How to respond to "What's your rating?"

[tennis tom]

Tell them you'll show them yours if they show you there's first.

[blakesq]

There is only one way to properly respond to such a question. Curl up into a ball on the ground, suck your thumb, and moan as if you are in pain. Do this for no less than 2 hours.

Originally Posted by Angle Queen

This weekend, partner and I played Line 1 in a 7.0MX match and won rather comfortably. After our handshake (which was cordial...as was the entire match), our male opponent asks the two of us..."So....what's your ratings?"

We must have looked completely confused and rather meekly answered that we're both 3.5s and went on about our way of watching the rest of our teammates.

Now that I've thought about it, why would he ask? Which one of us did he think was a 3.0?

Ok, I know, it's probably screwin' with my head a bit...but I don't think I've ever been asked that in a situation where it came completely out of the blue. (Beside, he could've looked it up on tennislink afterwards!).

[Mongolmike]

Just respond, "350 pounds". It'll be interesting to see their facial responses.

(Jerky Boys - Starter Motor Repair)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSM6pKyCpCo

[goober]

Originally Posted by equinox

Imho asker is trying to gather a basic level of info to make judgment if they should file a sandbag complaint.

Coming out of juniors, I hadn't played for over a year and was asked to emergency fill in for my former clubs C team. I borrow a stick and played imho an inconsistent shocker.

We won in three tight sets, but i made a critical error in last serving game.

I lost patience and upped the intensity, serving two big consecutive aces to finish off the match. Partner and opposition were like WTF, where was that all match..

So we have tea and nice cooked bbq, opposition starts digging with questions. Being young and happy to be playing again, I thoughtlessly spill to much background information (A res, Pen 5, Sect1 jr).

Week or two later, i heard we lost the points and win, the sore losers lodged a complaint.

I felt really bad. oth match was a sure team no show forfeit if i didn't play.

Wow these club matches are serious business. You barely won in 3 sets and they still filed a complaint?

Not surprised by anything though. I played in a USTA rec league which doesn't count for anything- not on tennislink, no playoffs, doesn't affect ratings. Even nonUSTA players who can have any rating are allowed to play. So the LC refers me a player for this rec league so I assume he is legit. He plays the captain of one of the teams with the most ringers and out of level players in the league and beats him. He whines and files a complaint even though the league doesn't really count for anything or mean anything. Funny thing is he has probably 5 players on his team that are better than the player he lost to but he will still complain.

[g4driver]

"Multiengine and Single-Engine Land, Instrument with Private Privileges"

[TomT]

Originally Posted by Angle Queen

This weekend, partner and I played Line 1 in a 7.0MX match and won rather comfortably. After our handshake (which was cordial...as was the entire match), our male opponent asks the two of us..."So....what's your ratings?"

We must have looked completely confused and rather meekly answered that we're both 3.5s and went on about our way of watching the rest of our teammates.

Now that I've thought about it, why would he ask? Which one of us did he think was a 3.0?

Ok, I know, it's probably screwin' with my head a bit...but I don't think I've ever been asked that in a situation where it came completely out of the blue. (Beside, he could've looked it up on tennislink afterwards!).

I don't play doubles, but I've had a few players ask me what my NTRP rating is. According to the guidelines, I self-rated myself at 3.0, which has turned out to be pretty accurate for our non-USTA league.

I play in a non-USTA league where everybody is self-rated at the start, and then ratings are adjusted up or down depending on performance-- and it seems to be pretty accurate. The 3.5 guys beat the 3.0 guys, the 4.0 guys beat the 3.5 guys ... consistently.

So, wrt the thread question, when people ask my NTRP rating then I tell them 3.0.

Today I hit with a guy who said he was a 5.0 (back in the day, a former college player, but who knows). Nice strokes, but really not much different from mine. We had a nice hitting session. That is, I hit with him at a certain level, and really have no idea how much he might be able to turn it up.

Regarding people who have solid stroke production then I think that there are basically two things that separate them ... movement (speed, quickness) and thinking (ie., mental toughness). At the low amateur level that I play on, the difference is often just the quality of stroke production. Most 3.0 players simply don't have good groundstrokes or serving motions. 3.5 players are usually markedly better in this regard, but inconsistent and mentally challenged. 4.0 players typically have solid stroke and serve mechanics with, nevertheless, readily identifiable weaknesses that a tough solid player can take advantage of. Above that, I don't know. I suppose that everything just gets a lot faster and more accurate as the ratings increase.

Anyway, I thought your consideration was a little bit interesting. I wouldn't give a second thought to why somebody asked about my NTRP rating. I just tell them what I think it is at the moment. I've had people tell me that my rating should be higher, but then I remind them that I lose to 3.0 players occasionally, 3.5 players a lot, and haven't beaten a 4.0 since returning to tennis a few months ago.

[emilyhex]

It depends on if I'm having a good hair day

[TeflonTom]

Originally Posted by beernutz

"Why do you ask?"

that just makes you seem either weird or rude

do u get equally defensive about all smalltalk in this manner?

i am not sure why ppl are so het up about this question. its not like its a state secret, let alone difficult 2 answer.