Honestly, what do you think of this behavior?

Today our Women's 3.5 league played the #1 undefeated team in our league. Though we didn't think we had much chance of winning we were excited about the challenge. I had my strong, very confident hard hitter playing #1 doubles. As I was taking a break after splitting sets she came off the court in tears. She had been hit 5 times near the chest by her opponent. She made a comment to the opponent to the effect that she was being aimed at when they had plenty of court to hit in. The opponent said "Blame your partner, she keeps hitting me floaters and I am hitting the winning shot". Then when our team hit one at their feet they said "WHAAAA WHAAA she hit one at me!"

I think it is unsportsmanlike to aim for an opponents body, but since its not breaking any rules, there isnt much you can do about it. I cant help but think its her own fault for getting hit that many times though by not playing in a better position to avoid it. If its her partners fault for hitting weak shots, then she should adjust and not be a target for them.

She should crank one at her partner to wake them up and let them realize what in the heck is going on. Her partner's learning curve truly sucks.

While I do not approve of hitting at someone at the net--the partner really needs to adjust their game or the woman that is always getting hit needs to get off the net.

I tend to agree that our player should have taken a defensive position and moved to the base line. Her partner was not hitting the floaters on pupose I am sure as I have played with her and she has great shots with pace and depth. I probably would have taken the defensive position after the 2nd hit.

I usually find that people who do something that is unsporting scream the loudest when the same thing is done to them. The lady getting hit needs to adjust her court position. Her partner i am guessing is hitting shor lobs. If it is a problem she might have to be moved to a lower team or it might be suggested she not lob until she gets lessons on how to hit a reasonable lob.

Isn't it her partner's fault that she's being hit? Like her opponent said, her partner keeps hitting floaters. So of course they're going to hit winners in her general direction.

Get another partner! JK :???:

The commentary about them being undefeated and #1 in league and not feeling you guys had a chance against them, all points to an unspoken assumption that this team was so good that they are in another, higher level of tennis skill and therefore should be very sportsmanlike, as a player playing a beginner would be.

I'm not buying it. If they are in your league, they are to play aggressively and try their hardest to win, you really should not want them to play any other way.

This really sounds like two different levels of tennis. The partner hitting floaters certainly doesn't help, but a player at the net really shouldn't be hit in the chest too often. There are some defensive skills and positioning skills that seem to be missing. Equally matched teams at the same skill level don't usually have this problem.

Although I would have to say that I rarely hit someone in the chest - the feet or knees maybe. They almost sound like they were taking shots at her - which is not very good sportsmanship, even if not breaking the rules.

Tell her to stand back. She is forcing it in a way on herself.

This is where there seems to be a big differences between men's and women's tennis. I don't think this would be a huge issue in a men's league (some may take offense to it, but not get really upset), but women seem to take this kind of thing more personally. I'm not sure why, exactly, but that seems to be the case.

I really dont understand how its even possible for your player to get pegged 5 times, does she have the reflexes of a drunk person? 3.5 women dont hit the ball that hard, if your lady was just leaning over the net and her partner is giving up sitters then she should have a few taken at her, I would

Whenever I get hit at the net and the opponent apologizes, I simply tell them one thing:

"No worries...that's the right shot."

saram is right!!!

Anyone who "comes off the court in tears" needs to go back to elementary school. A grown woman crying in a tennis match because she got hit should be embarassed. When I get hit I feel like it's my fault and not the opponents. It usually means that I'm not paying attention. In my observation of 3.5 women's league tennis, no one has pinpoint accuracy. Frankly, I don't know many 4.5's or 5.0's who can just aim at a person/target and hit them at will. Even if the opponents were trying to hit her I doubt if they could do it over and over again. It sounds like they didn't have much control and the woman just let herself get hit rather than moving. I also think she needs to work on her mental game if she falls apart that easily. Maybe the opponents were unsportsmanlike and trying to hit her. Whatever the case she should not have let them get to her like that. Their sarcastic remarks were rude, but she should ignore that type of bahavior.

