The International Tennis Federation will implement a new rule in 2018 to allow no service lets in junior competitions.
Under the new guidelines issued, if a serve touches the net and lands in the service box, players are required to play the point. There has been no concrete date as to when these changes will come into place. They will affect both circuit and team tournaments. Although, there will be no changes made to the professional tour.
“Please be advised that in 2018 a no-let service trial will be implemented on the ITF Junior Circuit and ITF Junior Team Competitions.” A Statement from the ITF reads.
The no-let rule was also tested at the inaugural ATP Next Generation Finals in Milan. An event featuring the best players under the age of 21 on the Tour. It was one of seven new initiatives set out by the governing body. Other new rules included coaching after sets (via headsets) and sets being reduced from six games to four.
In Milan some players spoke in favour of the no-let rule. Croatia’s Borna Coric believes it helps reduce arguments between players on the court about if a shot is deemed a let or not. Calling for it to be implemented elsewhere on the tour.
“I liked the let rule, because it did help me a lot on the match point. It was really lucky,” the Croat told atpworldtour.com following one of his matches. “I think it should also be in the other tournaments, because I think we are having many arguments about what is it a let.”
Chris Kermode, who is the CEO of the ATP, recently explained the idea behind these trials. In one interview (watch below) he said that the aim is to make tennis appeal to the next generation of fans. From 2019 there will be no tennis matches shown on Sky Sports in the UK for the first time since 1990. Instead, it has been reported that Amazon Prize will broadcast 37 tournaments, including all nine Masters events, exclusively online.
“At the moment men’s tennis is in the best place it has ever been, but we want to make sure that when the next generation of fans come, that they will be able to look at a product that we (the ATP) think will be even better.” Said Kermode.
Despite the new initiatives, there is currently no plans to adjust the current rules of the ATP Tour.
