MAC Tennis Etiquette

Most MAC Tennis players know the rules of the sport, but something they may not be aware of are the small, often unwritten rules known as tennis etiquette. Here are a few to keep in mind wherever you are playing tennis as well as a few that are particular to MAC Tennis:

Entering the Courts

• Keep voices down when entering indoor tennis courts. Loud and constant talking can be distracting for those in the middle of playing.

• Go around the courts and enter from the back rather than walking directly across them.

• Please do not enter the court before your reserved court time. If the group before you isn’t leaving, please give them the courtesy of finishing their point before entering the courts.

• If your court time ends at noon, you need to be vacating the court at noon. At 11:59 a.m. it is not time to say, “Last point.” Remember, it takes time to pack up.

• Be sure to take all personal belongings when departing. Old cans, loose balls, water bottles, and dirty towels should be removed.

When Playing

• Respect the game and all players on the courts.

• Do not try to win the warmup.

• When returning balls to an adjacent court, tennis etiquette says to wait until their point concludes and pass the ball directly to one of the players. If a point is taking too long, you can walk over and place the ball at the back of their court so as not to be a distraction while the ball is in play.

• Players are responsible for calling everything on their side of the net; this includes line calls, double bounce, and a touch of the net. Remember, if unsure, the ball should be called “good.”

• It is the server’s responsibility to call the score prior to each point.

•Always start serving with two balls.

MAC Ball Machines

• Ball machines may not be used on a court adjacent to a league match.

• Be aware of and try to limit balls going onto adjacent courts.

• Use the sweeper vacuums to pick up the ball fuzz produced around the ball machine.

• Return all balls to the ball machine. Be sure to look behind the curtain.

• Do not leave balls in the ball mower for the next person to empty.

• It can take 10 minutes to pick up all the balls. Please take this into account when budgeting court time.

MAC Tennis Court Reservations

• Adult members can make three court reservations per week. Juniors have access to two reservations per week.

• Reservations open at 9:30 a.m. three days in advance.

• The member with the reservation must be present on the court. A court may not be reserved in a member’s name who will not be present on the court.

• Please cancel reservations if unable to make a court time. Failure to do so can result in a suspension of reservation privileges or a monetary penalty.

• Any tennis court unoccupied 15 minutes after the reserved time is available for general use.

• Swapping names on a court is not allowed, even within families. A court must be booked by the member playing on the court.

Unsure of a tennis rule or MAC policy? Feel free to reach out to the Tennis Office to get an answer.

—Head Coach Paul Reber