USA Tennis Rules Regarding Foot Faults

To All Captains:

It has been brought to my attention that flagrant foot faulting is a problem with some individuals.

This can be a source of contention during a match and upsetting to all players. In attempting to prevent this, I am asking all captains to alert and instruct their players in the rules regarding foot faulting.

This is covered completely in "Friend at Court" but not all players have access to the book. So I am copying pertinent parts here. I suggest that captains make a copy of this and distribute to their team players.

USTA Comment 18.3: When does a foot fault occur?
A player commits a foot fault if after the player's feet are at rest but before the player strikes the ball, either foot touches:

the court, including the baseline;
any part of the imaginary extension of the center mark; or
beyond the imaginary extension of the outside of the singles sideline in singles or the doubles sideline in doubles.

USTA Comment 18:4: Is it a foot fault if the server's foot touches the baseline and then the server catches the tossed ball insteaad of attempting to strike it?
This is not a foot fault as long as the server makes no attempt to strike the ball.

USTA Comment 18.6: When may the receiver or the receiver's partner call foot faults?
In a non-officiated match, the receiver or the receiver's partner may call foot faults after all efforts (warning the server and attempting to locate an official) have failed and the foot faulting is so flagrant as to be clearly perceptible from the receiver's side.

THE CODE - THE PLAYERS' GUIDE FOR UNOFFICIATED MATCHES
Note: The Code is not part of the official ITF Rules of Tennis. It is meant to to be used as a guide for unofficiated matches.

SERVING
24. Foot Faults.
A player may warn an opponent that the opponent has committed a flagrant foot fault. If the foot faulting continues, the player may attempt to locate an official. If no official is available, the player may call flagrant foot faults. Compliance with the foot fault rule is very much a function of a player's personal honor system. The plea that a Server should not be penalized because the server only just touched the line and did not rush the net is not acceptable. Habitual foot faulting, whether intentional or careless, is just as surely cheating as is making a deliberate bad line call.

Please be sure to go over this with your team.

Thanks for all your hard work!

Joan Wulfson