Be the Referee: Tennis Spin

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

October 17, 2023

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Tennis Spin - Listen

Today’s "You Make the Call" takes us to the tennis court.

We’re in the middle of a volley when I hit a shot with a ton of spin on it. It goes over the net, bounces and then spins back over the net towards me, without being hit by my opponent.

What’s the call?

My opponent never hit the ball, so I win the point. The same rule applies if it’s wind, not spin, blowing the ball back over the net.

My opponent could have returned my shot, even if they had to reach over the net to do so, as long as they didn’t touch the net while returning. If my opponent hits the net in the process of returning my shot, it’s also my point.

Previous Editions

Oct. 10: Blocked Kick - Listen
Oct. 3: Volleyball Double & Lift - Listen
Sept. 26: Registration Process - Listen
Sept. 20: Animal Interference - Listen
Sept. 13: Feet Rule on Soccer Throw-In - Listen
Sept. 6: Volleyball Jewelry - Listen
Aug. 30: Football Rules Similarities - Listen
Aug. 23: Football Rules Differences - Listen

Moment: Tennis Powers Begin Surges

May 8, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, Midland Dow, Detroit Country Day and Ann Arbor Greenhills concluded the first decade of the 2000s with Lower Peninsula boys tennis championships.

They also gave previews of a successful decade the come.

Today’s “Moment” takes a look back at all four teams’ 2009 title runs as part of a postseason wrap-up by the MHSAA Network.

Dow in Division 2 won its first championship since 1984, and the first of what would be five straight. Greenhills’ Division 4 title was the second in a run that would stretch to eight consecutive.

Country Day’s win in Division 3 started a string of 10 top-two finishes, with five of those championships. And although Brother Rice is still seeking its next Division 1 title, the Warriors have finished runners-up four of the last nine seasons.