Calling out the score
- Thread starter Volkl warrior
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Cashman
Hall of Fame
I admit I am pretty rubbish at this. It's not because I'm too cool or anything - I just get a bit wrapped up in my own head whilst serving and forget to do it.
I have been trying to build it into my pre-serve routine so that it becomes automatic. But I still often find myself getting to 30-30 or 40-0 and realising I haven't called the score since the beginning of the game.
Most of the time it doesn't matter too much. But occasionally I play against someone who doesn't keep track of the score well in their own head, and they can (quite rightly) get a bit skeptical when I suddenly announce I have game point. It definitely makes things a lot easier if you are calling the score regularly.
I have been trying to build it into my pre-serve routine so that it becomes automatic. But I still often find myself getting to 30-30 or 40-0 and realising I haven't called the score since the beginning of the game.
Most of the time it doesn't matter too much. But occasionally I play against someone who doesn't keep track of the score well in their own head, and they can (quite rightly) get a bit skeptical when I suddenly announce I have game point. It definitely makes things a lot easier if you are calling the score regularly.
I have seen better. Not calling the score at all when down 15-40 and then winning the next point and walking off the court.
Most 4.5 I play against consistently call the score, but seems like 5.0 and above almost consistently don't. Not sure why, but I also think they find it annoying and uncool to call it per point, then I enjoy asking before the points to interrupt their flow. (but not like mid-toss or anything, just closer to when they step to the line).
First off, this is some powerful necromancy resurrecting a thread dead for 10 years.
I call out the score when I serve because it's the only way I'll do a good job of keeping track. The rest of the time I do a terrible job of it. Who's got time to worry about the score? I'm just trying to keep my head down on groundstrokes.
I call out the score when I serve because it's the only way I'll do a good job of keeping track. The rest of the time I do a terrible job of it. Who's got time to worry about the score? I'm just trying to keep my head down on groundstrokes.
TnsGuru
Professional
Calling out the score sure would cut down on heated debates on the true score in a match. There will always be some kind of discrepancy if nobody calls out the score. I'm not worried about "cool" factor here I just want to play without any silly arguments or conflict. We should be honorable when playing but sometimes it doesn't happen that way, best to keep people honest by calling or confirming the score, especially against known cheaters.....hey, it happens!
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5sets
Hall of Fame
The only thing that could top that would be a Rafa like celebration by the server after he wins the 15-40 point, to make it 30-40, complete with snow angels on the court
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Cashman
Hall of Fame
As someone who often forgets to announce the score, I would have no issue with this. I mean, if you are a decent player, you know that the onus is on you to call the score.
I might get a bit narky if someone was obviously just using it as an excuse to disrupt my rhythm, but otherwise I would apologise and make a better effort to call it properly in future. My bad.
FedLIKEnot
Professional
I’m not saying it’s shenanigans however every time I have played someone who didn’t like to call score on their serve they have inevitably made “errors” in there favor. And than argue it with you, and than keep not calling out score. I always call out score and as a creature of my singles habits even call it for my partner if they say it too slow. Haha.
TimeToPlaySets
Legend
I call out the score on every serve.
We are too old to remember things in our head.
Soon, I will write down the score between every point.
We are too old to remember things in our head.
Soon, I will write down the score between every point.
I tend not to call out the game score if I'm up big, especially if I see the other team really struggling. In part this is to avoid rubbing it in, but also in part it's to avoid jinxing myself... (I'm not just a littlestitious, I'm SUPERstitious).
If I'm rolling in a serve game I'll usually just call out my score if it's to love... so I'll just start "love all" or "zeros" then if I hit an ace or a winner, "5-oh". If I hit another ace or easy winner... I'll just say "30", then "40"... but if the opponent is on the board, I say the full point score.
If I'm rolling in a serve game I'll usually just call out my score if it's to love... so I'll just start "love all" or "zeros" then if I hit an ace or a winner, "5-oh". If I hit another ace or easy winner... I'll just say "30", then "40"... but if the opponent is on the board, I say the full point score.
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Yes I have this very same interaction with a club member. I called the member to the net and explained that while it appears that there is no hard and fast rule as per the “rules of tennis” it is referred to in the code of practice and etiquette when playing tennis and if nothing else it is just good manners and respect to accede to a members request that serves to improve the experience because the server calling out the score before he serves reduces and almost eliminates the issues that arise when players cannot remember the score. The player was visibly irked by my stance on this subject but he reluctantly acceded to my request and there were no further issues.