Can you imagine what would happen in a mens match if a man "came off the court in tears". Geez, he'd have to move to a new city to escape the shame.

Lol get hit by the ball not once but five times... get some reflexes. It is the right shot to aim to the opponent in certain situations.

In singles if the oppenent approaches and hits the ball down the center I will aim the ball right back down the center with as much pace and as low as I can get it. This is the right shot since the net is lowest in the middle giving me the most margin for error, if it hits him in the lower/middle section too bad and if he returns it I may aim another at him or hit a passing shot if I feel I will make it.

I think some comments are unnecessarily harsh on the woman player who's got hit 5 times. Comon, if you're not playing at the professional level, you're playing for fun, to pass time. So, it's way off to play like an ***. In fact if you're playing like that you're just exercising your aholeness and nothing more.

DTW, I think if you're quick with words you can call out their behaviors. At certain point you just have to accept the ugly reality and move on.

Good luck.

user92626 said:

I think some comments are unnecessarily harsh on the woman player who's got hit 5 times. Comon, if you're not playing at the professional level, you're playing for fun, to pass time. So, it's way off to play like an ***. In fact if you're playing like that you're just exercising your aholeness and nothing more.

DTW, I think if you're quick with words you can call out their behaviors. At certain point you just have to accept the ugly reality and move on.

Good luck.

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I think everyone understands that we're all just playing for fun, but to alot of people there isnt anything wrong with aiming for your opponent, its a very legitimate strategy if they are crowding the net and its not like getting hit hurts (well, for in most areas) and alot of people dont see aiming at a person as unsportsman-like, its just part of the game, nobody complains about getting tackled in football because its part of the game. But like I said before, at the 3.5 level, its probably the woman getting pegged's fault, if her partner is giving up weak sitters she shouldnt be crowding the net, and if she isnt crowding the net then she really doesnt have any excuse, no 3.5 woman hits hard enough for you to not be able to get out of the way or block the ball with your racquet if your standing back on the service line

randomname said:

I really dont understand how its even possible for your player to get pegged 5 times, does she have the reflexes of a drunk person? 3.5 women dont hit the ball that hard, if your lady was just leaning over the net and her partner is giving up sitters then she should have a few taken at her, I would

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I thinkthis sounds about right. If your partner puts up a weak sitter, give up the point, turn your back, move towards the trams. Sounds like your player was just standing there with the blase assumption that opps would have to try to find a way to hit round her. That's ridiculous.

The most I've been pegged in a mixed match was once (out of four attempts) by the 4.0 guy. The other three I dodged.

Yeah, if you can't get out of the way of a 3.5 woman's overhead or high volley, you're pretty slow. She should simply have played the baseline or no-man's land until a floater came her way. Or turn sideways or bail out. If they hit her then, that's not cool. Just standing there is essentially contesting the shot.

Sorry, if you stand at the net in tennis, well, you take the good with the bad, and you learn how to play properly while you're there.

I completely do not understand how people who are completely happy hitting volleys for winners at the net equally get upset when one (or a few) clips them....

She should never have got pegged 5 times, can she not move?

While I feel sorry for her after 2 or so she should just have adjusted her position. The shot at the person at net is legitimate and in fact a very good tactic in some cases.

i can't get over that she was pegged 5 times! i don't mean to laugh but i think there's a saying.

you get pegged by an overhead while up at net once -- shame on THEM.

you get pegged by an overhead while up at net twice -- shame on YOU.

you get pegged by an overhead while up at net for the third, fourth, and fifth time -- GROW A BRAIN AND MOVE BACK. THERE'S NO CRYING IN TENNIS.

The replies to this post have really been an eye opening (popping) experience for me. I never realized how much hitting at a person at the net is such an acceptable strategy! I do think she should have moved back no doubt. The comments about 3.5 women not hitting that hard or having control is suprising to me also. We have some very hard hitters in our league. It may be that we have a great deal of 4.0 women who appeal or maybe I have never really seen a "hard" hit. As for the tears... The tears were in the bathroom after the match, and yes "women cry". Not all women but a lot of us cry when we are hurt, angry, frustrated etc.. It's how we are made, it's how our emotions work and it does not make us immature or weak in all cases.

