Can talking too much during points and changeovers....

Oldracquet27 · 10-26-2009, 05:47 PM

affect your game. I am asking because i played this opponent who talked sooo much between points and in the court that it was insane. She did not say anything bad, she just acted like she was the NICEST girl on earth, and then i started thinking that itwas her strategy to put my mind out of the game. She will praise everything i do, she would say "i am sorry" if i miss my serve with a double fault, " Oh that was luck" if i miss an easy shot... and talk about everything else, family, job, kids, how well i look in my skirt, yada, yada,yada, and the funny thing is that i think she cheated in some close balls in the lines! . Something like that did happen to you?

Casey10s · 10-26-2009, 06:51 PM

For some people, this is a form of gamesmanship. I used to play this guy in a league who would chat you up if you were doing well to intentionally throw off your game by distracting you and leaving you get cooled down. If he was doing well, he had no time to chat.

Either this lady is very friendly, which can be possible, or she is playing a sly game. Check around to see how competitive she is. If she is competitive, she is messing with you.

Oldracquet27 · 10-26-2009, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casey10s

For some people, this is a form of gamesmanship. I used to play this guy in a league who would chat you up if you were doing well to intentionally throw off your game by distracting you and leaving you get cooled down. If he was doing well, he had no time to chat.

Either this lady is very friendly, which can be possible, or she is playing a sly game. Check around to see how competitive she is. If she is competitive, she is messing with you.

SHe is very competitive, after she lost , she was very disturbed and saying all kind of excuses, i did not eat, i fell apart, etc , etc, she stopped being nice and smiling automatically, she did not congratulate me at all... it is not that she was rude either, but i am almost positive that it is a sort of gamesmanship from her.

Cindysphinx · 10-27-2009, 03:43 AM

Simply choose not to engage.

I often put my stuff far away from their stuff when we first get started. If I need some space later, no problem. If I don't, I can always chat with the opponent by moving to where they are, etc.

If they are shouting stuff across the net during games, it easy enough to tune out if it bothers you. Just don't reply and go about your business.

mikeler · 10-27-2009, 04:12 AM

I had this guy kick my butt in a juniors tournament. He was just talking like crazy during the changeovers which was irritating because he was beating me so bad. I almost asked him if I could just have some quiet time, but I genuinely thought he was just being friendly. This kid did not need gamesmanship to beat me.

Back to your situation. I'd just politely say that I'm not trying to be rude, but I find it really hard to play well if I can't think about my game during the changeovers.

drakulie · 10-27-2009, 05:03 AM

I hate talking between points, change overs, or when drilling. blah...........<<just hit the damn ball>>

Rabbit · 10-27-2009, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldracquet27

SHe is very competitive, after she lost , she was very disturbed and saying all kind of excuses, i did not eat, i fell apart, etc , etc, she stopped being nice and smiling automatically, she did not congratulate me at all... it is not that she was rude either, but i am almost positive that it is a sort of gamesmanship from her.

She may just be a space cadet. Choose to not let it bother you or get to you. Whenever she says anything, just smile...if you can banter without it affecting you, have fun and give her some crap without her knowing it. For example, I routinely play a guy who always calls the score 3 or 4 times between points....if he's ahead. When I start winning, and invariably with this guy I do, I'll ask him what the score is....

There are also those who grunt very loudly on everything. I'll throw in a grunt on a drop shot.

If it does affect you, try to minimalize it. Dollar to a doughnut says she'll talk to herself if you don't join in. Have fun and don't let that kind of stuff bother you.