I had the good fortune of the local tennis coach being present at the time and witnessed the interaction and approached me after the game and confirmed that I was correct.
I also contacted my local tennis federation and had it confirmed that players should call out the score before serving. He went on to explain that it was one of the difficulties that they faced with coaching junior tennis and stated that at all times when he would be involved with coaching junior tennis he would not let a point to be played if the server did not call out the score before serving.
However on another occasion I had to suffer the incredulous disrespect and abuse of a player that point blankly refused to call out the score. When I informed him that I would lodge an official complaint about his behavior he exacerbated the situation by calling me an “ignorant b%£$”&x”
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
I agree, any attempt to trick or Deceive the score by deliverately Not calling out the score and later on saying,, "oh i called that out, i pointed my finger up calling it out", or saying it so soft that nobody can hear, then 2 points later, correcting the score saying he had called it out. Where the score is 30-30,, then he goes "No no",,, it is 15-40, i called that 1st point 2nd serve out" After missing the return as i recall......
So this kind of idiocy and indirect Cheating goes on all the time in the league matches. Surprisingly even in the meaningless Club matches.
So My question to you guys is ,, Is there a Rule covering this kind of cheating or deception in USTA rule book ?? if not, should we petition the USTA to put in something or some revision to cover this kind of deliverate deceptive score Calling ?? What do you guys think the solution is ??
Yes and when I did that I was called an ignorant b$%@#&x
hehe, digging up a 12y old thread... i wonder if op is still playing, and still asking what the score is
personally i just say the score... i've played enough folks that try to use "what's the score?" (or some other question), as gamesmanship, to break my serving rhythm...
that said i try to always say what i think the the score is, both as server and receiver (if it's not proffered)... it will spark a convo if i'm wrong, and sometimes will encourage them to say the score if i'm wrong enough times
yeah, that's gamesmanshippy... just say what you think the score is... let him continue with his service routine...
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
I always call out the score when I serve and will ask the opponent to call out the score when they serve - if they won’t call out the score after that, I will call the score aloud every couple of points.
I used to insist on the server always calling out the score per the rules, but I notice that with 4.5+ players (average age is lower), it seems more common than at lower levels to not call out the score after every point. Now, I don’t insist on it especially in singles and will call it out aloud while returning after every couple of points to make sure we are keeping track accurately. In doubles, I myself can sometimes forget the score and have to ask my partner if the opponents are not calling out the score. In singles, I don‘t seem to forget the score as I’m probably more focused. I also notice that it is more common for some players to not call out the score after the first and second points of their service game as they assume it is easy to remember - they‘ll call out the score after that.
I play singles against a guy often who seems dyslexic and he regularly reverses the score when he calls it - 30-15 instead of 15-30, 40-30 instead of 30-40. I have to correct him before he starts his toss and he will usually say the correct score then - but, I find it odd that he reverses the score always in his favor. He also calls all tight calls in his favor and I have become used to that too. He probably is doing gamesmanship, but since he rarely beats me and has a S-V style I like playing against, I tolerate it.
I used to insist on the server always calling out the score per the rules, but I notice that with 4.5+ players (average age is lower), it seems more common than at lower levels to not call out the score after every point. Now, I don’t insist on it especially in singles and will call it out aloud while returning after every couple of points to make sure we are keeping track accurately. In doubles, I myself can sometimes forget the score and have to ask my partner if the opponents are not calling out the score. In singles, I don‘t seem to forget the score as I’m probably more focused. I also notice that it is more common for some players to not call out the score after the first and second points of their service game as they assume it is easy to remember - they‘ll call out the score after that.
I play singles against a guy often who seems dyslexic and he regularly reverses the score when he calls it - 30-15 instead of 15-30, 40-30 instead of 30-40. I have to correct him before he starts his toss and he will usually say the correct score then - but, I find it odd that he reverses the score always in his favor. He also calls all tight calls in his favor and I have become used to that too. He probably is doing gamesmanship, but since he rarely beats me and has a S-V style I like playing against, I tolerate it.
You were not an ignorant b$%@#&x.
