The longer version
A late cancellation sits between a normal cancellation and a no-show. The player did tell the club, but so late that the court or spot is unlikely to sell again. Most policies charge a share of the price or the full amount, and offer no refund.
The cutoff is what makes the policy work. 24 hours is common for courts, 12 hours for classes, sometimes 2 hours for open play where the waitlist refills fast. Shorter windows are friendlier, longer ones protect revenue at peak.
Two mistakes come up. Charging a late fee without a waitlist, so the club takes the money and still leaves the spot empty. And applying the rule to a regular the first time with no warning, which costs more in goodwill than the fee earns.