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Brian Dimsho
Brian Dimsho is a USTA certified official and the resident official of the Orange County Grand Prix.

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Calling out the score on serve
by Carol Davinroy

Q: Often, the server on the opposing team calls the score as he is tossing the ball to serve. If the opposing team disagrees with the score he calls, what is the correct action on the part of the opposing team (the serve is in progress)? Then, sometimes, the server does not call the score at all, or he calls it so softly that it cannot be heard by the opposing team. What is the opposing team's recourse?

A: Carol, I f I had a nickel for everytime that this lack of calling out the score has caused a scoring dispute to breakout on the court during a match I could but it towards my efforts to obtain a winning lotto ticket. If a player disagrees with the score it should be questioned as soon as possibile. If server calls the incorrect score while serving and you return the serve than at the completion of said point inform the server that they called the score incorrect and it should be resolved before any further play is continued and you may need to request the help from a tournament offical to help. Just because the server called an incorrect score out during the serve and that point is played doesn't mean the score that was called stands if proved to be incorrect. However the point that was just completed would stand as played and be added to the correct score. (This solves the issue of a player stating that they called the score of 40/Love played the point and when questioned and found to have called the wrong score after complition of said point stating that they had called 40/Love and you played it so the score has to stay) If that was the case when I play I would just call the score 40/Love serve fast complete the point and if I won I would have just won said game by playing only one point neat way to do it if you could. On the same note if server calls the wrong score than serves and you make no effort to return the serve than question the score the serve should be played as a "Let Serve" and the server should receive a first serve. If server is not calling out the score in a unofficiated match you can call the score. In a officiated match a player who repeatlly fails to call the score out and the lack of doing so has resulted in repeated scoring disputes that has resulted in having an official called to the court to help resolve them could receive a code violation for unsportsmenlike conduct. But do not try to go back 2 or 3 points or games and try to change the score at that point in a unofficiated match the score will stand. Brian
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