It's not gamesmanship. I know people who call the score while beginning their toss. I'm giving the most amount of time for them to call it. I'm actually being nice.
kimboslice
New User
You know whats uncool? Forgetting the score.....I always call out the score, because I'm forgetful, and quite often ask the other player what the score is if they are on a streak of not calling out the game score. This does help eliminate any arguments, as this happened to me last month at a doubles tournament, in which it favored the opponent. We asked them if they could call out the score after that point and there were no arguments or bad blood.
agree with above posters about server calling out score before every point...i’ve found it is quite easy to forget score after intense point. Also, people (myself included) can be quite forgetful sometimes. Some of the guys I play with dont even make correct line calls because of fatigue and I have to overrule them if I have the linesman’s view and I clearly saw myself hit a winner
point is that some folks, when they've started their service routine when you interrupt them... just say the score, and let them continue... it's not a quiz.
it's also stupid/noobish, if they score is like 40-love, and you're asking them what the score is.
i can see if it's a long point and it's like 30-15 or 15-30, and you've genuinely forgotten... but don't be annoying if it's 40-0 or 0-40 or something obvious, or if the points were fast, and it's easy to know the score... else you're just being an annoying noob. and it will be right up there with saying "fault, 2nd serve" when someone misses their first serve.
Fine to disagree, but I've been in multiple situation during leagues where the score is not called for multiple points, then when asked given the wrong score. Then we have to go back, agree on a previous score and go from there, what to speak of it's no longer friendly potentially. One of the least fun matches I ever played in was like this. It was horrible. Asking for a score every point is actually correct and not confrontational, at least in my experience.
Crazy Finn
Hall of Fame
In my leagues, I don't recall the score ever not said prior to each 1st serve.
I always say the score so I don't forget. That way there should be no confusion, but I've still had opponents that claim it's 15-40 after I lost a point at 15 all! So just try to do your best. Is this issue more common in doubles? I would be alert in a match when a player suddenly stops saying the score after down a set/break, and begins making close calls without clarifying the score.
Thank you and Merry Christmas from Ireland
Yes I tried that too but while I as you did not want to interrupt their serve when they did not call out the score I brought it to their attention just before they were about to go into their serve motion. It was clear that they had not called out the score and were not just about to call out the score but they were willing to fabricate the contention that they were just about to call out the score. After all a person of the character that does not call out the score to gain advantage will have no problem lying. So unfortunately it is necessary to wait until the serve motion has been initiated to avoid a person fatuously and deceitfully claiming that they were “just about to call out the score”
a gentleman
You were lucky in your instance to be engaging with people that have maturity and integrity as I on the other hand was subjected to abuse and insult on open court in the presence of other club members of been called " an ignorant b£$%"%X"
Am I to understand correctly that you consider a person that requests the score to be called out an "annoying noob" do you have a pejorative sobriquet for someone that will not call out the score as per most of the threads on this forum?
in answer to the comment below you post "If it's supposed to be "just for fun" why are we keeping score?" I really do not understand this comment in relation to sport. Could you explain to me just to help me understand how would that work. Is it the case that you feel this way only about tennis or is it the case that you feel this way about all sport. Is it also the case that everyone should just totally disregard the rules???
if i'm serving, and i double faulted the first point... and someone asks me the score before serving the next point because "that's the rule", then they are either an idiot and too dumb to play tennis, or more likely just trolling me to get under my skin.
if it's a longish set of points, then makes sense... but if i'm the receiver, i'm gonna say the score myself instead of asking.
Maybe they are just being pedantic and you are too sensitive?
lol, sure, if you say so.
Crazy Finn
Hall of Fame
Yes.
So you do not see anything inappropriate with referring to people as an "annoying noob" "idiot" and "too dumb to play tennis" ?????
yes I agree
if they're trolling me to say the score after the first point, yeah, they are all of those.
lol, are you that guy? sorry to call you out if you are.
Merry Christmas
happy holidays
TypeRx
Semi-Pro
As a server, I ALWAYS call out the game score at the beginning of a game and even "love all". I also call out the score before every point and even generally say "second" before I serve my second serve, especially in the case of a let-fault or if there is some delay between first and second due to a ball on court, etc. I do this as good measure...not only does it help me keep track of things, it amps up transparency and helps reduce misunderstandings and mis-scoring later on.
I have a pet peeve of my opponent calling out the score when it is my serve game. I don't like it. And I've been in situations where the opponent uses that as an opportunity for gamesmanship. I am also not a fan of opponents that sporadically call out scores when they are serving. But oh well, I can only control my own actions.
I have a pet peeve of my opponent calling out the score when it is my serve game. I don't like it. And I've been in situations where the opponent uses that as an opportunity for gamesmanship. I am also not a fan of opponents that sporadically call out scores when they are serving. But oh well, I can only control my own actions.
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