Foot faulting

[PugArePeopleToo]

Do you foot fault? If you don't, does it bother you when your opponent foot faulted? Have you ever called foot fault against your opponent? Have someone ever called it against you?

At club and local tournament level, I have always accepted this is one infraction to overlook until someone suggested people who foot faulted are cheaters, albeit unintentional ones. Is this a case of rule and code do not applied?

[@wright]

I just played a guy who seemed like his toss was more a point of reference than a specific spot. He chased his toss all over the place to hit it, but the times I looked out for it he actually didn't foot fault. I've never called it, because I assume if I ever did, the person would b1tch and moan about how NO ONE EVER calls foot faults. This begs the question: does anyone here call footfaults religiously?

[Verbal_Kint]

No, not really, yes, no. To explain: I used to, but I've changed the motion of my feet. I don't really mind it when someone does it in a match against me, but with usual playing/practice partners I will tell them. This is more because I don't want them to get in trouble during seious play. It's SOOOOOO easy to correct. Usually people try to do a pinpoint serve and put their back foot in fron of their rear foot. This actually makes the player uncoil too soon IMO...

Marnix

[drop shot]

I have never called a foot fault. The reason is that it just messes with my mind. Most people I play really dont gain much by footfaulting either. I just try to ignore it. Maybe if it was terribly blatant I might say something but I have only seen a few do it and most are not enough to worry about.

[bcaz]

A huge number of 4.0-4.5 club players foot-fault. No way you can call it in a match. You're standing 80 feet away, ready to receive? C'mon ... you can't call his baseline from there either, can you, and he knows that, so if he foot-faults, he may be hooking, too. You can only see it if you're a spectator. Then, it's amazing.

[Deuce]

I'd say it's even more than a huge number, bcaz. And, yes, it truly is amazing.

I have never been a footfaulter. But I do know some - and I've told them. They don't take it seriously. Sometimes, I'll let the ball bounce twice when I'm playing them, and just take the same approach that they take about their foot faulting "It's no big deal - it just bounced once more than it's supposed to - it's not like it bounced four times or anything."

As Marnix says, it is easy to correct - and so, I would say that those who have been told even once that they foot fault, and yet continue to offend, are either just playing for fun - without any sense of competition (they should really be hitting against a wall), or they are intentionally cheating.

[Cypo]

I'm witht drop shot on this - I've never had the feeling that the foot faulting really gave an opponent the advantage. I think that the spirit of the rule is obeyed in general. My trainings partner and I keep an eye on each other. Foot faults tend to creep in, and I when she tell me I'm foot faulting, I clear them out again.

[Cruzer]

The only time I have seen foot faults called is in tournaments when a lines person stops by the court. I have never called it on anyone and once when playing doubles I mentioned to my partner that one of our opponents was foot faulting and I thought we should call it he looked at me like I was nuts. There are several very good players at my club that foot fault so blatantly they get their entire foot in the court before they strike the ball and in a couple of cases before they have even tossed the ball up in the air. And they do it on EVERY serve. It seems that the overwhelming majority of the tennis playing public either don't know to look for foot faults, aren't sure what a foot fault is or most likely consider it an insignificant rules violation that would only generate acrimony between them and their opponents so they don't even bring it up. I don't know how one could call foot faults when playing singles unless you completely ignore the ball being served at you and concentrate on watching your opponent's feet but in doubles if you suspect your opponents to be foot faulting the partner of the receiver could easily watch the server's feet when they are serving. Nonetheless foot faulting is a rule and all violations should be called particularly in league and tournament play.

[jayserinos99]

I don't call foot faults although I've had a some called on me by opposing coaches and players and I don't even move my feet! One guy was so frustrated that I was beating him 6-2 4-0 in a league tournament his coach said I foot faulted! Other coaches stood up in my defense and just let me play on. Obviously this guy was trying some sportsmanship and that was just wrong.

[lendl lives]

there are a lot of footfaults where i play but now everyone does it. no one usually calls them in a match but there are a lot of comments from the peanut gallerey at times about certain players. one guy has this huge step into the court everytime. he knows it. i was pointing it out to my partner hoping he'd hear and get the point, sure enough he stepped back on the next service game.

