Extremely Rare Tennis Shot - Raonic Hitting Shot From Other Side of the Court Back Into the Net

A shot that none of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray have hit before, at least not during a match!

Very strange rally where Bobusic hits an overhead with the very top of her racquet, causing the ball to go almost straight up with lots of backspin. It barely lands on the other side of the net, before the backspin causes it to bounce back over to her side. Raonic has time to reach over and play the ball into the net towards his own side of the court.

This is a legal play, and the Canadians won the point. There have been numerous instances where players have reach over the net to hit the ball, but never where the player hits it back into the net towards their side of the court.

Truly an unplayable shot.

This was during the 2014 Hopman Cup competition, where Milos Raonic and Eugenie Bouchard of Canada were playing Andreas Seppi and Bojana Bobusic of Italy on January 1st, 2014.

[shaundonovan]

Perfectly legal shot, no part of his body touched the net, so a really well played shot. Bravo!

[kvf]

But the most amazing thing is that Raonic knew what to do in the heat of the moment. He does it exactly right according to the rules. All the other players are just standing there wondering what happened and does it count. He's a very smart/'cerebral' player.

[Shazbut]

I like how he knows what he's going to do as he's running up to the ball. You can see it on his face

[jackquinnes]

Great moment in Raonic's up and down tennis career, a unique shot he will be remebered on. Raonic's legacy.

[murhode]

It's very simple and clearly spelled out in the rules. The ball crossed the net and struck the court in. Then due to backspin or wind bounced back over the net without being touched. Had he not hit the ball, the point would be lost. It is the only time you can hit a ball on the other side of the net.

[dkangan]

The rules in question are ITF Rule 24.h: "The point is lost if ... The player hits the ball before it has passed the net, " and Rule 25.b, "It is a good return if ... After the ball in play has hit the ground within the correct court and has spun or been blown back over the net, the player reaches over the net and plays the ball into the correct court, provided that the player does not break Rule 24." Here the ball bounced on Raonic/Bouchard's side of the court [i.e., passed the net] but bounced back to the other side of the net. The issue for the umpire was whether Raonic touched the net or the post (i.e., whether he violated other parts of Rule 24.)
This type of situation happened in the US Open in 2005, Agassi vs. Blake, when Agassi reached across the net to play a ball that had bounced in his court and spun back across the net.

[EGarrett]

That was perfect. Pay that man his money.

[InvisibleSoul]

Matt Clark, I suppose you know the rules better than a top ten tennis player in the world, as well as a professional tennis umpire. Raonic/Bouchard won this point, because it's a legal shot. If you spent the time to read the other comments, if the ball lands on your side first before bouncing back over the net to your opponent's side, you are then legally allowed to reach over the net to contact the ball. It's only illegal to contact the ball on your opponent's side of the net if the ball has not come over yet.

[OldHickory]

when you backspin the tennis ball to the opponent's court back into your court it is called the "double-over" shot. the pros do it often at will. but the rule is that it's the only time you can also reach over to the other person's court. and then you can also hit it into the opponent's net, just like Raonic did there.

[hieudoantrung]

For me, it is nothing but a clever and tricky shot by Raonic. Such good improvisation.

[Picklejam]

Thanks for posting....always wanted to see somebody pull that shot off. I've personally seen a few close ones myself, when playing doubles and a frameshot is hit with a lot of super backspin on a strong windy day. But the ball always jumped back to quickly to the other side for the player to reach with the racket or the net was crashed into by the player.

[paulczerner]

If Raonic slammed it into the ground back and it bounced back over the net to his side, could the opponents go to Raonic's side, and do the same thing, so they would effectively change sides and keep playing, but hitting their own side of the court first before it goes over the net?

[fjhgh]

Probably the first and last time you’ll see Raonic and Bouchard playing mixed doubles ever again but anything is possible I guess

[markchandler]

I've seen this twice. Both times playing doubles. The first time it was me and I had time to touch the ball but I watched it spin back over the net thinking I had won the point. Thankfully the tennis coach was in the next court and he told us the correct ruling. It happened to my doubles partner a few months ago and I yelled at him to touch it and he just watched it slowly spin back over but no one knew the rule except me. So I've lost a point twice because of this!

[milesmontemore]

Thanks for showing this, as it's a good trivia question -- Can you win a point by hitting the ball into the bottom of the net?  The answer is yes, as long as you don't touch the net or post, or set foot in your opponents' court.

[maseltov]

In Padel there are lots of amazing shots like this one ;)

[Conish]

You are allowed to reach over the net if the ball spins back over. In that case, you're allowed to reach over and hit the ball. I've never seen anyone hit it into the net though! Must be up to the umpire.

[A]

You're NOT aloud to make contact with the ball on your opponents side IF the ball hasn't been on your side yet! So this shot is very rare and legal play!

[gustavogiacominpinho]

He did that classic padel shot before it was a thing.

[eeeDee]

If the ball crosses the net to your side first, you can do whatever is needed to get it back over the net provided you don't touch it with your body (racquet included).