Tennis Club Rules & Court Etiquette | Maidstone

Tennis Club Rules

These are our tennis club rules:

Please follow the court booking rules so that everyone gets fair access to our courts.
Please wear appropriate footwear. Failure to do so can mark and damage the courts.
Please leave mobile phones on silent whilst on court.
No chewing gum.
Please leave the club house clean and tidy with washing up dried and put away.
Please lock up and make sure lights, heater and hot & cold water are all turned off in the club house if you are the last to leave.
Personal belongings are left at the club at the owner’s risk. Lost property will be held and periodically given to charity if not claimed.
All injuries and accidents must be recorded in the accident book located in the club house in the kitchen cupboard with the first aid box.
Hours of play are 8am to 10pm. Juniors can play up until 7pm. Please note that primary school aged children cannot enter the club house without an adult.
Only guide / support dogs are allowed in club grounds.
Do not pass the door code onto non-members under any circumstances
Smoking / vaping is not allowed anywhere inside the club’s grounds. Please also refrain from smoking / vaping right next to the courts and outside the entrance to the club.
Please ensure your guests and any non-members that want to play are signed in correctly and pay the appropriate fee. Details can be found in this brochure and on our website.
Please follow our court etiquette guide to ensure that we continue to be recognised as a friendly club with respectful members
Failure to follow the rules can lead to your membership being suspended or terminated by the committee

Court Etiquette

Please try to follow our court etiquette guide at all times to ensure that everyone enjoys playing tennis at our club. For the Lawn Tennis Association’s detailed guide to etiquette and rules please go to www.lta.org.uk

Show respect and courtesy by talking quietly if you are next to tennis courts that are in use.
Do not walk behind a court during an active point. It is OK to pass as quickly as possible after the point has finished.
Before starting to play, ensure any equipment you are not using, for example drinks or spare rackets are not going to be in anyone’s way.
To decide who will serve first, spin your racket on its head, let it fall to the floor, and ask your opponent to call rough or smooth. Look to see whether the tied-off strings on your racket are facing up or down, if they are up then that's rough and if they are down that's smooth. The winner can choose one of the following: - to serve first, receive first, or which end of the court they wish to start playing on. The opponent can then choose a remaining option.
The server should try to ensure they have two balls before they start playing a point to avoid unnecessary disruption during play.
To keep a match flowing try to avoid passing a ball back directly to the server between their first and second serve as this can disturb play. If the ball is in the way feel free to move it, but you must try to play to the speed of the server which can vary depending on who you are playing.
Often a ball from another court will end up on your court. To return a ball simply roll it safely to the back of the court and not directly to a player unless they request it.
If your ball goes onto another court wait until the point has finished before asking for help to get your ball.
Line calls can be hard to see from the other side of the court so you must call your own lines, ensuring your opponent can hear you. A ball that touches any part of the line is good, so you don't have to say anything, but you could say "yes" as an acknowledgement.
It is the server’s responsibility to keep the score. The easiest way to do this is to announce the score at the beginning of each point. If your opponent disagrees, try to work it out by going back over the points. If you still can’t agree the score, go back to the last point you both did agree on!
If you are unsure as to whether your opponent's shot was in or out, call it in.
Always respect the line calls of your opponent because they are nearer than you.
If you have a disagreement with your opponent, offer a let. This allows you to replay the point rather than carrying on the argument. Replay the point starting at the first serve again.
Do not criticise your partner or opponent, be positive and offer encouragement instead. This will ensure everyone has fun and enjoys playing at our club!