I think most of the posts were not of the 'big girls don't cry' variety, but rather trying to emphasise that when playing net, you can't just stand there like a bovine chewing grass. You have to be ready to adjust your position, often very quickly. Standing two metres from the opponent and insisting they hit somewhere else is preposterous. You seem not to (want to) understand this very important point.

Think about what playing uop at net entails. You're taking up a very agressive, point-ending position. To then say to the opps, don't hit hard at me, puffballs only, displays a very strange attitude, in my opinion.

(none of this is meant to condone hitting deliberately at an opponent).

Desperate Tennis Wife said:

The replies to this post have really been an eye opening (popping) experience for me. I never realized how much hitting at a person at the net is such an acceptable strategy!

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For sure. A lot of the times with an inexperienced volleyer its the best as they can't handle the movement needed. If you do this to a good player they will just hit it for a winner generally though. Often it's easier for a lower level volleyer to move into space and hit a volley than it is to move quickly to get the one hit right at them, especially a low one that just clears the net.

Desperate Tennis Wife said:

I do think she should have moved back no doubt. The comments about 3.5 women not hitting that hard or having control is suprising to me also. We have some very hard hitters in our league. It may be that we have a great deal of 4.0 women who appeal or maybe I have never really seen a "hard" hit. As for the tears... The tears were in the bathroom after the match, and yes "women cry". Not all women but a lot of us cry when we are hurt, angry, frustrated etc.. It's how we are made, it's how our emotions work and it does not make us immature or weak in all cases.

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I was quite surprised also at some of the posts. It's a bit harsh, the internet is harsh though. A lot of women can hit pretty hard at the 3.5 level, for me the defining thing there is that a lot of them can't really control it when they do. That said if you ever see a good 5.0+ or a pro play its a step up in power to a different level. As to the crying bit, she's entitled to be upset. It's not pleasant being hit, it's just a hazard of playing tennis at net. Lesson learned is to try and avoid it.

I think that as a friend maybe you should tell her to move if she does it again. It's not good for her to keep being hit. I don't think the opponents did anything wrong by doing it though, that said they shouldn't have complained when the tables were turned.

DTW -- i apologize for the crass comment about "no crying in tennis". it's a reference to tom hanks in a league of our own saying, "there's no crying in baseball!".

i think more people would agree that it's in poor etiquette to peg someone intentionally in tennis but i'm not sure it's against the rules. anyone know?

no matter what level you play and how hard someone hits -- i would imagine self preservation alone would make you say to yourself, "maybe i should move back a bit".

and just to play devil's advocate, is it possible your teammate who got pegged 5 times -- is she standing too close to the net? i play mixed doubles and i had a match with this one lady who didn't seem to understand that when i have my racquet up and doing the trophy pose, that i am most likely getting ready to hit an overhead. but she stood a foot away from the net and cut off most of my angles. i hit the overhead down the line but with her so close up to net, it passed by her by about 2 feet. well after i hit it -- she snapped at me like i did something wrong. i laughed and asked her, "did you know i was going to hit an overhead?" she said yes. i told her, "and yet you are still 1 feet away from the net! you must have really great faith that i've got great control and i'm a good sport. i wouldn't take that bet next time unless you don't mind eating a tennis ball."

the other part after reading it again -- pegged 5 times! IN THE CHEST. she not once turned her back and conceded the point!

i think in boxing the ref tells both boxers he wants a clean fight and PROTECT YOURSELF AT ALL TIMES! sound advice no matter what sport.

randomname said:

I think everyone understands that we're all just playing for fun, but to alot of people there isnt anything wrong with aiming for your opponent, its a very legitimate strategy if they are crowding the net and its not like getting hit hurts (well, for in most areas) and alot of people dont see aiming at a person as unsportsman-like, its just part of the game, nobody complains about getting tackled in football because its part of the game. But like I said before, at the 3.5 level, its probably the woman getting pegged's fault, if her partner is giving up weak sitters she shouldnt be crowding the net, and if she isnt crowding the net then she really doesnt have any excuse, no 3.5 woman hits hard enough for you to not be able to get out of the way or block the ball with your racquet if your standing back on the service line

