What's good etiquette after a 15 min injury break?

EddieBrock · Nov 25, 2022

I was playing in a non USTA flex tournament and fell on a slippery clay court getting a couple of bad cuts. So I washed the clay and injury with soap and water and tried to find if someone had a Band-Aid. This took a bit more than 15 minutes.

My opponent's wife came to watch the match and when I came back to the court my opponent was hitting with her. Didn't quite seem fair I am cold from walking around bleeding looking for a bandaid while he stays loose on the court.

Would good etiquette be to do another warmup before resuming?

myke232 · Nov 25, 2022

I don't know, I mean is it fair for him to have to wait around for 15 minutes? I think pros only get like 5 minutes or something, but I could be wrong...

MyFearHand · Nov 25, 2022

myke232 said:
I don't know, I mean is it fair for him to have to wait around for 15 minutes? I think pros only get like 5 minutes or something, but I could be wrong...

Yeah gonna second this, 15 minutes is a long timeout in a tourney. Also there’s not generally a warmup after an injury timeout.

Fintft · Nov 25, 2022

Carry band aids.

Jonesy · Nov 25, 2022

Lesson learned, next time just ask for another warm up. If he denies just move on.

socallefty · Nov 25, 2022

Maximum time for a bleeding related medical timeout is 15 mins by USTA (and also pro tour) rules. If you took more than 15 mins, the opponent could have gone to the officials and asked for a default. So, you should be happy that he continued to play the match.

EddieBrock · Nov 25, 2022

myke232 said:
I don't know, I mean is it fair for him to have to wait around for 15 minutes? I think pros only get like 5 minutes or something, but I could be wrong...

5 minutes wasn't even enough time to walk to the restroom and back. I know someone who had to get shots after continuing to play with clay in a cut so I didn't want to risk that.

If he didn't have his wife there I'd imagine he'd have been cold too after 15 minutes and would want to hit a few shots just to warm back up a bit. It's not ideal for him to have to wait around, but if your opponent took a bad fall and is bleeding and covered with clay wouldn't it be understandable? Court was also wet.

I was thinking of walking to my car to get something from the 1st aid kit, but that would have been even longer.

For now on I'm carrying antiseptic, paper towels (restroom didn't have any), and Band-Aids in my bag.

ptuanminh · Nov 25, 2022

should you be pretty warm after all that running around?

user92626 · Nov 25, 2022

EddieBrock said:
If he didn't have his wife

Agreed. Bastards with wives are forever more advantageous than us wife-less blokes. I'm always walking, playing stiff AF.

Shroud · Nov 26, 2022

Dont play on clay.

EddieBrock · Nov 26, 2022

ptuanminh said:
should you be pretty warm after all that running around?

Standing there splashing water on my bleeding hand and leg doesn't quite get me ready for playing. Guess walking around warmed me up a bit

Dragy · Nov 27, 2022

I think if you need it, you may approach the opponent and ask for it. Not because of etiquette, but because of your own need.
He'll likely give you 5 min, even if unwillingly. But if he refuses, after you repeatedly insist that you need it for match to go on well, you have to accept and try to roll in during couple of points.

Bud · Nov 27, 2022

EddieBrock said:
I was playing in a non USTA flex tournament and fell on a slippery clay court getting a couple of bad cuts. So I washed the clay and injury with soap and water and tried to find if someone had a Band-Aid. This took a bit more than 15 minutes.

My opponent's wife came to watch the match and when I came back to the court my opponent was hitting with her. Didn't quite seem fair I am cold from walking around bleeding looking for a bandaid while he stays loose on the court.

Would good etiquette be to do another warmup before resuming?

Yes. A reasonable person would give you 3 minutes to warm back up.

nyta2 · Nov 28, 2022

rules aside, personally, to respect everyone's time (which i already wasted by +15m (intentionally or not)), i would have done whatever my opponents wanted to do...
especially if the courts are $, or timed.... but even if no. we all have stuff to do after tennis...

Connor35 · Nov 28, 2022

I wouldn't have thought twice about it

If he has the court, why not?

ChaelAZ · Nov 28, 2022

The obvious answer is, don't fall.

TennisCJC · Nov 29, 2022

The rules say you get one 3 minute timeout per injury and if the player is bleeding, you get up to 15 minutes to stop the bleeding. It doesn't say anything about a warm-up after a medical time-out. I don't think I would invite my wife or a friend out to rally while waiting for an injured opponent but I don't think you should get a warm-up. I also don't see anything wrong if your opponent wants to take a few balls out and practice serves or drop feeds to stay warm while you clean up. I think you would be out of line asking for a warm-up as your injury caused the delay and your opponent is by no means required to provide a warm-up. Patch yourself up, take a couple of shadow swings and get on with it.

Tennis_Slapper23 · Nov 30, 2022

I definitely don’t think you are entitled to warmup. I understand it was 15 minutes. But I don’t think your opponents wife should of been allowed on court. I’ve never seen that and if I was you I would of argued it with a ref or someone. But also pack a couple bandaids in your bag next time I keep two with my grips.

EddieBrock · Nov 30, 2022

Tennis_Slapper23 said:
I definitely don’t think you are entitled to warmup. I understand it was 15 minutes. But I don’t think your opponents wife should of been allowed on court. I’ve never seen that and if I was you I would of argued it with a ref or someone. But also pack a couple bandaids in your bag next time I keep two with my grips.

What was interesting here was the tournament rules specifically said you can't bring someone to watch courtside and get coaching, but during every changeover his wife is talking to him and then when I come back from frantically trying to clean the clay off and prevent an infection I seem him there practicing with her.

I was playing so bad it didn't matter and I thought it would be petty to report him or complain about her, but it got me wondering for the next time there's an injury time out or other delay if you'd do another warmup.

For example, once the lights went out on our court and we had to wait a few minutes for the people on a lighted court to finish. Do we just start right up mid game or is there another warmup?

I've now got alcohol wipes and bandaids in my bag just in case

Pass750 · Nov 30, 2022

Just get back on the court and play. This is rec tennis, not the US Open.

Connor35 · Dec 1, 2022

Pass750 said:
Just get back on the court and play. This is rec tennis, not the US Open.

That's my take

So what if a wife wants to watch? So what if she says "his backhand sucks; hit there more." Was that really the difference? if so you prob didnt deserve to win anyway.

Overall it seems all the things people worry about are just detracting from them thinking about their own strengths and their opponent's weaknesses.

Cashman · Dec 1, 2022

When you take more time than you are entitled to for a break then you sort of lose the right to whinge about etiquette

personally I’d just be grateful to your opponent for not defaulting you

What's good etiquette after a 15 min injury break?

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