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Q: How many times in a tournament can I swap rackets? What do I have to do when this occurs? i.e., show opponent the blade each time?

- Submitted by Mike Babuin on Aug 12th, 1996

A: As of the new century the rule has changed - a player may change the racket only when it is damaged during that match due to an accident and the extend of the damage is such that the racket becomes illegal (the racket breaks or the covering is torn). Even then, the change must be immediate (that is, the player must have another racket handy) and the substitute racket must have coverings identical to the racket just damaged.

Before this rule changed there was no limitation as to how many times a player can change the racket during a match, he/she had to have a good reason to make the change, such as when the racket with which he/she had begun the match with becomes damaged during the play, or when he/she believed that the original racket was ineffective in controlling the opponent's spin, style etc. It was up the umpire's judgment, whether or not you had a good reason for making the change, and if by the umpire's judgment you were swapping the racket merely to harass your opponent, or if the umpire believes that the continuity of play was disrupted by too frequent changes, you may have been penalized. Whenever you changed the racket, you must have let umpire inspect it for legality, and also your opponent, if he wishes so. When you made the switch, you have to have let them inspect your racket even if you switch to the original racket which you used at the beginning of the match.

- Answered by Paul Kovac - your friendly on-line USATT umpire