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My belief is that if someone is crowding the net, you may want to pound it at them to keep them honest because they will have that fear of getting hit by a hard shot which could screw up their game. And yes getting hit by a hard struck ball hurts alot of times. But the thing is that when people are hitting their opponents, its usually not the one shot they didn't have a better place to put it or to keep their opponent honest. Its always that they are targetting them and attempting it many times because they know the person isn't a good enough player to do much about it. I can't help but think if my strategy was to hit every shot as hard as I could at the net player then I'd be playing like an A-hole. This is recreational tennis. But I agree with everyone here that someone who is getting hit time after time needs to get back, thats a no-brainer.

tfm1973 said:

and just to play devil's advocate, is it possible your teammate who got pegged 5 times -- is she standing too close to the net? i play mixed doubles and i had a match with this one lady who didn't seem to understand that when i have my racquet up and doing the trophy pose, that i am most likely getting ready to hit an overhead. but she stood a foot away from the net and cut off most of my angles. i hit the overhead down the line but with her so close up to net, it passed by her by about 2 feet. well after i hit it -- she snapped at me like i did something wrong. i laughed and asked her, "did you know i was going to hit an overhead?" she said yes. i told her, "and yet you are still 1 feet away from the net! you must have really great faith that i've got great control and i'm a good sport. i wouldn't take that bet next time unless you don't mind eating a tennis ball."

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I notice alot of women in mixed have little reaction when their partner sets me up for an overhead. When I play against guys that are as good or better than me, they usually concede the point if they are in the line of fire but the women just stand there ready to defend. I don't know if they don't realize whats happening, think I will do my best to keep it away from them, or if they truly believe they can return my overhead from that close.

Stand at the net take what you get. Hitting at someone is part of good doubles. If you get hit so what don't fall into the gamesmanship the hit only counts for one point same as any other point why get crazy from the mental side? But so many players let it into there head and that is why early in a match I hit the net person or both players when I can. If it bothers them from a mental stand point I love it.

I totally agree with all who said our player should have moved back, I am not sure if she tried to get out of the way or turned her back because I did not get those details as I was trying to pee between sets and she was so upset. I do know my player is agressive at the net and is a great "S&V"er. She does NOT stand still waiting to get hit. She blasts most of HER volleys down the middle. She did say that the opponent had plenty of court to hit into. I agree that does not mean the opponent has the control or has to hit there. I DO GET IT!

I believe now after the posts that the opponent was a player who probably had some control and who could actually been aiming at her as a legitimate way to "win" or to back her off. In our league the players apologize too much when they hit another player and it drives me crazy. Once I hit an eighties lady at the net and said I was sorry. She replied "Don't apologize Honey, this is Tennis!". I'm sure both my players (I am the captain) learned some hard lessons yesterday, one being that agressive players who are trying to make it to the playoffs play different than country club leagues (which our USTA league is mostly made of). It may not be pleasant but it's effective!

raiden031 said:

I notice alot of women in mixed have little reaction when their partner sets me up for an overhead. When I play against guys that are as good or better than me, they usually concede the point if they are in the line of fire but the women just stand there ready to defend. I don't know if they don't realize whats happening, think I will do my best to keep it away from them, or if they truly believe they can return my overhead from that close.

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in our area at least, i've noticed only very strong 3.5 ladies seem to have the proper technique to hit pace on their serves and overheads. the rest seem to have that pancake or frying pan motion that limits their pace based on how much arm strength they have. so in many 3.5 and 3.0 ladies matches i've watched, those overheads DO get returned back a lot. often by the lady a foot away from the net. again because the pace is really the same pace as a regular groundstroke or volley. probably why lobs are VERY effective in these matches. no one has the power to make it an ineffective strategy. i'm just more baffled by the recognition factor. "hmm this isn't working. i had better adjust."

