In a tennis match, situations sometimes arise that force the umpire to suspend play. These suspensions can result from darkness, weather or any other issue that the umpire deems dangerous enough to warrant postponing the completion of the match. Players can sometimes ask for a temporary suspension as well, which the umpire may grant or deny.
Suspended Play
The chair umpire may suspend play if darkness, weather or adverse conditions on the court hinder the players from competing safely. If darkness suspends play, the referee should wait until the end of a set to suspend the match if possible. At the very least, he should wait until the players have completed an even number of games during that set to suspend the match.
Resuming the Match
Play will not resume until the chair umpire deems the court fit on which to play. The match will resume exactly where the umpire suspended it, so the players must take the exact same positions on the court. The score will also remain the same as before the suspension, so neither player gains an advantage if the chair umpire must suspend a match.
Coaching During a Suspension
Players can receive coaching during a suspended play period, as officials do not regard this period as part of the match.
Play Suspended Before a Match
In some cases, the chair umpire might suspend play before the match even starts. If this occurs, the umpire must still complete a coin toss to determine who has first choice of serve and the winner of that toss will retain that choice when play resumes.
Making up Suspended Matches
When rain forces the postponement of a match, players might end up having to play more than once on the following day. This becomes a particular problem if the player participates in both doubles and singles tennis. Players, however, cannot play more than three matches per day, with the completion of a suspended match counting as one of these matches. Therefore, tournament organizers must set a schedule that prevents players from playing more than three times in one day.
Temporary Suspension
A player can ask for a temporary suspension of play to use the washroom or adjust equipment. The chair umpire must grant this suspension to the player before he can leave. The player will have time to use the washroom and retrieve his equipment before play resumes.
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