Let
A call that stops a point and has it replayed without penalty, used across several racket sports.
Overview
A let means the point does not count and is played again. The most common case is the service let in tennis, table tennis and badminton, where the ball or shuttle clips the net but still lands in the correct area.
Lets are also called for outside interference, such as a ball rolling onto the court or a distraction during play. The point simply restarts, with the server keeping the same number of attempts.
Key points
- A let point is replayed rather than awarded to either player.
- A serve that touches the net and still lands correctly is a service let.
- Interference during a rally can also cause a let.
- The server keeps the same serve count when a let is called.
Where it’s used
Sports that use let:
Tennis
A singles or doubles racquet sport that blends agility, strategy and stamina on court.
Table Tennis
A fast, low-impact indoor racquet sport that sharpens reflexes and is easy to start.
Badminton
A fast indoor racquet sport played with a shuttlecock that rewards agility and touch.
Pickleball
A friendly, easy-to-learn paddle sport played on a small court with a solid paddle and a light, perforated ball.
Related rules
Tennis serving rules
The rules governing how a tennis point begins, including where the server stands and where the serve must land.
Foot fault
A serving fault called when the server's foot touches the baseline or court before striking the ball.
Two-bounce rule
A pickleball rule requiring both the serve and the return to bounce once before players may hit the ball out of the air.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Let to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Officiating
- UmpireA match official who rules on lines, serves and dismissals in racket, bat-and-ball and net sports such as tennis, cricket and baseball — and, in racket sports, also keeps the running score.
- Line JudgeA boundary-line official who calls whether the ball or player is in or out and flags foot faults, working under the head referee across many sports.
- Foul callA foul call is an official's ruling that a player broke a rule of contact or conduct, triggering a penalty such as a free kick, free throw or penalty.
- Penalty SignalA standardized hand or flag signal an official uses to announce a foul, penalty, or restart so players, teammates, and spectators can read the call.
- Out-of-Bounds CallAn official's ruling that the ball or a player in possession has left the legal playing area, stopping play and handing a restart or possession to the opponent.
Scoring systems
- Tennis scoringTennis is scored in points, games and sets, using the distinctive 15–30–40 point sequence and a win-by-two margin at every level.
- Table tennis scoringTable tennis is scored on every rally to 11 points per game, won by two clear points, over a best-of odd number of games.
- Badminton scoringBadminton uses rally scoring to 21 points per game, with matches decided over the best of three games.
- Tiebreak scoringA tiebreak is a short deciding game used in racket sports to settle a set that has reached an even number of games, scored in simple numbers to a fixed target.
- Padel scoringPadel borrows tennis scoring, counting points as 15–30–40 within games and playing sets to six games decided by a tiebreak.
Learning paths
- Learn TennisA structured, educational learning path for tennis — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
- Learn Table TennisA structured, educational learning path for table tennis — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
- Learn BadmintonA structured, educational learning path for badminton — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
- Learn PickleballA structured, educational learning path for pickleball — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
Beginner guides
- Your First Tennis Session: What to ExpectA friendly, honest look at what actually happens at your first tennis session — how it is usually run, what tends to surprise beginners, and how to turn up relaxed and ready to enjoy it.
- Your First Badminton SessionA warm, honest look at what your first time on a badminton court actually feels like — how a beginner session runs, what surprises newcomers about the shuttlecock, and how to enjoy it without worrying about keeping score.
Equipment
- Padel racketA solid, stringless perforated racket used to play padel.
- Tennis racquetA strung frame with a handle used to hit the ball in tennis.
- Badminton racketA lightweight strung racket used to hit the shuttlecock in badminton.
- Pickleball paddleA solid, flat paddle used to hit the perforated plastic ball in pickleball.
- Tennis ballA hollow rubber ball covered in felt used in tennis and related racquet sports.
Facilities
- Tennis courtA rectangular marked court, divided across the middle by a net, where tennis is played as singles or doubles.
- Sports hallA large indoor hall with multi-sport line markings, used for court sports like basketball, volleyball and badminton.
- Ice rinkA sheet of prepared ice, usually rink-boarded with rounded corners, used for skating and ice sports.
- Padel courtAn enclosed court, much smaller than a tennis court, walled with glass and mesh so the ball can be played off the walls.
- GymAn indoor facility equipped with free weights, machines and cardio equipment for strength training and general fitness.