Should you work on dealing with disruption/gamesmanship

[Coach Chad]

The antics of folks who try to gain an advantage on me by behaving badly do not bother me. Exception: when someone starts making obvious bad calls to win. I am not talking about the occaisional questionable call...I'm talking about having to hit the ball a foot inside the lines, or else it's out! My solution: return the favor, and tell them that they can expect to have the same zone that they are giving me. If this does not work, you have two options: 1) quit the match on the spot. 2) finish the tainted match and do not play that individual again.

[tennis tom]

Originally Posted by anantak2k

I really can't be letting stuff like that bother me so much and just focus on my game but I have been finding it ridiculously difficult to do. In my mind I am always thinking this is just a 4.5 match, people are supposed to be playing to enjoy the game and improve. It's not like we are pros playing for money... I just can't seem to understand the need to win at any cost at this level.

If the guy calls your lob long and he didn't even turn around to see it, you're in for a long day on the court. Get your cell phone out and make an appointment with your shrink right-off. Or pack your bag, shake his hand and say you forgot you had to pick-up the laundry and walk-off. Things are not going to get any better--you will not be playing tennis this day, that's for sure.

What kind of match is this? If it's a non-sanctioned match, that doesn't count towards a ranking, then it's just for practice or recreation. If it's a tournament, you call for an official to stand by the net post and observe which will usually stop the antics. Although sometimes the perp will call out the official too--not good for the guys file in the long run--tournament officials talk to each other too and they'll keep an extra eye out for him, the tournament world is not that big.

If it's a league match you get a captain to complain to and file a grievance with the league. If it's rec, or some computer dating match, explain the rules to the perp--that he has 20 seconds between points and 90 on the change-overs. Start monitoring with your watch and call "TIME". Give him the required warnings and then take the point. Play by the rules just as if there was an umpire--call them yourself--but you must know what the rules are!

I sometimes call code violations on myself just for grins, when I curse or throw my racket. I'll call "TIME" on myself if I get into a long-winded story on the change-over and finish it on the next one. Officiate your match as if you were the chair-umpire.

Get in his head like he is getting into yours--compete at it--get into his head better! If he's cheating, cheat better! After all this is NO LONGER TENNIS, but something else-- Make Darwin proud!

[Orange]

A club in my area has players who frequently practice gamesmanship. One team was caught receiving coaching by texting. What these players must be unaware of is the fact that they are a frequent topic of conversation among other teams.

[Cindysphinx]

Originally Posted by Orange

A club in my area has players who frequently practice gamesmanship. One team was caught receiving coaching by texting. What these players must be unaware of is the fact that they are a frequent topic of conversation among other teams.

Ah, coaching.

I was playing a league match, and my teammates were playing on the neighboring court. One opponent started struggling with her shots, and she was getting frustrated. On a changeover, her teammate on the next court said something like, "Debbie, just relax. You're not following through. Just focus and finish over your shoulder." Blatant coaching, while I am standing right there listening.

So I broke in and cheerfully said, "Hey, I'm not getting as much topspin as I would like on my shots. Do you have any pointers for me too?"

That ended the little coaching conference.

[corbind]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

So I broke in and cheerfully said, "Hey, I'm not getting as much topspin as I would like on my shots. Do you have any pointers for me too?"

That ended the little coaching conference.

Clever way of ending it