That's one thing I've seen about the pros. If there is something about their opponent that bothers them, they don't let on. Don't show them that it bothers you. Chances are, if they don't think it does, they'll stop because it just isn't worth the effort for them. When asked who bother him the most, Ilie Nastase replied quickly "Stan Smith." When asked why, he said "because nothing I do bothers him."

catfish · 10-27-2009, 06:05 AM

Some people talk excessively as a form of gamesmanship, but others do it because they talk a lot in general. The most important thing you can do is not let it bother you or affect you. The hardest thing to learn in tennis is how to NOT let things bother you. I know some people that have great strokes and a lot of tennis talent, but they often lose their cool and lose matches because everything bothers them. If someone talks too much, tell yourself that they are being friendly and go with it. If you start thinking that they are trying gamesmanship and trying to get in your head, then you are probably losing focus. And of course, their tactic is successful if you lose focus and spend most of the match worrying about why they are talking so much.

Oldracquet27 · 10-27-2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catfish

Some people talk excessively as a form of gamesmanship, but others do it because they talk a lot in general. The most important thing you can do is not let it bother you or affect you. The hardest thing to learn in tennis is how to NOT let things bother you. I know some people that have great strokes and a lot of tennis talent, but they often lose their cool and lose matches because everything bothers them. If someone talks too much, tell yourself that they are being friendly and go with it. If you start thinking that they are trying gamesmanship and trying to get in your head, then you are probably losing focus. And of course, their tactic is successful if you lose focus and spend most of the match worrying about why they are talking so much.

Yes, i know how the game works, do not let them know they are bothering you, i did good with that , i never mention anything to her, but the truth is that she really did, i mean she was talking inside and out the court a lot!!!!!, how can you focus on a good toss like that? or what is going to be your next strategy? or having some quiet time after the point is over, to figure out how you lost it or won it? It was a lot of talking! I lost the first set very fast, which is not normal since her level and mine are more or less the same. I could put it together at the end luckyly.

mikeler · 10-27-2009, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldracquet27

Yes, i know how the game works, do not let them know they are bothering you, i did good with that , i never mention anything to her, but the truth is that she really did, i mean she was talking inside and out the court a lot!!!!!, how can you focus on a good toss like that? or what is going to be your next strategy? or having some quiet time after the point is over, to figure out how you lost it or won it? It was a lot of talking! I lost the first set very fast, which is not normal since her level and mine are more or less the same. I could put it together at the end luckyly.

Talking every now and then between points is OK, but certainly not every point. I hope that is not what this person was doing especially during your service toss.

chalkflewup · 10-28-2009, 12:37 AM

If you are there for some competitive fun and Chatty Kathy's antics take the fun out of it, then don't take the Stan Smith approach. If you don't speak up the nonsense will continue.

10-26-2009, 05:47 PM	#1
Oldracquet27 Rookie Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 189	Can talking too much during points and changeovers.... affect your game. I am asking because i played this opponent who talked sooo much between points and in the court that it was insane. She did not say anything bad, she just acted like she was the NICEST girl on earth, and then i started thinking that itwas her strategy to put my mind out of the game. She will praise everything i do, she would say "i am sorry" if i miss my serve with a double fault, " Oh that was luck" if i miss an easy shot... and talk about everything else, family, job, kids, how well i look in my skirt, yada, yada,yada, and the funny thing is that i think she cheated in some close balls in the lines! . Something like that did happen to you? Last edited by Oldracquet27 : 10-26-2009 at 05:50 PM.

10-27-2009, 03:43 AM	#4
Cindysphinx G.O.A.T. Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 14,191	Simply choose not to engage. I often put my stuff far away from their stuff when we first get started. If I need some space later, no problem. If I don't, I can always chat with the opponent by moving to where they are, etc. If they are shouting stuff across the net during games, it easy enough to tune out if it bothers you. Just don't reply and go about your business. __________________ -- Random Error Generator, Version 4.0 -- Master Moonballer

10-27-2009, 05:03 AM	#6
drakulie Talk Tennis Guru Join Date: May 2004 Location: FT. Lauderdale, Florida Posts: 23,911	I hate talking between points, change overs, or when drilling. blah...........<<just hit the damn ball>> __________________ Head Stringer @ the LTC, Babolat Star 4 Stringer http://www.youtube.com/user/drakulie

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