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The tennis summer swing is in full force across all surfaces, and with the turn from clay to grass comes more debates over lines and serves, questionable calls, and the perennial query: What does The Code say?

Court of Appeals is here to clear the air. Rebel Good, a past editor of Friend at Court, the USTA’s handbook of rules and regulations, has taught officiating for more than 30 years and will resolve all your rules questions and quarrels.

Hurt Feelings

While playing an 8.0 mixed doubles match, my partner was receiving, but I was hit very hard just above the knee by the serve. What is the rationale behind the server actually winning this point, when a legal serve requires the ball to land in the correct box? Obviously, the serve was nowhere near the correct service box when it hit me. My partner was pretty mad at our opponent for hitting me, but more that we had to give up the point.

—Toni Odom, Ridgeway, S.C.

Rule 24, Case 7, states that a served ball that hits the receiver or the receiver’s partner on the fly results in loss of point for the receiver (unless it was a service let). The rationale? The game doesn’t really work very well if the receiver or receiver’s partner can intercept a serve before it bounces.

—Rebel Good

Got a question? Send it our way. Email your question to courtofappeals@tennis.com.