Dealing with idiots on public courts - Help!

[Tennisguy3000]

Where I live we are blessed to have a set of 17 nice courts to play on free of charge (6 are for lessons in the evening in the summer) and a great hitting wall .

There is a group of regulars that are usually yelling & screaming their heads off... well not just yelling, swearing. One guy in particular is the loudest & swears like a trucker after almost every miss or lost point.

After having multiple shanks & bad tosses due to a full out F#@K from behind me during my toss/hit (he was on the court behind me on the service line playing doubles, 15 feet or so away) I couldn't take it anymore... I turned & watched/waited until he tossed for his service & yelled F#@k as loud as I possibly could (which is pretty loud) & turned around lol... I had a chance to see his ball go flying (scared him I think then I heard his racquet hit the court & knew he was looking around to see who it was (quite a bit bigger than me but I can hold my own... I think lol).

After I serve my second serve & miss the return (because I am amped/****ed) I see he is still standing there & staring at me like he wants to kill me (long haired crazy looking dude haha). We had a lovely stare down for a bit & I went back to playing. Played like crap until my adrenaline flow slowed up a bit, balls here flying haha

So... what do you do in these situations on public courts? You can hear this guy five/10 courts over & he is always at it (I once told him to leave an Asian player alone as he started to get discriminatory/threatening). I told him I would call the police if he didn't stop harassing him on the court beside them (last year). I am sure he doesn't remember lol.

He gets mad if anyone even tries to cross the court from the side or back, of freaks when a ball goes in their court during their precious doubles match for millions) Luckily I have other places to play (indoors & outdoors) but my outdoor league plays there & they are beautiful courts right by the ocean, I will continue to play there.

I am no spring chicken & wasn't overly impressed with my method of handling it after the fact. In hindsight I could have just said... come on man... we are trying to play tennis here, ease off on the loud swearing please. But even then I have a feeling it would lead to a confrontation/possible fight (which my first method almost lead to as well... but it felt right for him to understand how distracting it is .

Thoughts/comments & suggestions appreciated.

Cheers ~ TG

P.S. I do play in indoor organized leagues as well. I have never had a problem with any players, that is not my MO

[acura9927]

I am put off by the swearing of the F word, this has happened at my tennis classes by men and women. I'm not saying I dont swear but leave it outside of class.

[gregor.b]

First you have to go the decent route, then try to stay really calm if he continues to be a tosser. You can't do a great deal about it, so try to be the bigger man ( so to speak).

Idiots abound on tennis courts unfortunately, so you probably need to stay as calm as possible when they are in your face.

It's not much, but all the help I can offer. Good luck.

[Sumo]

Did he do it anymore that day?

[JoelDali]

Most of the legendary 4.0s in Westchester can get quite animated and ****ed off if they sense they are getting bageled. Also, the Gay Lesbian league when they're playing on the same night as regular USTA can show passion for growing the game with murderous rampage. Some beastly chick got banned for on court fight last year. Dude got popped in the face. Bled all over other dude's 2010 Fed Miami Henley.

[Sid_Vicious]

Originally Posted by JoelDali

Most of the legendary 4.0s in Westchester can get quite animated and ****ed off if they sense they are getting bageled. Also, the Gay Lesbian league when they're playing on the same night as regular USTA can show passion for growing the game with murderous rampage. Some beastly chick got banned for on court fight last year. Dude got popped in the face. Bled all over other dude's 2009 Fed Miami Henley.

Don't you mean 2010?

[Tennisguy3000]

Originally Posted by Sumo

Did he do it anymore that day?

I would say that he lightened up & lessened the frequency... just to clarify this wasn't a league or club situation... just in the public courts. We didn't play much longer as it was getting dark (non lit courts).

He has been a loud obnoxious jerk on these courts for a while & feel that letting it continue would just be wrong. (He yelled/swore loudly with racial slurs at a woman that needed to get to the inner courts before our altercation.)

I am sure more events are to come, I am not going to allow him to abuse & threaten others on the court. I think asking him to please take it easy/calm down & if it gets heavy let him know that I will be reporting his action on these courts to the police (Threats/Harassment etc.)

Maybe that will help...

