We are in the midst of breaking down every principle in The Code as a meticulous overthinking exercise that is the hallmark of this site. This is our fourth consecutive week covering Principle 3, which focuses on behavior during the warm-up. Last week’s post covered the fact that a player has the freedom to refuse to warm up, and that if that transpires, their opponent has the right to find an alternative person to warm up with. This week, we turn to the next directive in this sequence. It is a short sentence with surprisingly broad implications.
Each player should try to hit shots directly to the opponent.
USTA Friend at Court 2025 , The Code, Principle 3 (Partial Excerpt)
On the surface, this guidance seems almost too obvious to warrant mention. The warm-up is cooperative. Period. Players are supposed to hit the ball back and forth. Yet The Code places this instruction in writing for a reason. Over the years, tennis has collected a long history of chaotic, misguided, or intentionally disruptive warm-ups. Some of this behavior can stem from inexperience. Nerves can also be a factor that unintentionally causes shots to spray. Occasionally, poor warm-up quality veers into strategic mischief disguised as “just warming up.” Regardless of the motivation, when players fail to direct the ball within a hittable radius of their opponent, the warm-up ceases to fulfill its purpose.
The warm-up exists to prepare both players for the physical and mental demands of the match. That only happens when both participants can find a rhythm, calibrate timing, and settle into the feel of the ball. Sending balls that are unreachable, unreturnable, or off the intended line breaks that rhythm entirely. A cooperative warm-up is supposed to be steady and mutually useful. Anything else wastes time and undermines the courtesy that this part of The Code attempts to protect.
There is a stark difference between an errant ball caused by honest mis-hits and a pattern of intentional shots that repeatedly pulls an opponent off the court. The first is ordinary tennis. The second violates the cooperative spirit of the warm-up. The Code recognizes that intent matters, and so does the cumulative effect of repeated unplayable balls. Warm-up etiquette demands that each player makes a good-faith effort to put the ball in a hittable location. That is what this sentence in The Code is all about.
This clause also addresses a category of behavior that many players will recognize. Some competitors treat the warm-up as an early opportunity to assert dominance by hitting heavy, deep, or aggressively angled balls that the opponent cannot reasonably return. While this tactic may feel satisfying to the person doing it, it creates an unbalanced environment before the match even begins. The warm-up is not a disguised attempt at early intimidation. The Code asks players to resist those impulses in favor of a cooperative exchange that benefits both participants.
There is also the parallel issue of players who repeatedly place the ball in locations that are technically reachable but functionally useless. Short balls into the service box, soft floaters, moonballs without purpose, or intentionally awkward placements all impede a meaningful warm-up. These shots are not as blatant as sending the ball into the side fence, yet they disrupt rhythm in the same way. The Code encourages players to aim for purposeful, straightforward exchanges that actually warm the body and the mind.
It is worth acknowledging the learning curve. Many newer players simply lack the control to consistently direct the ball during a warm-up. Honest mistakes are expected, and The Code does not hold players to a standard of perfection. The instruction to “try to hit shots directly to the opponent” is precisely that. A good faith effort. Cooperative intent matters more than flawless execution. As long as there is a genuine attempt to place the ball in a hittable area, the spirit of the rule is being honored.
At the same time, experienced players should understand the role they play in setting a good example of warm-up etiquette. Setting a consistent tone helps create conditions in which the competitors on both sides of the net begin the match reasonably warmed up. These are small courtesies, but they contribute greatly to a match environment that feels fair and respectful.
Ultimately, this clause in Principle 3 reinforces the shared responsibility that makes The Code so valuable. The warm-up is not about showcasing power, hiding weaknesses, or disrupting an opponent’s preparation. It is about facilitating a simple exchange that allows everyone to enter the match ready to compete. Directing the ball to the opponent is a small act of cooperation that protects the mutual trust upon which recreational and competitive tennis depends.
If all players uphold this guideline, everyone benefits, and the cooperative spirit that has always underpinned the warm-up is preserved.
- Friend at Court: The Handbook of Tennis Rules and Regulations, USTA, 2025
- Friend at Court: The USTA Handbook of Tennis Rules and Regulations, USTA, 2001. (Hardcopy.)
For readers who may be new to the organized tennis landscape, the Friend at Court is the USTA’s compendium of all rules governing sanctioned play in the United States. It includes the ITF Rules of Tennis, USTA Regulations, and additional guidance specific to competition in this country. The Code is nested within the Friend at Court. That section outlines the “unwritten” traditions, expectations, and standards of conduct that guide player behavior. The Code is the ethical framework that shapes how recreational and competitive players conduct themselves every time they step onto the court.