Padel World Press .- We are playing a game of paddle. We are winning 30-15 in one of the games. After pressing with a ball cut deep in the center, my rivals take a balloon that is short and my partner makes a parallel shot to bring the ball to our court. The opponent runs towards the net, stretches and tries to touch the ball. In the doubt of whether he has touched it or not, I volley the ball and return it to the opposite field to secure the point. The rival says he has not touched the ball in his attempt and everyone in the game agrees.
What should be the result now?
- a) 30 - 30.
- b) 40-15.
- c) 30-15.
- d) 15-30.
CORRECT ANSWER:
- a) 30 - 30.
We lose the point because, as the opponent has not touched the ball in his attempt, it is still his turn to play and the ball is in play until he gives a second pot. Since I've blown the ball before I give that second pot, I've played it before I finished the point, so I lose it. Rule 12 states that the ball must be hit alternately by each of the pairs while Rule 13 establishes that it will be lost point if the ball bounces a second time before being returned.
This situation is more common than it seems in amateur matches but we do not give importance to it. It is normal to finish a ball and, just as you return to our track, take it with your hand or stop it with your shovel. However, if we stick to the rules, we must let him give a second pot for the point to end.
If you saw the last Estrella Damm Zaragoza Open, this case may sound familiar to you. In the semifinal between Paquito Navarro - Juan Martín Díaz against Mati Díaz - Ale Galán, at the end of the second set, something very similar happened ...
Paquito, believing that Mati had touched the ball when returning a shot, hit it to secure the point without letting it bounce first. As Mati had not impacted with her, according to the rules, the point was for Mati and Ale as we have commented but, nevertheless, it was given to Paquito and Juan Martín. The doubt arose until the referee clarified it ... Mati had said something when he tried to hit the ball, which could confuse Paquito and, therefore, he was given the point. In this case you can see the importance that a referee can have when deciding doubtful situations or interpretations of the rules.
Source: Top Paddle 360
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