As mentioned in Part II a quick look at one last strike point. And a review of what we seen or learned in the last two posts.

And one more strike point to complete the set of the four corners of the service court. See figure 610h.

What are the key points to make?

From a strike point near #1, the sweet spot is just ahead of the short line.

From a strike point near #4, the sweet spot is near the one third line.

From a strike point near #3, the sweet spot is near mid court.

From a strike point near #2, the sweet spot is just a little ahead of mid court.

Overall, a cross court boast from any strike point in the left service court will have a sweet spot somewhere along the middle third of the right side wall. That helps to simplify which situations are lets and which are no lets.

Rule 5 by inference says that opponents do not have to clear for boasts to the back one third. The geometry of shots from the left service court to the right side wall supports that.

Players should know this. Referees must know this. There is no justification to grant a let. Be reminded that only ball flight interference is being considered here.

Players are entitled to play fair boasts utilizing the front two thirds of either side wall. Rule 5 a iii states strikers are entitled to hit boasts to the front two thirds of the side wall. Not stated in Rule 5 a iii is that the ball would have reached the front wall fairly. For a let to be granted both conditions must be met.

Opponents must clear for those opportunities. Opponents do not have to clear for boasts that will not reach the front wall fairly.

An Easy Summary of No Let Boasts

See Fig 610i. A cross court boast from anywhere in the coloured service court will not be good if the back 1/3 of the right side wall is utilized. If the opponent has cleared to any part of the right side wall behind the short line, there is no interference of a boast.

Previous figures show that the sweet spots for all four striking positions shown are along the middle third of the side wall. When a striker requests a ball flight let, remember that the intended shot would have gone through the position of the opponent onto the side wall. If the opponent has cleared behind the short line, then the boast would almost certainly contact the back third of the side wall. No let.

Striking points near the back wall are the most likely situations when a let is requested. It is also likely that the striker is under some pressure to execute a good return and a boast seems like a way out. It is a way out but only if the boast is aimed to the front 2/3 of the side wall.

Two simple things for the referee to notice. One, was the strike position somewhere in the service court? Two, was the opponent along the back third of the side wall? If clear, no let. If the strike position was near #3, then the opponent could be as far up the court as the mid-point and still be clear of a fair boast.

Granting undeserved lets assuredly encourages players to resort to lets to get out of difficult situations near the back wall. Granting lets in such situations rewards the team in difficulty and penalizes their opponents who have made a good shot. These get out of jail lets are one of most annoying aspects of doubles; you make a good shot, put your opponent under pressure and then magically they get to play the point over.