Topic: Calling a ball late - After you hit the ball.

[Tennis4you]

Another question for Jamesdster, received this via email earlier today:

This morning we were playing women's doubles.  My partner & I were receiving and I was receiving in the ad court specifically.  The serve came over and as I hit it, (into the net), I asked my partner, "wasn't that out?"   She said it was.   Our opponents agreed, but said it was their point anyway since I hit it.  My argument was that my response was hesitant & half-hearted because I saw it long & didn't make a whole-hearted attempt & expected my partner to make the call.  I also claimed I'd called it out, (but it was after contact with the ball.) 
 
(There was a friendly protest & our opponents played a second serve.)
 
Was it their point because I made contact with the serve?  Should we have given them another first serve?  Or were we right, since the serve was clearly out according to all of us, to just play it as we did?

[monstertruck]

Make the call immediately or forfeit the point if you take a swing at it.

Call it or lose it.

[Jamesdster]

You see this all the time in club matches but the RULE states:

USTA Comment 11.2: Must an out call on a player’s shot to the opponent’s court be made before the opponent’s return has either gone out of play or been hit by the first player? Yes.  So, MT is right (finally)    Actually you can take a swing at it but if it is out, you better call it out before it goes out of play or your opponent whacks it.