Desperate Tennis Wife said:

I I did not get those details as I was trying to pee between sets and she was so upset.

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Maybe just a bit too much information here.

Desperate Tennis Wife said:

In our league the players apologize too much when they hit another player and it drives me crazy.

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Unless you really think you hurt the other player, the obligatory hand or racquet up and a single "sorry" should be sufficient - and courteous.

Desperate Tennis Wife said:

I'm sure both my players learned some hard lessons yesterday, one being that agressive players who are trying to make it to the playoffs play different than country club leagues.

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If it ain't social, then it means something to someone, and you gotta play like it means something to you. :neutral:

Oh I thought she got pegged by groundstrokes, yeah for an overhead or high volley I never aim for my opponent and neither would pros for the most part, when given such a shot aiming for the corners or even just within their reach would just be too hard for them to return such pace.

Xisbum said:

Unless you really think you hurt the other player, the obligatory hand or racquet up and a single "sorry" should be sufficient - and courteous.

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I agree, here is what a majority of our ladies do:


"OMG! I am sooo sorry! Are you alright! I really didn't mean to hit you! I don't have that much control... I would never hit you on purpose....."

Xisbum said:

Maybe just a bit too much information here.

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Sorry! Got got up in the description of the situation!

Desperate Tennis Wife said:

The replies to this post have really been an eye opening (popping) experience for me. I never realized how much hitting at a person at the net is such an acceptable strategy! I do think she should have moved back no doubt. The comments about 3.5 women not hitting that hard or having control is suprising to me also. We have some very hard hitters in our league. It may be that we have a great deal of 4.0 women who appeal or maybe I have never really seen a "hard" hit. As for the tears... The tears were in the bathroom after the match, and yes "women cry". Not all women but a lot of us cry when we are hurt, angry, frustrated etc.. It's how we are made, it's how our emotions work and it does not make us immature or weak in all cases.

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Desperate,

You say your lady is a good volleyer and even a serve-and-volleyer. That makes her a different species from many other 3.5 women. She *should* know how to position and react at the net to avoid getting hit (and get a few of those balls back).

If she is that worried about being hit, then she can make a deal with her opponents. Whenever they have an overhead, she should immediately call a let and award them the point. Then they wouldn't be put to the task of trying to hit around her and risk losing points because she is Ever So Frail.

And . . . well, I'm a woman and the last time I checked I had breasts. Two of them. Right there on my chest. I have been hit, and it does not hurt. It is a little embarrassing, but it does not hurt enough to make me cry. Losing a set after being up 4-0, now that will make me cry! I submit that your friend wasn't hurt, she was just embarrassed.

The other thing I want to say is there is nothing on this planet that could get me to beg for mercy from my opponents. No way, no how. When that guy hit at me, that made me more determined to play the net the best that I could play it. I cannot imagine going up to him and telling him to hit away from me. If I accidentally hit someone in the chest and they got shirty with me, well . . . I'm obstinate enough that my only adjustment would be to try to hit my overheads a bit *harder.*

Your friend may be a wonderful person who rescues incontinent puppies in her spare time, but I think her attitude toward competitive tennis is peculiar. She needs to man up, take her lumps, stay at the net and hit winners, but know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em.

One last thing from the perspective of a 3.5 woman who plays mixed regarding the comments about how 3.5 women don't know when to bail. Some of us bail out at net because we don't know any better. But some of us (me!) work very hard not to bail out at net, despite an instinct to do so. There is always this pressure, you know? Pressure to finish points, pressure not to get hammered, pressure not to play like a school girl. If you head for the hills whenever the ball goes to the net player, it's hard to believe your male partners will appreciate this.

I say this because there is a woman on our team who bails out at every high volley and overhead. She stands there frozen, flinching, as the opponents hit balls to her right and to her left, until her partner finally pulls her off the net. She is a 3.0 who desperately wants a spot on my 3.5 team. No. It can't happen. 'Cause she bails, and you shouldn't bail against 3.5 women opponents. You should backpedal, split-step and try like the dickens to get that smash back. I figure my male mixed partners would feel the same way about me if I bail. So I try not to bail.

