My thoughts on competitiveness

[omega4]

After reading a number of threads in this sub forum, I think I might be the only one who thinks that some players take their league tennis way too seriously.

I like to win in life as much as the next person. But with the exception of my job and career, it isn't like winning in league tennis is the end all be all of my existence.

I mean, it's not like we're playing in a million dollar tournament. So I think why don't more players lighten up and just have fun playing quality tennis?

[Joeyg]

Trust me, dude. You are not the only one out there.

[omega4]

Originally Posted by Joeyg

Trust me, dude. You are not the only one out there.

Thanks for the support.

And just to clarify in general, I have nothing against those who do take their league tennis extremely seriously. To each, their own.

For me, if I should catch someone blatantly cheating during a league match, I'll say something politely to the offender. However, I will NOT insist on replaying the point or making an incredibly big deal about it.

I'll just mention the offense just to let the cheater know that I'm not clueless as to what they're doing.

But as to inadvertent rules violations (e.g. foot faults), I'll let most of those slide as long as it doesn't happen on EVERY service point.

[IA-SteveB]

You are definitely not in the minority. Tennis has a very high percentage of strange people who are wound tightly. There are at least three people on five courts of my tennis league who I do not like playing with or against and I tend to like everyone. Some of these people I just let slide with their bad calls simply because I am there to have fun. Do I want to win and compete? Sure. I also don't want to get into it with a guy who is a cheeseburger short of a Happy Meal.

[omega4]

Originally Posted by IA-SteveB

You are definitely not in the minority. Tennis has a very high percentage of strange people who are wound tightly. There are at least three people on five courts of my tennis league who I do not like playing with or against and I tend to like everyone. Some of these people I just let slide with their bad calls simply because I am there to have fun. Do I want to win and compete? Sure. I also don't want to get into it with a guy who is a cheeseburger short of a Happy Meal.

I'm with you. As I don't have an pro tennis career aspirations (or delusions?), I'd much rather play with someone who is fun with a pleasant disposition than a great player who can't even crack a smile or manage to carry a conversation other than mumbling a few words.

The same goes for my playing golf. I find playing a round with a good natured, fun novice more preferable than with a great golfer with a personality of a stone. The latter type of player can make a 4 hour golf round seem like a 8 hour round.

[gameboy]

I am out there to get some exercise that is more interesting than a treadmill. It is also very social, which is a bonus. Winning a match is not important to me. I never argue about calls and I never get upset if my opponent is too good/bad.

I do want to play well and compete, but at a rec level, there are just so many players better than you, winning a lot only proves that you are avoiding players who are better than you. That is really nothing to brag about.

[fleabitten]

Originally Posted by omega4

I think I might be the only one who thinks that some players take their league tennis way too seriously.

Ummmm, right. Read a few more threads my friend.

[dizzlmcwizzl]

I think you will find most tennis folks (even on TT) are extremely generous and friendly on the court while in social situations. League tennis however is a small subset of most players court time.

I have played a lot of league tennis, but in some years league tennis has represented less than 5% of my court time for the year. I suspect that if a player gets 5-6 league matches per year, then these matches take a lot more importance make them a little more an@l retentive.

Personally, if it were the world according to DIZZ I would want teammates that were great to hang around and have fun with in non-league play. But once the league season begins and matches start getting recorded for posterity, I want someone who cares if they win or lose.

[dizzlmcwizzl]

Additionally I bet people who play 60-70 league matches per season are a lot less rigid in league tennis. They are there just to use league tennis as just a way to get matches.

[omega4]

Originally Posted by dizzlmcwizzl

I think you will find most tennis folks (even on TT) are extremely generous and friendly on the court while in social situations. League tennis however is a small subset of most players court time.

I have played a lot of league tennis, but in some years league tennis has represented less than 5% of my court time for the year. I suspect that if a player gets 5-6 league matches per year, then these matches take a lot more importance make them a little more an@l retentive.

