During the 2023 WTA Miami Open Final, during a rally, Petra Kvitova reached over the net and hit the ball without it crossing the net to her side. She did not touch the net. The point was allowed; Kvitova won the point. There was no complaint. Why was this permitted?
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1@F1Krazy I added a link to a Youtube video at the time of the play. (Oh, I see that ImClarky has a link in his answer as well. Revert if you don't like it.)– Peter - Reinstate MonicaCommented Apr 4, 2023 at 10:14
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I'm going to assume that this is in regards to the 2nd Set; Game 3; Adv. Kvitova - as this is the only shot that I've found where Kvitova reaches over the net...
Petra Kvitova reached over the net and hit the ball without it crossing the net to her side.
I actually think this is incorrect - from the following highlights on this youtube video, slowed down, it appears as if the ball bounces on Kvitova's side of the court, before returning back over the net and being hit by Kvitova.
You can see here, that the ball appears to be in front of the black taper at the bottom of the net, therefore inside Kvitova's court, and hence why her shot was legal.
From the ITF Tennis Rules:
25: A GOOD RETURN
It is a good return if:
- b) After the ball in play has hit the ground within the correct court and has spun or been blown back over the net, the player reaches over the net and plays the ball into the correct court, provided that the player does not break Rule 24; or
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Given Ryabinka's return, I can imagine that the ball had a fair amount of spin on it, causing its wild bounce back over the net. Commented Apr 4, 2023 at 15:40
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2Also, if the ball hadn't bounced on her side of the net, then it bounced on her opponent's side of the net without making it to her side. Point over (to her) and it doesn't really matter what she does then (unless the umpire decides to punish her for inappropriately hitting the ball, but there is not malice displayed, so that would seem inappropriate). Commented Apr 4, 2023 at 20:33