Cindy -- who accidentally beaned that 3.0 woman in the back with a wild high volley the other day, which probably didn't help with all the flinching

Look, I feel bad for the lady, but it's just tennis. Iv'e had Penn 1 tattoed on my chest before because my partner hit a sitter lob, and I stood there at net watching to see what was going to happen. That was MY fault.

I have learned if I am getting hit, BACK UP. Be aware of what is going on. She may just have had a introduction to that hard lesson.

Tell her to take heart, realize why that happens, and adjust her court position next time. It's ok.

I CAN say this. If a player is getting pegged consitently around the chest, they are fundamentally doing something wrong. AND...when a team sees that, they are going to keep hitting there and getting points.

When I nail a player at net hard, I fully expect they will do something different next time I send one there. I want them to know it is a possibility, and have one more thing to think about when I am in the striking position.

You've heard most the general kinds of responses to your question here.

Basically, it sounds like she isn't ready to be playing that far foward if she can't get her racquet back in position to protect herself.

Context is the important thing here. In a tournament or very competitive, higher level situation, usually it's okay to bean the guy. But there are more sociable tennis settings where it's best not to take the full crank---usually the notion is that if you have the setting to smack the guy, you also have the ability to just win the point by placement.

Which brings up a story from my past.

This lower level player in our league one night...never seen him before...was all big eyed, and hyper, and you could tell he was kinda playing up.

He was right on the net all the time, and his partner kept hitting sitter LOBS. So the new guy gets pegged hard in the chest by my partner who was a 6'5 4.0. Ouch right? Right. They guy is ok, and all, and we go on.

A few points later, same thing happens. This time he covers the middle line (???), and the overhead smashes an inch from his foot. He goes insane, screaming, and threatens my partner physically. We all shout him down, including his partner. Bring him up to net for a discussion, and explain nicely, that HIS partner is doing this to him. We told him everytime he sees a lame sitter, to BACK UP or he is going to getting nailed again, even by accident sometimes.

So what does he do? Nah, he actually backed up from then on, and never got close to getting clobbered again. I was proud of him, LOL.

nevermind, I also didnt realize that these were overheads she was getting pegged with, thats a completely different story, not only is it unnescecary but it can be pretty dangerous too (my mom once got pegged by an overhead in her eye, luckily she was wearing sunglasses because there could have been permanent damage if she wasnt)

Cindysphinx said:

There is nothing on this planet that could get me to beg for mercy from my opponents. No way, no how. When that guy hit at me, that made me more determined to play the net the best that I could play it. I cannot imagine going up to him and telling him to hit away from me. If I accidentally hit someone in the chest and they got shirty with me, well . . . I'm obstinate enough that my only adjustment would be to try to hit my overheads a bit *harder.*

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Good on ya, mate. Look 'em in the eye and say "Is that all ya got? Bring it, man, bring it." If I'm ever in a life-and-death mixed match, I would want you as my partner.

Cindysphinx said:

Your friend may be a wonderful person who rescues incontinent puppies in her spare time, but I think her attitude toward competitive tennis is peculiar. She needs to man up, take her lumps, stay at the net and hit winners, but know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em.

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I love it when you mix your metaphors. Don't want to pick, but shouldn't it be "woman up"? :-| And I'm not gonna touch, metaphorically or otherwise, the phrase about "lumps." My mama didn't raise no fools.

Cindysphinz said:

You should backpedal, split-step and try like the dickens to get that smash back.

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Right on! As long as you're facing the ball and as long as you keep your wits alert and eyes open, there's a chance you can keep the point going. Never give 'em anything; make them take it, or you take it from them.:twisted:
Then offer a Sam Adams as you accept their congratulations on winning.