Personally, if it were the world according to DIZZ I would want teammates that were great to hang around and have fun with in non-league play. But once the league season begins and matches start getting recorded for posterity, I want someone who cares if they win or lose.

I like this world of DIZZ. I also care about winning and losing when it matters.

I just don't think league tennis matters enough to me where I'd treat others poorly or be a jerk about it. It'd be different if I were playing in a tournament where millions of dollars in prize money was involved, but I'm not.

[SwankPeRFection]

No joke here... One time we played a team who had two short Asian guys who would constantly foot fault no matter what. It's how their service motion was. And the foot fault was in by a good 6 inches or so. I laughed at the match, which we lost, but told them that if they make it to state they'd lose their *** for all the foot faults their doing. They disagreed. Fast forward to the end of that season and them making it to state and losing every single match they played. Turns out, people were getting ticked with it during matches and called in officials to make the calls. Foot fault city.

[OrangePower]

Originally Posted by omega4

After reading a number of threads in this sub forum, I think I might be the only one who thinks that some players take their league tennis way too seriously.

You my friend are a prince among men. You are definitely the only one seeing as the rest of us on this forum are all just lowly cretins.

[IA-SteveB]

I was just thinking a little more about my league. Maybe all leagues are like this, but you play three sets and switch partners at each. Most wins moves up and least wins moves down with the other two staying on that particular court. There are people that have all of the game scores figured out and know exactly what they need to move up, stay, or God forbid move down a court. These guys will be the first ones to want to quit at 4-4 if a time limit is coming up because they have it figured out. For me, I never really care about any of that. At the end of the night, it's always a surprise to me whether I stay or move to a different court. Some guys take it personally if they move down and blame others. "Man, I hate playing with Eddie in the first set. He plays once a week and it takes him a set to warm up." Part of me wants to remark, "Man, I hate playing with YOU because you coach and whine. Let's get this done." I'm too nice for that. Haha

[omega4]

Originally Posted by SwankPeRFection

No joke here... One time we played a team who had two short Asian guys who would constantly foot fault no matter what. It's how their service motion was. And the foot fault was in by a good 6 inches or so. I laughed at the match, which we lost, but told them that if they make it to state they'd lose their *** for all the foot faults their doing. They disagreed. Fast forward to the end of that season and them making it to state and losing every single match they played. Turns out, people were getting ticked with it during matches and called in officials to make the calls. Foot fault city.

I would have done exactly what you did. It's a shame that those 2 players didn't have the grace to thank you for sharing your observations and also for not calling foot faults on them.

Originally Posted by OrangePower

You my friend are a prince among men. You are definitely the only one seeing as the rest of us on this forum are all just lowly cretins.

Ha ha. No, I'm also a lowly cretin but I don't get worked up over league tennis play (which I see as a good way to meet some great people over a fun sport).

Originally Posted by IA-SteveB

I was just thinking a little more about my league. Maybe all leagues are like this, but you play three sets and switch partners at each. Most wins moves up and least wins moves down with the other two staying on that particular court. There are people that have all of the game scores figured out and know exactly what they need to move up, stay, or God forbid move down a court. These guys will be the first ones to want to quit at 4-4 if a time limit is coming up because they have it figured out. For me, I never really care about any of that. At the end of the night, it's always a surprise to me whether I stay or move to a different court. Some guys take it personally if they move down and blame others. "Man, I hate playing with Eddie in the first set. He plays once a week and it takes him a set to warm up." Part of me wants to remark, "Man, I hate playing with YOU because you coach and whine. Let's get this done." I'm too nice for that. Haha

I feel exactly as you do. I wonder if players who are so intent on "gaming" the system are also the same ones who insist on splitting a meal check down to the penny (I just round to the nearest dollar or tens of dollars and offer to pay the greater amount if it's not an even split).

[Mongolmike]

Originally Posted by omega4

After reading a number of threads in this sub forum, I think I might be the only one who thinks that some players take their league tennis way too seriously.

I like to win in life as much as the next person. But with the exception of my job and career, it isn't like winning in league tennis is the end all be all of my existence.

