On Which Side Do You Err?

[dlk]

For me, I'm so focused on the ball, if I do not believe it's going to be out when it's clearing the net, I'm playing it; so rarely do I watch & wait for it to land in or out without making a play. There has been many times where after-the-fact (actually returning it) I realized the ball was out but I returned it a split second before, as my vision was intitally on the ball, then oges to the line.
I think it evens out, though. Especially if your opponent realizes your not a mizer.

[MrCLEAN]

If I have to think about it, it's good.

It turns out that I'm generous. In my matches, I'll see a close ball, and play it, but when I check the mark after the point, it will be 1 or 2 inches out. Happens at least once or twice in every match.

[wings56]

it all depends. generally, on the side of generosity. but, if the opponent is less than generous then i will typically shift my calls the other direction.

[LuckyR]

Originally Posted by TimothyO

Here's a related question: if faced with a stingy opponent do you change your placement and hit away from the lines, especially on serve?

Nope. Luckily, that is a very rare problem but in those rare cases, I don't change my play. I change a lot of other things, but not my tennis.

[user92626]

This is tricky. The level of generosity or stinginess really depends on the game's competitiveness. Look at professional level, they argue and fight for every littlest thing, let a lone a whole point lose.

[TimothyO]

Here's yet another related and sticky issue.

A few times I've been so focused on a ball that, while clearly out according to my opponent, I still played it. This usually happens to me when facing a much better opponent hitting with pace.

While the official rule is that the opponent is supposed to keep playing it as it's my call a few times the ball was "obviously" out to the opponent and he stopped playing. In each case I offered to re-play the point but noted that in the future they should just keep playing since it simply means I didn't see the ball land out.

Anyone else experince that "problem"?

[SweetH2O]

Originally Posted by TimothyO

Anyone else experince that "problem"?

That should only be a problem on the first serve. Otherwise I'd tell my opponent that they're allowed to call their own shots out if it's that obvious. I don't know why they'd have a problem with you playing a ball that was out since it does nothing to hurt them. I certainly wouldn't replay the point - they admit to having hit the ball out.

If I play a first serve that they thought was obviously out, with friendly opponent(s), I will tell them to take another first serve. If the opponent(s) are not so nice, I'll just tell them that it's my call and I do the best I can with my calls.

[chatt_town]

I'm pretty generous unless you start hooking me then you get no close calls. You aren't going to get mine and your line calls. What I don't do is argue line calls. I can pretty much tell if you are hooking me or just missing calls.

Originally Posted by TimothyO

When calling close shots on your side of the court do you err on the side of generosity or stinginess?

I've noticed that some players, when not 100% certain of a shot, will unhesitatingly call their opponent's shot in. (That's me.)

Others, even when hemming and hawing as to whether or not a shot was in, will call the shot out.

I ask this because last night while practicing with my team there were a number of close shots as usual. I noticed that a few of us consistently called close shots in favor of an opponent and, if uncertain in any way, immediately called the shot in favor of an opponent. One woman (mixed doubles), after a long pause, finally said of one shot, "I guess it was out". Another said of a close shot, "On Sunday I would have called that out".

So, on which side do you err when not certain of a shot?

[KoaUka]

When in doubt, call it out!
Jk .
In singles I find myself playing anything close to the lines. In doubles, you have an extra set of eyes out there, I'll usually rely on my partner if they have a better angle on it.

That being said, if your opponent hits a great shot and it's close, you gotta give it to them no?

[MrCLEAN]

Originally Posted by TimothyO

Anyone else experince that "problem"?

Yes. Maybe not every match, for for some reason, there always seems to be one call that I totally miss (in their favor). Many times on a serve that's long that's just a blur to me.

[TimothyO]

That should only be a problem on the first serve. Otherwise I'd tell my opponent that they're allowed to call their own shots out if it's that obvious. I don't know why they'd have a problem with you playing a ball that was out since it does nothing to hurt them. I certainly wouldn't replay the point - they admit to having hit the ball out.

Yes, it's on first serve. Should have been more clear.

[Larrysümmers]

Originally Posted by Maui19

I call it like I see it. If I don't see it, I call it in. If it is too close to be sure, it is in.