Not just girls having a cry either. Earlier this year playing against the "Dream Team" in night comp. I hit a heavy topspin shot off a low ball which barely cleared the net. Guy was behind the service line and my ball hit him on the chest. He completely lost it. He went psycho wanting to take me on and "kill me" in the car park. I pointed out he had plenty of time to use his racket and my shot was lucky to clear the net. He didn't like the truth. I survived the night and sent him to the reserves bench for the season.

If you get hit it is your partners fault. And again then it is your fault.

Getting pegged is all part of the game. Comp or social. Can't take it don't play. And yes i've been hit by a smash in the face of 3.0 partners lob, i turned to late and ball knocked my glasses off and left a nasty bruise. I accepted it and held no grudge.

Part of the game.

randomname said:

nevermind, I also didnt realize that these were overheads she was getting pegged with, thats a completely different story, not only is it unnescecary but it can be pretty dangerous too (my mom once got pegged by an overhead in her eye, luckily she was wearing sunglasses because there could have been permanent damage if she wasnt)

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Doesn't matter. The smasher should not have to change his shot selection because the opposition is to dumb to stand in the correct safe position.

Tennis balls are not the size of squash balls and don't perfectly fit an eye socket.

Desperate Tennis Wife said:

I agree, here is what a majority of our ladies do:


"OMG! I am sooo sorry! Are you alright! I really didn't mean to hit you! I don't have that much control... I would never hit you on purpose....."

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Maybe for an all women game this is the best thing to do, but when I play doubles and one team gets a sitter the other team is expected to move back or suffer the consequences! If I plunk someone in a game like this I may give a little net-cord style "fake apology," but as others have said, it is a perfectly good tactic. Either move back or stop whining.

Cindysphinx said:

Desperate,

And . . . well, I'm a woman and the last time I checked I had breasts. Two of them. Right there on my chest. I have been hit, and it does not hurt. It is a little embarrassing, but it does not hurt enough to make me cry.

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I get the feeling you are a very strong woman with breast and "balls" and I did say "some" women not "all". I don't think my player cried because she was hurt, I think she was angry and frustrated. She is already planning "Sweet Revenge" - she's very tough!

You know what's tough, you two?. . . well, you probably don't. It's a testicular thing, and damn it if a ton of smashes don't happen to end up there! Reminds me of the time I was playing hockey and forgot my cup. Well, I suited up anyway and went out there. . .not too many serious shots go that high airborne. . . and wouldn't you know but the best player out there took a slapshot, I was playing defense, and the thing hit me about 8 inches away from the jackpot! Boy did I learn a lesson!

Desperate Tennis Wife said:

I get the feeling you are a very strong woman with breast and "balls" and I did say "some" women not "all". I don't think my player cried because she was hurt, I think she was angry and frustrated. She is already planning "Sweet Revenge" - she's very tough!

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No, I don't think I'm unusual at all. I would guess my mixed teammates would have the same attitude. Some of them don't even volley especially well, but they stand in there (or back off if it gets too hot). I guess my point is there is nothing to be angry or frustrated *about.* Maybe someone who is a crummy volleyer could complain about being targeted, but someone who is accomplished and is winning points with their net play? I just don't understand it.

Also, I would guess a lot of 3.5 women don't have many overheads they can hit, you know? My overheads almost always go toward the deuce court. I have a hard time going to the ad side with a FH overhead, so I usually don't try. If there is a player standing in the deuce service box when I try to hit an overhead, I make No Effort Whatsoever to avoid hitting them. This is especially so given that I try to watch the ball the entire time, and I try to hit my shot so it doesn't come back. So yeah, I could easily hit your friend in the chest. That's what she needs to understand: I just don't have the options/shots/control to do anything else.

Though there is the unfortunate occasion when the only realistic place to hit a smash is toward a person, the fact that this team is undefeated makes me seriously doubt that this was the case - especially five times.

When playing a person whom you are clearly better than, I think that the general thought has to be, "Win, and play seriously, but don't do anything to purposely hurt anyone or cause undue embarassment".

This behavior is truly unacceptable.

I guess the question is . . .

If you don't want the opponents to hit it towards you, what are you doing at the net ?

. . . Bud