I mean, it's not like we're playing in a million dollar tournament. So I think why don't more players lighten up and just have fun playing quality tennis?

Loser.






(just kidding.... lol!)

As I have posted in other threads, I like to interact, joke, make friends, make the right calls as best as I can.... (but don't mistake that for lack of desire to win)... I'm just by nature an friendly extrovert and that is reflected in my on-court demeanor.

Some doubles partners I've played with are all serious about stuff, with no friendly stuff allowed... so I dial it back, but I will still compliment opponents on great shots, hand them the balls on changeovers, etc... I just cut back on the joking or chit-chat.

What this does for me is I have a huge list of people I can call to play, or have no problem finding partners for tourneys, or often get invited to play or recruited to join leagues or club stuff. You reap what you sow.

[omega4]

Quote for truth.

Not the "loser" part LOL.

The rest of what you said!

Originally Posted by Mongolmike

Loser.






(just kidding.... lol!)

As I have posted in other threads, I like to interact, joke, make friends, make the right calls as best as I can.... (but don't mistake that for lack of desire to win)... I'm just by nature an friendly extrovert and that is reflected in my on-court demeanor.

Some doubles partners I've played with are all serious about stuff, with no friendly stuff allowed... so I dial it back, but I will still compliment opponents on great shots, hand them the balls on changeovers, etc... I just cut back on the joking or chit-chat.

What this does for me is I have a huge list of people I can call to play, or have no problem finding partners for tourneys, or often get invited to play or recruited to join leagues or club stuff. You reap what you sow.

[slowfox]

Originally Posted by SwankPeRFection

No joke here... One time we played a team who had two short Asian guys who would constantly foot fault no matter what. It's how their service motion was. And the foot fault was in by a good 6 inches or so. I laughed at the match, which we lost, but told them that if they make it to state they'd lose their *** for all the foot faults their doing. They disagreed. Fast forward to the end of that season and them making it to state and losing every single match they played. Turns out, people were getting ticked with it during matches and called in officials to make the calls. Foot fault city.

I can't stand foot faulters. And why do the culprits think it's no big deal? If foot faults are okay in a match, then might as well say balls slightly out are still in. Lines are there for a reason. Mini rant.

[Cindysphinx]

Let me splash cold water on this little love fest: Losing sucks a lot.

Or, more accurately, losing a lot sucks.

I was on a losing team as a 3.0 in 2006. We finished 0-11. We won two individual matches. By the end we looked like whipped puppies. It was no fun. If you lose all the time, you never get a rush, and it is dispiriting.

At that point, I decided to captain myself. We have had rough seasons, but we usually finish around the middle or better. I think our ability to be reasonably competitive is important. Folks don't want to lose all the time.

Sadly, I have friends who would like to join the team, but I do not want to take on people who are not competitive. They do not understand this, ("this is supposed to be for fun!") but it is more complicated than that.

[gameboy]

Cindy, all that says is that people on your team were playing at the wrong level.

"Competitiveness" has little meaning in an artificially stratified system like USTA tennis.

[omega4]

I think it depends on what's being lost, which will differ from person to person.

Losing a league match or tournament doesn't matter as much to me as losing at work in the corporate world or where money (e.g. prize money tournaments) is involved.

While I will enjoy winning in league matches to some extent, I enjoy meeting new people over a fun, friendly match of tennis even more. So from that perspective, I feel that I've already "won".

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Let me splash cold water on this little love fest: Losing sucks a lot.

Or, more accurately, losing a lot sucks.

I was on a losing team as a 3.0 in 2006. We finished 0-11. We won two individual matches. By the end we looked like whipped puppies. It was no fun. If you lose all the time, you never get a rush, and it is dispiriting.

At that point, I decided to captain myself. We have had rough seasons, but we usually finish around the middle or better. I think our ability to be reasonably competitive is important. Folks don't want to lose all the time.

Sadly, I have friends who would like to join the team, but I do not want to take on people who are not competitive. They do not understand this, ("this is supposed to be for fun!") but it is more complicated than that.