Why do so many opponents call out when the ball strikes the line?

[kylebarendrick]

I played a doubles match against a strong team a few years ago. My partner was playing great and we were up a set and a break with my partner serving. I watched one of our opponents (the other was fine) make 4 bad line calls in that one game to take the break back in the second. Twice he called serves wide from all the way across the court, that I knew for a fact were in since I was right in front of them.

My partner crumbled after that game and we lost the 2nd set and were bageled in the 3rd. We could have gotten a line judge after that game and it wouldn't have mattered, since the damage was done and so was my partner.

[coloskier]

On most hard courts, there will be a mark left by the ball, just like clay. If they call it out, I say "show me the mark". If they can't, then I know one of two things. One, they are blind. Or two, they are deliberately hooking you. Unfortunately, where I play, it is usually the later, even so bad that anything within 3 inches of the line is called out. It comes down to this: If they are going to call tight lines, then you have to do the same. If they are blatant about it and there is no umpire available, then you have to make it clear to them that their line calling is unacceptable. You can usually tell by their reaction to your remark on whether they are doing it deliberately or not. If they are indignant about it, then it is deliberate, and, unfortunately, the only way to get them to stop is to call one of their shots that lands in the middle of the court out. That will usually stop it. You have to let them know that they can't get away with it and that you will do everything it takes to make sure it doesn't happen again. If he argues, then make the offer to him that everything that looks close will be considered "in". If he refuses, then he is absolutely trying to hook you.

[SystemicAnomaly]

Originally Posted by v205

If you are closest to the ball and you are not sure either way. Play it as IN.

NOPE, not really a good rule of thumb. Quite often, the player closest to the ball has the worst vantage point, not the best as many people assume. If you are too close to the bounce event, your eyes cannot track the ball accurately. In these situations, that player's partner often has a better vantage point. Even the opponents may have a better vantage point than a player that is too close to the ball.

Quite often a player is focused on either the ball or on an expected contact zone and not on the lines at all. Often, that person cannot make an accurate call.

On the other hand, if their eyes & head are still and they are focused on the line, they can make an accurate call but may be unable to make a clean contact, if needed. I spoke a lot about these matters on page 1 of this thread:

tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?p=3405131
.

[damazing]

I played a match recently where my opponent called every shot on the line out. He even called shots a few inches inside of the line out. I realized during the first set (that I won) that this was his strategy to try and hook me on the calls and also to upset me by a pattern of disrespectful things. (After the points are over on my serve, not hitting me the balls back but spraying them all over the court, quickly serving when I'm not in position etc...)

I don't know if these things worked on other people but I picked up my game and bageled him the second set. I'd love a rematch so I could double bagel him.

[Joeyg]

"Called every shot on the line out". How many shots of yours landed right on the line? You must be a pretty good player to have so many balls land there.

Personally, I only have a few land on the lines and I have been playing 4.5 and 5.0 league and tourneys for years.

[royer]

Originally Posted by OrangePower

Sorry you had a bad experience. In my USTA experience, this is very rare. I have found 99% of players to be more than fair.

Sure there are occasional bad line calls. But I think these are overwhelmingly honest mistakes rather than attempts to cheat. After all, even professional linespeople make mistakes, and they are trained, right on the line, not sweating, and not focusing on getting into position to hit the ball.

Also, sometimes you might see it in from your side on the court when in reality it was out, especially on the opposite baseline. I mean it's pretty far away, and you dont have a good angle to see it.

I am in complete agreement with OrangePower on this one. As others have stated, my USTA experiences in both league and tournament play have shown that most players are fair, and yes, even "more than fair."

As a spectator, I've seen far more players who play the "just long" ball on the baseline than I've seen players who call a shot "on" the baseline out. As a player, my experience is that most players will play a questionable ball rather than call it out. Always? No. But usually.

I see this a lot on serves that are just long. This is perhaps the most "missed" call in all of tennis. It's especially prevalent with a player who serves hard and fast. Of course playing an "out" serve can create problems as well, but for the purposes of this conversation, it serves as a good example of how most players will give their opponent the benefit of the doubt.

OrangePower is correct in this respect as well: The opponent's baseline is a long way from where you are, and determining whether or not your ball hit the baseline on the opposite side of the court is difficult at best, if not impossible.

I hit with lots of topspin. so my ball tend to dip quickly as it falls. Therefor a ball that looks (in the air) to be going long, often dips in. OFTEN, but not always. I've had many opponents "leave" a ball that appears to be on its way out only to end up hitting or catching the baseline concede the point as a good shot. This happens FAR more often than having such a player on such a shot call the ball out.

OrangePower is correct in this respect as well. Line judges stare at lines, and yet even they sometimes make poor calls. Calling lines while actually playing can sometimes be extremely trying. That's not an excuse for bad calls, it's just a fact. Again in my experience, most players give their opponents the benefit of the doubt.

To the original poster: We all know how infuriating it can be to have a good shot called out, so I can empathize with you there. BUT, maybe, just maybe, the shots are "just" out and the calls are good. "Just missing" a shot is nearly as infuriating, but the fault lies not with my opponent but rather with me.

And yes, as other have said, some players have poor eyesight. That sucks, but ... When it comes to outright cheaters, my experience has shown me that such players are VERY rare.

[Ronaldo]

When in doubt............call it out

[coloskier]

Originally Posted by Ronaldo

When in doubt............call it out

And if you do, prepare to get screwed.

[bulldawg]

Guy at my club calls it out before it hits the ground...the closer the shot, the louder he yells.

[Ronaldo]

Originally Posted by coloskier

And if you do, prepare to get screwed.

Over and over again. Can remember a player that never finished a match. Guys would just quit after some of his calls.