AboutEd Hines Expertise The Rules of Tennis primarily, including junior and collegiate application of the rules as well as recreational play. Please: NO questions about practice drills or ways to improve your game.
Experience Over 30 years playing the game, including USTA and ITA Officials' certification in junior, collegiate, and professional tennis.
Organizations USTA; Atlanta Professional Tennis Umpires Association
Awards and Honors ATP Linesman, Chair Official NCAA Regional Div I and Div III, Blue Gray Tournament Chair, SEC Championships, Southern Conf Championships, Atlantic Sun Conference, Several Junior National and Super National Jr. Tournaments, NCAA Womens Championship Finals, ASI and AT&T (qualifier final) Chair.
Expert: Ed Hines Date: 9/3/2007 Subject: Breaks in between sets
Question I'm playing on a USTA team league and would like to know:
How much time can you take between sets if the set ends on an even number
of games (ex. 6-4).
What I observed is that if the first set ends 6-4 the guys just start the second
set without any breadk because it is an even number of games.
Thanks
Answer Stan,
As hard as this is to believe for anyone that's been playing tennis for the last seven years or so: There is ALWAYS a break between sets. Score is irrelevant. And the interval is 2 minutes. Some leagues allow a longer break, say 10 minutes, if it's the best of three and teams split sets. But these are local rules, not USTA or ITF rules.
The old rules—again this goes back about 7 yrs or so—stated that if the set score ends in an even number of games (like your example), then play in continuous. However, the new rule that's now years old states that there is a break after every set but NO BREAK after the first game in any set. People that play by the old rules also usually take a break after the first game of each set. That's illegal. Unfortunately, some folks don't learn or don't care.
Therefore: After every set, rest 2 minutes, regardless of set score; and after third game of every set take a 90 second break. Do not take a break after the first game in the set (watch the pros on TV and you'll see this).
IF there's a local league rule that supersedes this, fine, but I'm not buying it. I've played USTA for decades and can't believe a local league would deviant from the folks that make the rules in NY.
Good luck.
