"Ball On Court" question ...

Would like opinions please ...

If one is playing a rated tournament next to someone else who is and your ball flies into their court during point play ...

a.) Do you just be quiet and let them play til they notice the ball and suspend play with the chance that someone turns an ankle? And then mention the ball going into their court ...

- or -

b.) Immediately call out "Ball On Court!" so that no one gets hurt by perhaps stepping on the ball while running and in so doing interrupt their point?

Is there a USTA rule about this?

What do people do outside of the United States?

ThnX

Honestly? I've never called "ball on court" to them, b/c I don't want to interrupt their point, and I think it would sound demanding, like I expect them to stop their point to get our ball. Now after reading what you're saying, maybe that's wrong. By being silent I do run the risk that someone might get injured because they don't realize there's a ball behind them.

I think I'll still wait for a break to let them know about the ball. I just think that they'd think the outburst would be over impatience. If I explained, "I don't want you to get hurt.", they'd go "Yeah, right."

Common sense should prevail, tournament players have good vision, and the player on the opposite side of the ball would likely notice the ball and say something if he thought his opponent would possibly step on the errant ball.

I watch where balls from my court are going so :

. no one gets hurt

. we get the correct ball back

I will watch play on my neighbor's court hoping our ball doesn't spoil their point. If it appears someone is in danger of stepping on it, I will definitely intercede with a loud warning. If this annoys him, I won't warn that player again--let them step on it and break a leg, I tried. Anyone with any common sense will be thankful for the warning.

It amazes me some players will hit a ball onto a neighboring court and not make any attempt to track it what-so-ever. Coincidentally, these are the same people who never open a can of balls--it's not their ball that will be lost. It's as if they don't want to fess up to the fact that it was their fault. Also they are the same ones who if they hit a ball over the fence make no attempt to find it.

If I see anyone, anywhere, at risk for stepping on a ball, I will say, "Watch your feet." Whether they heed this warning and call a let or not is up to them. The rules don't allow me to call a let on another court, so that is why I say what I say.

Expecting the opponents to see the ball and warn the potential victim is not a good plan. The opponents sometimes cannot see the ball because of the net strap, etc.

You know, I had something like this happen in a clinic. We were playing out points, and I was in the deuce court and partnered with the pro. A high floater came up the middle, and I was closer to net. I decided to take it because, well, it's a clinic and I need practice more than the pro. Besides, the player closer to the net should take floaters, and I can hit a good high BH volley. I move up to play a high BH volley, intending to angle it into my alley.

Just as I am about to hit, I see I am about to step on one of the dozen balls lying by the net. I somehow make my shot. I never saw this, however, as I stepped squarely on the ball with my heel and kind of flung my arms out to avoid putting more weight on that foot or losing my balance. I asked the pro what happened with my shot, and he said it was a winner. He then said I had touched the net with my racket when I flung my arms out, and that I should have bounced the ball or let him take it.

: face palm:

So no, the three people you are playing with do not always see that you are about to rip up your ankle or choose to warn you.

We're not professionals. If a ball is getting close to another player's feet, and no one on that court calls it, I will.

bcart1991 said:

We're not professionals. If a ball is getting close to another player's feet, and no one on that court calls it, I will.

Click to expand...

Exactly. One point is not worth risking a serious injury for.

Seems everyone is claiming that they warn the next court about balls. But when I play, I can't remember ever seeing someone do this. And the OP's scenario is when each court is playing a tournament match.

Remember, this is about the court next to you. Not your opponent across the net. You really often interrupt their points to warn them about a ball?

mikeler said:

Exactly. One point is not worth risking a serious injury for.

Click to expand...

True, but I don't yell onto the neighboring court, I stand silently on the edge of my court (hoping to be seen by the players).

Steady Eddy said:

Seems everyone is claiming that they warn the next court about balls. But when I play, I can't remember ever seeing someone do this. And the OP's scenario is when each court is playing a tournament match.

Remember, this is about the court next to you. Not your opponent across the net. You really often interrupt their points to warn them about a ball?

Click to expand...

Only if it appears that there is a reasonable chance of them stepping on it.

LuckyR said:

True, but I don't yell onto the neighboring court, I stand silently on the edge of my court (hoping to be seen by the players).

Click to expand...

I've also tried getting down on all fours and panting like a dog hoping they notice me. Either way you are distracting them right?

A year or two ago, we were playing mixed doubles at a club indoors, a mishit by one of the players shot the ball over the netting into a neighboring court where a teaching pro was hitting with a student. Normally I don't bother people in this situation but this ball was rolling within 6 inches or so of the Teaching pro's feet so I called out to make sure and get her attention.

Boy was she ticked, she tersely stated they had been in a middle of a point. She didn't see the ball that had missed her heels by inches. Just happened to be former Pro Amy Frazier so I felt like an idiot.

Would I do it again? Absolutely...I'd rather have her angry with me than watch her wreck her ankle or bite it during drills.

Steady Eddy said:

Seems everyone is claiming that they warn the next court about balls. But when I play, I can't remember ever seeing someone do this. And the OP's scenario is when each court is playing a tournament match.