[Max G.]

I know lots of club players footfault.

I have absolutely no clue whether I footfault or not - when I'm serving, I look up at the ball, not down at my feet. I think I don't - but I'm really not sure. Nobody's called me on anything, but that doesn't mean much - at this level, it just doesn't matter.

[10s247]

lots of people footfault. If they are not at a huge advantage don't call it, I find they are only called in doubles because it is too hard to tell in singles

[Bertchel Banks]

My tennis partner footfault all the time, as well as call good shots out. For the most part I think he's unaware of it.

I never foot fault. Before serving I look down at my feet, assume the perpendicular stance making sure my feet is behind the line, then I serve.

[10s247]

why does it matter if you footfault and you are a baseliner? I mean at the pros sure, but anywhere else the advantage is not great. I played a guy yesterday who obviously footfaulted on every serve, but that was not going to change the outcome.

[bcaz]

If you really think about the geometry involved in serving, even a few inches difference is HUGE. Why is the line there in the first place?

[AAAA]

Foot faulting is a rule infringement and the foot faulters who question the integrity of opponent line calls are IMHO a complete joke.

[Joeyg]

Sorry, but foot faulting is cheating. I am tired of people saying it doesn't make a difference if you stay on the baseline. What a crock! It does make a difference! The lines are there for a reason. I feel that anyone who is trying to justify their bad habits and cheating by saying it doesn't make a difference is doing the game and all the people who play by the rules a geat disservice. :!:

[orange223]

I always look at my feet to make sure I'm behind the line before I serve. As someone mentioned above, I've been in touranments too that an official has stopped by and called a foot-fault on my opponent.

[topspin]

Tennis is a game of precision and to foot fault is cheating. If you don't mind someone foot faulting, then you better not look too closely at line calls either. I've had ppl check to make sure I don't foot fault, even though I'm a baseliner. I just don't want to win by cheating.

I have called a foot fault a few times, once very recently. The guy was just overdoing it and he was coming to the net too. He realized it and didn't argue. After the match, he asked me to help him fix it.

I've seen crazy footfaults (like 1 meter in) at a big tournament by a tennis coach who used to play davis cup for Iran. That was crazy, and when the supervisor was called in, he started taking the serve 1 meter behind the baseline as if to show he was all proper. Of course he started losing again at this point and soon defaulted since he realized he couldn't win by playing fair. Awful stuff.

[bleach]

One that really bothers me (although I never call it) is when someone starts the serve from a foot faulting position. I played this guy the other day, that started his serve with his front on the middle stripe, and his back foot 2-3 feet on the opposite (illegal) side. If I wasn't keeping up with the score, I wouldn't have known which side he was serving from.

I'm with the one that say that foot faulting is cheat (maybe unknowingly). Sure it may only be a few inches, but do I get those few inches back on my return of serve? I would love it everyone would call foot faults regularly, maybe then it would stop being a problem....

Tim

[bruce]

At my level, 3.0/3.5, foot faults are almost certainly inadvertant, and due to poor ball tossing, and don't give a clear advantage, but at levels above this, it's inexcusable to foot fault. First, it cannot be inadvertant at that point; surely someone has pointed out the problem, and it's been ignored, and 2nd, because it's a treatable problem that some people just don't bother to fix, probably because it *does* give a slight advantage at higher levels -- what the pros do legally, hitting the ball while in the air and landing 2 feet into the court, those lacking in skill do by just stepping 2 feet in and then hitting the ball.

Personally, I think that foot faults should always be called and enforced, at every level.

[baseliner]

Tennis is a game of self policing integrity. If someone knowingly cheats (footfaults) they have issues. I once called a state ranked junior for a foot fault in a junior tournament. He told me no one ever called foot faults. On my next serve game I served from the service line instead of the baseline. He tried to stop me and I innocently protested I was only footfaulting and no one ever called foot faults. Bottom line, i don't call foot faults. I do like to play on clay, because I can feel the baseline and adjust if I feel myself touching the baseline.

[widebody 13]

I have played tennis for over thirty years and in that time, have run across many foot faulters. I have never called a fault when it occurred but if the fault was very blatant, I have mentioned it during a changeover. I find that most players realize your consideration in not making an issue of it during their service game and will make an effort to stop.

