I was playing in a match on Har-Tru clay and noticed that the ball was bouncing especially irregularly. I spotted my opponent piling some clay on the other side before we switched ends. I didn’t think anything of it at first until one of his serves bounced over my head again. I looked closely and saw that there were little piles of clay placed on spots where the ball frequently landed. We changed ends again and I saw my opponent kicking away the piles. I was able to win, so I didn’t confront him, but is this allowed?
— Pascal Lee, Washington, DC
Foiled by a “greenskeeper”? In an officiated match, your opponent would be addressed under the Point Penalty System for “Unsportsmanlike Conduct.” Artificially altering the surface of the court to gain an advantage certainly qualifies as “conduct that is abusive or detrimental to the sport.” No officials for your match? Then use your diplomatic skills to get your opponent to stop. And if you see something wrong with your side of the court, fix it.
Except where noted, answers are based on the ITF Rules of Tennis and USTA's The Code.
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