Racquet crosses the net Do I lose the point?

Have you ever had a dispute with a fellow player over a call on the court that you couldn’t settle? Maybe you’re just curious about how some scenarios, from the common to the ridiculous, are resolved.

Question: During a league doubles match, our opponents hit a great shot and all my partner could do was pop it up. Our opponent saw the high lob and got really close to the net to put the ball away with an overhead. Since she was so close to the net, her follow through ended up finishing on our side of the court. The question I have is, “Do you lose the point if your racket crosses over the net?”

Answer: This would not be a “nothing but net” situation. Actually, it is quite the opposite. Your racquet can cross the net as long as it never touches it. This does not mean you can just start reaching across the net to hit balls before they come to your side. Before you can hit a return, the ball must first cross over the net to your side of the court. (ITF Rule 24)

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