As for making sure that I do not foot fault, when I line up to serve, my front foot is just behind the line. As I start the service motion and my weight transfers to my back foot, my front foot slides back (very slightly) and becomes planted as I bend my knees, transfer my weight forward and launch into the ball. I never foot fault and never worry.

[ProStaffTour90]

I asked my coach once and he said you can't really call them, and it doesn't bother me usually because generally all it would be is a toe on the line, or maybe one off balnce serve where he's stepped onto court.

BUT i have played against one fella who was terrible, it wasn't just on a bad toss it looked as though he had honed the art of taking 2 or 3 steps forward and across EVERY serve, which meant that on Ad court he used to step onto the court but would also end up on the deuce side which really through me, i actually plucked up the courage to tell him but he just ignored me and treated me like the little kid that i was at the time and acted as though i had had inconvenienced him, he huffed and puffed and i got the impression that he thought i shouldn't be allowed to play men's tennis anyway, (part of the reason there are hardly any juniors playing tennis here, but that's another story)

[AndyC]

A foot fault is still a fault by tennis rules. I don't normally call them but in the club championship where there are spectators and my opponent is foot faulting I would mention it at the changeover to him/them and if it was still an issue I'd mention it to the tournament director and get someone posted to call it.

[aahala]

I happen to have a 1996 Rules of Tennis & Cases and Decisions booklet put out by the USTA. It's old but I imagine this quote, Rule 8, is still effective:

"USTA Comment:. . .
In a non-officiated match, the Receiver, or his partner, may call foot faults after all efforts(appeal to the server, request for an umpire, etc.) have failed and the foot faulting is so flagrant as to be clearly perceptible from the Receiver's side.
It is improper for any official to warn a player that he is in danger of having a foot fault called on him."

I have on one occassion warned an opponent prior to a 3.5 match that from watching him previously, he foot faulted, and if I thought it occurred in our match I might ask him to join in a request for a line judge. It was clear during the match he paid attention not to foot fault . In fact, he thanked me for mentioning this as he was totally unaware what he had been doing.

The only reason I cared or noticed, was he had been one of those foot and a half foot faulters. It's not all that uncommon at the 3.5-4.0 level, particularly in doubles for really obvious faulting to occur.

Of course, in an officiated match, it's improper to make any call whatsoever, except against yoursef.

[womackD]

I have a bad tendency to chase my flat serves into the court, thus foot faulting.. I don't have the same problem on Kick Serves. I have been called for it on two occasions:

1. The buddy of the guy I was playing kept calling "foot fault" from the peanut gallery.. Not just as a comment, but actually trying to officiate that match. Unfortunetly, it took me out of my game and it made me ease up on serves, constantly thinking about it.

2. Playing a mixed match. a very green 3.5 (closer to 3.0) female was playing up with her 4.0 male partner. I was intentionally taking pace off the serves and hitting kickers, to be cordial (i know, i shouldnt do it, but thats how i play). I was trying to be nice and she was still calling foot faults, from the very first serve (apparently it was part of their gamesmenship, as i later learned). However it soon ended, after i backed up two feet, hit the serve as hard as I could, and it hit in the box, then hit her in the shoulder.

Personally i believe you shouldnt call foot faults, especially at lower levels. 1. you cant really see their baseline from your vantage point. 2. calling foot faults always leads to tension between you and your opponent.

[bravestennis]

i played a kid that took a huge side step so that he was on the other side of the court (like he was going to serve to the other side) and used that angle to his advantage, i've seen him
do this all the time so i told him about it and fixed it. I'm sure he's been called on it before becuase he did put up a fight or anything. I don't really care if someone slips a few inches while hitting the serve if they don't take advantage of it.

[Phil]

Personally i believe you shouldnt call foot faults, especially at lower levels. 1. you cant really see their baseline from your vantage point. 2. calling foot faults always leads to tension between you and your opponent.

Personally, I don't think you should call "out" any serve that is obviously long, but only slightly, say six inches or so. Yeah, that makes sense...or just a little less so than your comment. If my opponent wants to create tension over HIS cheating, then that pretty much sums up what kind of player/person he is, and at least I know not to play him any more.

