for a replayed point if the UFO or whatever crash landed in the middle of a point. Be a bit harsh not to.

Of course, this would be what journalists call "burying the lead"...

 

[MemoryTale]

I personally think the umpire would use their discretion here and award a let - after all, a ball flying in from an adjacent court is one thing, a superhero appearance is quite another.

With that said, how prevalent are superheroes in your world? If they are common, it might be amusing to have a superhero clause in the rules of tennis in your world.

 

[Mad Alice]

You could have the ball hit her and ricochet back to drop short just his side of the net. He trys to save it diving in and eating dirt to reach, but the ball was split in its impact against her.. one piece arcs over the net in a brilliant save.. The other is still lying there wobbleing.

You could have her following Dr evilpants signal in and the supervillain has hidden his transmitter in with the television and satellite feeds.
Because he has taken over the feed, the camera that caught all this is not transmitting .. Its signal was drowned out. But superbabe thinks its Dr evil hiding in the flashy sweats, and directs a triangulated audio feed upon him. Its like those Bose speakers. If you aren't in the sweet spot for the sub sonics, you wouldn't hear anything.
So major distraction, and outright interference. .. Only without the camera he can't prove any of it.
And make him a British player. So he thinks they are taking a piss, having him on as a joke because he's English and he was winning the open.
He tries protesting,
Only the acts of God and superheroes clause still stands.
Not used to superheroes, being from the relatively super free UK, he is irked upon having his protest squashed.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

They are prevalent enough. There are laws about what jobs they can have (imagine a lawyer who could telepathically compel a judge to rule in his client's favour), sports they can play (performance enhancing powers - Usain Bolt can't outrun the Flash), laws against revealing secret identities (super villains make house calls).

Hell, I could have the commentators talking about the official ruling last time a super hero dropped in. Maybe he was punching a villain, and the tennis players told him to get off their court...

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Acts of God only apply if the superhero is, in fact, a God.