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Covid-19 Doubles Rules

Please read the information below and email us confirming you will stick to the guidelines for doubles play?  Anyone who doesn’t let us know will not be able to get on court to play doubles until they do.

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For anyone wishing to play doubles going forward please take a look at the protocols for doubles play for the foreseeable future.  

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8.16       The risk of virus transmission to persons playing doubles is greater than in singles play. The risk of transmission in the air is greater given the closer proximity of the players. The risk of transmission on surfaces is also greater given that players in one pair will be sharing one set of tennis balls and more touches of other surfaces are inevitable. Consequently, to reduce the risk, in respect of Doubles play, the following additional provisions shall apply:

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8.16.1    Service End – on any one point the pair may elect to either:

8.16.1.1 One player shall play the point ahead of the Last Gallery Line and the other behind the Last Gallery line.

Or

8.16.1.2  An imaginary line shall be drawn down the centre of the court and one player shall play on the left side of the court and the other on the right.

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8.16.2    Receiving End - The service receiver shall play to the right of the centre line and the other player to the left. The service receiver may cross into the left-hand side of the court if it is necessary to do so in order to return the serve but must return immediately to the right-hand side of the court after completing the stroke.

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8.16.3    A player may not play any ball if both their feet would leave their part of the court at the point of addressing the ball. Providing at least one foot is within their part of the court at the point of addressing the ball, a player may step on or across the dividing line if it is due to the natural motion of playing the stroke, including the follow through. The player shall return to his or her side of the relevant line as soon as the shot has been played. When playing such a shot, the other player in the pair shall move away to maintain a distance of 2 metres from the player playing the shot.

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8.16.4    With the exception of the return of serve stroke, or where the provisions of 8.16.3 apply, if a player steps on or across the relevant line referred to in 8.16.1 or 8.16.2 at any time during a rest the point shall be awarded to the opponents.

8.16.5    Players must maintain social distancing of 2 metres from both their opponents and from their own partner at all times, including between rests and when changing ends.

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8.16.6    The provisions of section 8.16 need not apply to a doubles pair who are from the same household. However, should a doubles pair from the same household play a pair who are not from the same household, the players may agree to both pairs playing according to these provisions in order to achieve a fair game.

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8.16.7    In accordance with the guidance given by the Tennis and Rackets Association a player wishing to play doubles shall make a declaration in an email to the Professionals that he or she has read the provisions in 8.16 and will abide by them during play. That declaration will apply for all his or her future doubles bookings unless he or she advises the Professionals in an email that it no longer applies.

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