Remember, this is about the court next to you. Not your opponent across the net. You really often interrupt their points to warn them about a ball?

Click to expand...

It doesn't happen often, as their point often ends on its own or they call a let. I have definitely seen my ball rolling slowly toward the player on the next court at the same time they are running toward the ball. I have never once had anyone become upset over "Watch your feet" said in a calm way. They usually thank me.

never. they call their own "let", we call ours. simple.

the risk of injury is way overstated here as usually the court in question will call a let almost as soon as i could it from next door.

if it's just as a point is starting (service motion) i might say something, otherwise it's up to them. they might not want to call a let and play on.

tbuggle said:

never. they call their own "let", we call ours. simple.

the risk of injury is way overstated here as usually the court in question will call a let almost as soon as i could it from next door.

if it's just as a point is starting (service motion) i might say something, otherwise it's up to them. they might not want to call a let and play on.

Click to expand...

Finally, an honest poster. Nobody goes around calling lets on other courts over loose balls rolling around.

Something about the internet...people don't tell it as it is. It's like the disconnect between what people tell pollsters about their concern over "global warming" and how they vote. We tend to answer how we think we 'should', instead of how we are.

Steady Eddy said:

Finally, an honest poster. Nobody goes around calling lets on other courts over loose balls rolling around.

Something about the internet...people don't tell it as it is. It's like the disconnect between what people tell pollsters about their concern over "global warming" and how they vote. We tend to answer how we think we 'should', instead of how we are.

Click to expand...

You are so wrong and you are making assumptions! If I am in a tournament or league game and my ball goes on the adjacent court and I see it as a hazard, I will call out ball on court. If I believe it is not a hazard, I will let it go until their point is over.

Same if I am playing a social match.

Steady Eddy said:

Finally, an honest poster. Nobody goes around calling lets on other courts over loose balls rolling around.

Something about the internet...people don't tell it as it is. It's like the disconnect between what people tell pollsters about their concern over "global warming" and how they vote. We tend to answer how we think we 'should', instead of how we are.

Click to expand...

So I guess we are all liars and nobody does this?

I never said I would call a let. I have no power to call a let on another court.

There is a difference between giving a warning and calling a let.

mikeler said:

So I guess we are all liars and nobody does this?

Click to expand...

It is statistically improbable when everyone reports how they warn adjacent courts about loose balls but I don't see it happening when I'm there.

I'm not saying anyone is a liar, that implies willful deceit. Memory is faulty, it's like how many boomers 'remember' when they were at Woodstock.

Steady Eddy said:

It is statistically improbable when everyone reports how they warn adjacent courts about loose balls but I don't see it happening when I'm there.

I'm not saying anyone is a liar, that implies willful deceit. Memory is faulty, it's like how many boomers 'remember' when they were at Woodstock.

Click to expand...

Weird. Just because you personally haven't experienced it, it doesn't happen. Even when people tell you that they personally have given such a warning or been given one.

Not only do people give these warnings, some of them do it incorrectly. I actually had to tell a teammate that she could not call "Let" in this situation for a neighboring court.

Eh. Must be my imagination.

Perhaps the issue is that some of us play in situations where there are no dividers between courts more often than you? Or perhaps we play at facilities where players are a bit less familiar with proper etiquette? There can be explanations beyond "Everyone but me is hallucinating."

I agree with "never." I also agree that the risk of injury seems to be overstated. I can watch my own court, and prefer not to have someone else substitute their judgment for mine as to when to interrupt our play. Frankly, I don't even like it much when my opponent calls a let because he thinks I'm at risk of stepping on a ball (that I've probably seen), although I understand that to the extent the ball has distracted him, he has the right to call the let for that reason.

I hesitate to add that I observe this happening more commonly with women than with men, and also more commonly at lower playing levels that at higher levels. Maybe that's just the courts I play on, and I'm not questioning the manhood, or womanhood, or skill level of anyone with a different opinion or experience. That's just my observation, fwiw.

My comments are for the situation as it generally arises in club play. As to the original question, I would be even less inclined to interrupt a league or tournament match.

T.

Steady Eddy said:

It is statistically improbable when everyone reports how they warn adjacent courts about loose balls but I don't see it happening when I'm there.

I'm not saying anyone is a liar, that implies willful deceit. Memory is faulty, it's like how many boomers 'remember' when they were at Woodstock.

Click to expand...

I did not see your avatar when I replied on my iPhone. You suckered me into that, well done.

Usually they would say "Ball on court".

thanks for your comments ...

-- some very helpful posts.

In closing I can tell you that people I play against, whether in tournament or social play, almost always do not "see" the ball rolling behind me.

I cannot help but see a ball cross the other side and have a hard time imagining how people don't see a ball behind me, but oh well ...

On occasion I will meet a person who watches closely and is a person who will chase down every ball and doesn't want anything in the way ... and will let me know immediately when a ball comes onto our court.

I had one person say it was against "Friends of the court" or some USTA rule to not interrupt a point no matter what ... and to never cross a court during a social game until the entire game was over .... so I hear all sorts of things.

I do not want a sprained ankle and am always thankful for people pointing out balls which are behind me ....