By Mark Peifer, USA Pickleball Certified Referee; Past Chairman, USA Pickleball Rules Committee
Question:
I’m playing in a match with line judges. A rarity today, I know. The line judge closest to where the ball hits the court puts his hands under his eyes, which I’ve learned is the signal that he was blocked from making a call. So, no call was made. I’m convinced the ball was out, but was told I cannot make a call, so I played it.
The rally continued, and my partner and I ended up losing the rally, one we would have won had we been calling our own lines.
We appealed after the rally was over, but were told that was not allowed. Why?
Answer:
The appeal was denied because there was no line call to appeal.
A blocked signal by a line judge is not a line call. It simply indicates the line judge could not make the call. Since there was no rally-ending “out” call, Rule 13.F does not permit an appeal. Once the rally continued, play proceeded normally, and when the rally ended, there was still no appealable line call to review.
In an officiated match with line judges, players do not make their own line calls (except for the center service line or to overrule an “out” call that benefits their own team). So, even if you were convinced the ball was out, the rules required you to continue playing the rally.