[ucd_ace]

I don't do it because it is cheating. It only bothers me (and I think this goes for most people) when my opponent does it in matches that I lose. It is cheating. If you foot fault, you're cheating. Don't get the idea that you're getting robbed sometime when you develop a conscious... even if it belongs to someone else.

[drakulie]

I won't call foot faults during a match (too busy keeping my eye on the ball). However, if I know of a player foot faulting from watching him play, and then I play him, I will remind him not to foot fault before the match starts. If I do notice that he is footfaulting during the match , then I will simply begin my service motion from about two feet in front of the baseline. At this point they will usually say something and I will remind them they have been doing the same thing the entire match. They usually get the hint.

After that, they are usually so focused on not footfaulting their serve goes straight to hell, and I get a ton of free points from double faults. But this situation rarely happens.

[Russiadude]

Personally, I am not a jackass so I do not call people on foot faults. In fact, there is one guy whose whole serve both 1st and 2nd are based on his feet moving about a foot into the court before the serve. However, these people start losing in district and sectional sanctioned tournaments because foor faults are called very often. Not to mention that if you lose to these people, you can always tell yourself who really won the match.

[Rocky Top]

Funny story: my doubles partner and I were recently winning a match even though one of our opponents was foot faulting by - I kid you not - at least 2 feet on every serve. It didn't really bother us much because the guy was having a bad day, and he kept laying in weak kickers which we were cramming down his gullet.

So anyway, my partner goes back to serve things out at 5-2 in the second, and as I look up I notice the uber-faulter holding up his hand.

Turning around, I see my boy not very far behind me. He is preparing to tee things up from the service line.

"What are you doing?!?"
"Serving."
"Hello - you need to stand behind the baseline for that."
"Exactly."

[drakulie]

Rocky, good story. I have actually seen that happen in a doubles match before. Man those old guys went at it.

[Zoroaster]

Ok this is my second year playing tennis, but I've never been on a team, never played in a tournament or anything, so I've never heard of foot-faulting. At first I thought it was just standing past the line while serving, but some of you make it sound like you can't cross it even after the serve (eg "jumping" past during/after serve). If it is just crossing the line, how can people do that? that's like hitting into the doubles part in a singles game and calling it fair?? weird...

Brad

[Verbal_Kint]

After the serve is fine, but you're not allowed to touch the line before or during your serve.

Marnix

[Cypo]

Isn't it that the server can't cross the baseline before they've made contact with the ball ?

[Verbal_Kint]

you can cross the baseline, but you have to be in the air for it to be legal AFAIK.

Marnix

[Cruzer]

After recently playing district playoffs where we won a set when the referee called a foot fault on our opponent when he was serving at set point I have been observing more people when they serve and I would estimate that foot faults could be called on over 50% of serves. Iin addition players are oblivious to the fact that they foot fault and if you call them on it they want to argue. My partner called a foot fault on a player in a USTA match a couple of weeks ago, after he had told him during a changeover that he was foot faulting on every first serve. A few games later he called him on it while was serving and the guy went ballistic. He started cursing and swearing, demanded a linesman and acted like an all round jerk. The whole foot faulting debate is almost a joke. From what I have observed over half the players do it and most of that group thinks it's a gamemanship tactic if they are called on it.

[mileslong]

i never call foot faults but in my league but there is one guy that is so bad that one time he hit me in the head with his racket when followed through with his serve.

[K!ck5w3rvE]

I played a guy in the final of a tournament and he stepped about a metre into the court. It was a minor tournament and so there were no umpires, but I won. You just have to not let it get to you.

[thejerk]

Yea if I'm only 5'7 and the little difference in distance would make alota difference to me. I can't stand sloppiness, especially when it can be construde as cheating.

[speedofpain88]

Just to respond to bcaz ... you're a little wrong about the geometry ... a couple inches on a 25m court don't make much difference. If it's really obvious or if it really does seem to be helping the player's serve then call it. On the other hand allowing say Pete or Tim to do something like this would lead to a foot or more advantage in getting to the net which I'm sure their opponents would never want.