Odd observation....can any one comment?

[ps2dcgba]

I was watching a youtube video between USC and UCLA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9Qwgz9bTeo&feature=plcp

Look at 11:02 the guy who is serving hits a serve, the ball hits the top of the net, the ball drops in...and the receiver runs it and returns the ball and the point is being played.....I am not from the US, and was wondering if anyone could enlighten me, it looks it be a very high level tennis match.

[Clemson_tennis]

In mens college tennis they play lets. This is because many players started to call phantom lets so this just eliminates the issue. I am not sure which year that this was established.

[floridatennisdude]

Originally Posted by ps2dcgba

I was watching a youtube video between USC and UCLA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9Qwgz9bTeo&feature=plcp

Look at 11:02 the guy who is serving hits a serve, the ball hits the top of the net, the ball drops in...and the receiver runs it and returns the ball and the point is being played.....I am not from the US, and was wondering if anyone could enlighten me, it looks it be a very high level tennis match.

Cheating was so bad that all D1 men's matches play lets on serves. Players used to get aced and they'd call a let. I wish this was just the way tennis was played everywhere. We play net cords on any other shot, why not off the serve?

[corbind]

Originally Posted by Clemson_tennis

In mens college tennis they play lets. This is because many players started to call phantom lets so this just eliminates the issue. I am not sure which year that this was established.

Wow! Someone has to research when that rule came into effect.

[tennisjon]

The one issue I have with playing lets is that home teams have a much better understanding of how the ball plays off the net on the serve. You loosen the net and you know the ball will die. Tight nets and it will come to the returner more. It may take several "lets" until the away player knows how that net will react when the ball hits it.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by tennisjon

The one issue I have with playing lets is that home teams have a much better understanding of how the ball plays off the net on the serve. You loosen the net and you know the ball will die. Tight nets and it will come to the returner more. It may take several "lets" until the away player knows how that net will react when the ball hits it.

That's why they call it home court advantage.

I never would have thought about that before you brought it up.

[floridatennisdude]

Originally Posted by corbind

Wow! Someone has to research when that rule came into effect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serve_(tennis)#References

......1999

[JLyon]

Only D1 Men play no lets.
I do wish it was uniform for all D1 and D2 matches Men and Women. Yes it throw in some luck, but at same time add some excitement and occasional luck

[floridatennisdude]

Originally Posted by tennisjon

The one issue I have with playing lets is that home teams have a much better understanding of how the ball plays off the net on the serve. You loosen the net and you know the ball will die. Tight nets and it will come to the returner more. It may take several "lets" until the away player knows how that net will react when the ball hits it.

Curious from a coaches perspective...how is it drastically different than a net cord on a normal shot? I can't wrap my head around the difference of a serve or say...an approach shot. Or even a volley or overhead. I get that a ground stroke travels slower than a typical serve and there is more time.

[tennisjon]

What is different is your positioning and footwork that exists during the point. It is very different on return of serve. You have much less context as to the direction the ball will be traveling off the racquet of your opponent. All of a sudden a ball that you are expecting to slice out wide to your forehand drops 3 feet from the net on your backhand. Obviously this happens during the point too, but your body is usually in better position to make adjustments.

[Wuppy]

wow, that's frickin sad. Cheating was so egregious and widespread they had to change the rules across all NCAA D1 schools? I blame coaches for that, ain't no way that's gonna fly unless coaches are telling players to do it.

[corbind]

Originally Posted by floridatennisdude

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serve_(tennis)#References

......1999

Thank you for the help on the issue!

Originally Posted by Wuppy

wow, that's frickin sad. Cheating was so egregious and widespread they had to change the rules across all NCAA D1 schools? I blame coaches for that, ain't no way that's gonna fly unless coaches are telling players to do it.

Agreed. It's sad they want to win SO bad that they'll lie about calls.

Originally Posted by tennisjon

The one issue I have with playing lets is that home teams have a much better understanding of how the ball plays off the net on the serve. You loosen the net and you know the ball will die. Tight nets and it will come to the returner more. It may take several "lets" until the away player knows how that net will react when the ball hits it.

As a coach do you personally see to it that the net height and tension are proper? I know it's 36" at the center and I do adjust nets to that if I can tell it's clearly off by 2" or so. I also get out my ratchet and crank the nets to get them taught. I want all balls hitting the top of the net to fly up instead of just dying a quick death.

Is there a "standard" tension used for college teams or anywhere?

[tennisjon]

As a coach do you personally see to it that the net height and tension are proper? I know it's 36" at the center and I do adjust nets to that if I can tell it's clearly off by 2" or so. I also get out my ratchet and crank the nets to get them taught. I want all balls hitting the top of the net to fly up instead of just dying a quick death.

Is there a "standard" tension used for college teams or anywhere?[/quote]

No, there is no way to measure a standard tension. The officials measure the nets and put the singles sticks in before each match, so that part is uniform, but tension is not.

In theory, I could know that my player is playing someone who is slow or not good at the net and make the net tension soft so that the opponent is forced to move up to net quickly.

[The Wreck]

While I see your point about the home team knowing how the net cords react, I don't see that being any sort of advantage.

A loose net where serves just dribble over will almost always be an advantage for the server. A tight net will usually give serves that pop up and sit there for returners to attack, giving them an advantage.

[doubleshack]

Originally Posted by corbind

Is there a "standard" tension used for college teams or anywhere?

From the Friend at Court:

USTA Comment 1.1: How do you tighten the net to the proper tension?
First, loosen the center strap. Next, tighten the net cord until the center of the
net is approximately 40 inches above the ground. Finally, tighten the center
strap until the center of the net is 36 inches above the ground. These
measurements should always be made before the day’s first match and when
possible before each match.

[volstennis]

The TNT Gauge (Tennis Netcord Tension Gauge) is being used on all the courts at NCAAs in Athens this year. It measures/regulates net tension, so you can assume it'll be similar across all courts.

TNT Gauge site