NEW FOOT FAULT RULE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27396, 8 July 1954, Page 4

NEW FOOT FAULT RULE

LAWN TENNIS

TWO YEAR TEST BY FEDERATION

(N.Z. Press Association—Copynant) PARIS, July 6. The International Lawn Tennis Federation congress today adopted for an experimental period of two years a new foot fault rule which, according to congress sources, allows the server to “do what he likes behind the service line.”

Main feature of fhe new rule is that the server may swing a foot over the baseline.

The text of the new rule says that the server must not change his position by walking or running; maintain contact with the ground behind the baseline; not touch with either foot the baseline or any other part of the playing area of the court. The old rule reads: “Not change his position by walking or running; maintain contact with the ground; keep both feet behind the baseline.” The new .rule which comes into force from January 1, 1955, was adopted by 136 votes to 17. Dr. Russell B. Kingman (United States) was elected president of the International Lawn Tennis Association. Sir Clarence Sadd (Britain) was made honorary treasurer and Mr Stanley Basil Reay (Britain) honorary sec-retary-general. Elected to the federaation board were:—Messrs V. J. E. Griffith (Britain), M. Barde (Switzerland), R. Borotra (France), G. de Stefani (Italy), Dr. Kingman, Messrs V. R. N. Watt (Canada), and V. R. H. Youdale (Australia).

The next congress will be held in Rome on May 10, 1955.