Over the summer, I had a doubles match for my 2.5 team. Our opponents won the first set. We won the second and before we could start the tiebreaker, one of our opponents said she had to go pick up her son from school and she would be back. She didn't want to start the tiebreaker and leave in the middle, so her solution was that we all reconvene at the courts an hour later. My partner and I protested, but felt bullied into letting her have her way. She came back an hour later, we started the tiebreaker and lost. But my question is, was she allowed to do this?
-Delayed in Dallas
Dear, Delayed,
ABSOLUTELY NOT! I don't even know where to begin with this but I think the most appropriate rule is Rule 29, regarding continuous play, which states: "As a principle, play should be continuous, from the time the match starts until the match finishes." Furthermore, in adult league matches, the break between the second and third sets, when a match tiebreaker is being played in lieu of a third set, is two minutes. Lastly, matches are not permitted to be delayed for more than fifteen minutes, unless an official suspends play, in which case you would have been entitled to another warm up. Your opponent's "break" far exceeded the fifteen minute stoppage guidelines.
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