[Big_Dangerous]

I suppose you could have gone over and tried to be reasonable. Just say something like, "Dude everyone on these courts can hear you screaming obscenities on virtually every point. Please tone it down. If you have to, just mutter something like ****, ****, or balls under your breathe when you make an error. Why do you feel the need to scream at the top of your lungs? It's not going to help your play and it makes you look like an ***. Just have fun and play the ****ing game."

[Big_Dangerous]

Originally Posted by Sid_Vicious

Don't you mean 2010?

Lol, I love how he edited his post but didn't thank you for the correction.

Can you get blood out of a henley though?

[tenniscasey]

I'd make it about his whole group, not just him. Talk to them all at once as though they're as equally guilty as the worst offender. Hopefully that'll shame his buddies into coaxing him to lighten up.

If that fails, call the city and tell them someone's routinely being a public nuisance. There are consequences for that in most civilized places.

[Tennisguy3000]

Originally Posted by tenniscasey

I'd make it about his whole group, not just him. Talk to them all at once as though they're as equally guilty as the worst offender. Hopefully that'll shame his buddies into coaxing him to lighten up.

If that fails, call the city and tell them someone's routinely being a public nuisance. There are consequences for that in most civilized places.

Yep, you have it right. The one loud mouth is like the leader of their little pack & they all seem to follow along is some demented way.

I am definitely going to talk with him/them if it continues then I will be talking with the city/police. Its one thing to swear and yell on the courts but it is entirely a different thing to make racist remarks & threaten people. It ruining the greatest game on earth for many people who play there.

Thanks for the input

[tenniscasey]

Originally Posted by Tennisguy3000

Yep, you have it right. The one loud mouth is like the leader of their little pack & they all seem to follow along is some demented way.

I am definitely going to talk with him/them if it continues then I will be talking with the city/police. Its one thing to swear and yell on the courts but it is entirely a different thing to make racist remarks & threaten people. It ruining the greatest game on earth for many people who play there.

Thanks for the input

No problem.

For what it's worth, I'd keep my request to the yelling group nice and short: "Hey guys, please knock it off with the yelling, it's throwing off our game over here." Something like that. Then if/when they persist, you can go to the city and tell them you asked them nicely once.

I'm not big on making threats, nor giving warnings for things that are so obviously stupid they don't merit warnings.

[r2473]

I can't see this as winnable battle. Especially long term (this hydra has many heads).

I just choose to ignore these types myself, be it on the tennis court or anywhere else.

Good luck OP.

[KenC]

Unfortunately on public courts you will have to put up with the riff raff. Here in Italy in a town nearby there were 4 courts in a public park that were free and the people that played there pushed the limits of disgusting. Then a company was hired to manage the park and started charging a few Euros/hour and they all vanished, leaving just a few regulars, and I understand it is rather pleasant to play there now.

Evidently Free has its costs as you have found out. As one gets better it is always advantageous to play at tennis clubs where tennis etiquette is maintained. Besides the easier access to better players and tennis related services, not having to deal with situations like you described make it worthwhile.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

I would continually spray balls onto his court. It's a dick move but that's public courts for you. Tell him to go to a private club if he wants individual courts.

[JoelDali]

Originally Posted by Big_Dangerous

Lol, I love how he edited his post but didn't thank you for the correction.

Can you get blood out of a henley though?

U don't cair about me or the Henley.

[Big_Dangerous]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

I would continually spray balls onto his court. It's a dick move but that's public courts for you. Tell him to go to a private club if he wants individual courts.

I think that's a terrible idea.

I remember one time me and my friend were hitting around and I hit a ball onto the adjacent court. I waited for a minute or two while the guy next to me walked up. He picked up every single ball except the one I hit and just left it there. I really regret not walking up to him and saying something. It was one of the biggest dick moves I've ever seen on court.

[r2473]

Originally Posted by Big_Dangerous

It was one of the biggest dick moves I've ever seen on court.

This reminds me of the time I was playing mixed doubles against John Holmes.......

[Bobby Jr]

As a future measure you could ask the local council or whoever manages the courts to get some signs added which lay out the etiquette for playing there - including use of foul language etc..

It wont stop them now but it might make them heed a little more when they continue and have it pointed out to them.

[rommil]

Originally Posted by r2473

This reminds me of the time I was playing mixed doubles against John Holmes.......

What was the movie called?