That said, I think I do a crappy job of calling the baseline sometimes.

this is what i do. if they are unhappy with the call, well so sorry i saw what i saw

[BravoRed691]

I thought the rule of thumb is " if there is doubt, call it out"?..i mean in! lol

When i read err..i think some sort of doubt may be involved and therefore you always give it to your opponents..hopefully they do they same

Br

[gregor.b]

Originally Posted by TimothyO

When calling close shots on your side of the court do you err on the side of generosity or stinginess?

I've noticed that some players, when not 100% certain of a shot, will unhesitatingly call their opponent's shot in. (That's me.)

Others, even when hemming and hawing as to whether or not a shot was in, will call the shot out.

I ask this because last night while practicing with my team there were a number of close shots as usual. I noticed that a few of us consistently called close shots in favor of an opponent and, if uncertain in any way, immediately called the shot in favor of an opponent. One woman (mixed doubles), after a long pause, finally said of one shot, "I guess it was out". Another said of a close shot, "On Sunday I would have called that out".

So, on which side do you err when not certain of a shot?

If I am not sure,I gotta call it in. Just the way I roll,it is a game after all and you gotta pay credit where it is due for a good shot.

[tennis-player]

Recently, I played a match where my opponent called every.single.line.shot.out. I mean I could clearly see I was on the line, but all I heard was "long"...."wide"..."out"... I joked couple times "chase review please". It was very frustrating to say the least.

So, I agree with others - while sometimes it's hard to see if it was in or out, I always give it to the opponent. Unless opponent is like the one I described above...

[storypeddler]

By rule, a player has to be certain a ball is out to make an out call. If there is a question as to whether it was in or out, you HAVE to give the point to your opponent---by rule, at least. Not that all players do that. LOL. However, that doesn;t mean a ball has to be out by a foot and leave a glaring mark to be out. If you clearly saw the ball out, you should call it out. If you are playing doubles and you and your partner disagree on the call, you give the benefit of the doubt to your opponents and give the point away. If you are out of position to get a good look at the ball landing, you can certainly defer to your partner if he/she has a certain call. I think the point of the whole thing is to make honest and fair play the standard by which any and all line calls are made. I know for a fact I give away a lot more points than I get on line calls, but I would much rather do that than take points I probably don't deserve. I figure it tends to even out over the long haul, and if I play 2 or 3 out balls and end up losing the match, it was my own fault for allowing it to stay so close as to come down to that.

[Mauvaise]

Originally Posted by HunterST

There have been occasions, though, when I call a ball out with 100% confidence, then have doubts and don't back out. I don't feel too bad about it, though.

I think we all second guess close out calls. More than once I've called a ball out and a moment or two later corrected myself and conceded the point. It's like I did my own little Hawkeye review in my head and realize I messed up.

Other times I am sure it was out and stand by my call and I still spend half the next point with a slight pressing thought in the back of my head of "was that out?" But I have to let it go because I know I wasn't hooking and if it was a bad call, then we all also make those once in a while as they are occasionally made against us.

But I also know I've been given a generous call in my favor and I've been known to thank my opponent for said call.

What irritates me is when I'm playing an opponent who will will hem & haw after a close line ball they missed trying to decide if it was in or out. Make the damn call immediately - trust your gut. If you have to spend 10-20 seconds standing around the line (hard courts) deciding: the ball is good.

I also will overrule my partner and expect them to do the same for me. I just worry sometimes that my opponents think I'm cheating when I'm receiving and I don't call a serve long and instead return it while my partner calls the fault. For whatever reason, when I'm returning serve (or otherwise actively hitting the ball) I have trouble calling things close - I'm too busy watching the ball to watch where the ball lands, if that makes sense.

[user92626]

Originally Posted by Maui19 :

I call it like I see it. If I don't see it, I call it in. If it is too close to be sure, it is in.

That said, I think I do a crappy job of calling the baseline sometimes.

Originally Posted by Larrysümmers

this is what i do. if they are unhappy with the call, well so sorry i saw what i saw

There's nothing generous or sportmanship about that. Every player would say they do the same thing!

On other hand, I call it as I see it but if I see my opponent slightly passionately defending his view, I will not hesistate to offer a replay. That's alot more than many people sticking hard to their own view.

[PrinceMoron]

Good practice is to be in position to hit before you call it. See if you can go a whole match without having to call a shot that is past you.

[blip]

What do you guys think about the net guy calling shots out when they don't have the best view. Example baseline calls or even calls on the other side?

I know sometimes the hitter can't tell but come on you don't have the best view.

I just go with whatever the opponents call. It's up to me to not make it where they can call it out.