Hindrance, lets and permanent fixtures

The replay provision covers something outside the player's own control — but explicitly NOT including a permanent fixture. A permanent fixture is part of the court environment, and hitting one is a normal outcome of a rally rather than an interference.

The consequences follow from that. If the ball in play touches a permanent fixture AFTER it has hit the correct court, the player who hit the ball wins the point. If it touches a permanent fixture BEFORE it hits the ground, the player who hit the ball loses the point.

The Rules settle several recurring situations directly. An unintentional double hit is not a hindrance. A player who stops play because they thought their opponent was being hindered is not entitled to a hindrance — that player loses the point.

A ball in play hitting a bird flying over the court IS a hindrance, and the point is replayed. A ball or other object that was lying on the player's own side of the net when the point started is NOT a hindrance if it interferes with them.

The Rules distinguish a let during a service from a let in the rally, and they have separate rules. A service let does not cancel a previous fault — a let on a second serve means the second serve is replayed, not that the point restarts with two serves.

Where a let is called for a hindrance during a rally, the whole point is replayed, including the first serve.