Biggest Pet Peeve in Tennis?
- Thread starter SunYiXian
- Start date
shazbot
Semi-Pro
I hate when people DO apologize for netcord winners. You create your own luck, I don't need you or me apologizing for something lucky. The whole gentleman's sport thing is dumb.
I understand how sports work, all sports, I can take the netcord like a man. I don't you need you apologizing.
Why all the faux politeness???
You find yourself deep behind the baseline, chasing down a forehand that just manages to grab onto the last millimeter of the line. You stretch out as far as you can, barely managing to get your racquet on the ball.
You have successfully chased this fuzzy, yellow devil down and have it heading back toward your opponent. While anxiously awaiting your meek, defensive effort on the other side of the net, your shot grazes the net cord, hops about an inch into the air and drops limply on the other side of the net, out of the reach of the enemy.
YOU WIN THE POINT! However, you hold up the head of your racquet and apologize to the piece of garbage standing 78 feet away for the manner in which you managed to one-up your nemesis. WTF?!
You just came damn close to breaking your ankle chasing down a near nonreturnable shot. You not only manage to get it back, but you win the point. YOU WIN THE POINT!!! Why act like such a wimp? Would Mariano Rivera apologize for striking you out on a ball in the dirt? Would Warren Sapp apologize to your sorry rear end for sacking you, but only by holding onto your foot?
You busted your rear for this one. If you tried 1000 times in a row to hit the net cord in order to win a point, it would be unlikely that you'd be able to do it even once. So when the tennis gods are shining upon you, man-up and enjoy just your victory, will ya'?!
You find yourself deep behind the baseline, chasing down a forehand that just manages to grab onto the last millimeter of the line. You stretch out as far as you can, barely managing to get your racquet on the ball.
You have successfully chased this fuzzy, yellow devil down and have it heading back toward your opponent. While anxiously awaiting your meek, defensive effort on the other side of the net, your shot grazes the net cord, hops about an inch into the air and drops limply on the other side of the net, out of the reach of the enemy.
YOU WIN THE POINT! However, you hold up the head of your racquet and apologize to the piece of garbage standing 78 feet away for the manner in which you managed to one-up your nemesis. WTF?!
You just came damn close to breaking your ankle chasing down a near nonreturnable shot. You not only manage to get it back, but you win the point. YOU WIN THE POINT!!! Why act like such a wimp? Would Mariano Rivera apologize for striking you out on a ball in the dirt? Would Warren Sapp apologize to your sorry rear end for sacking you, but only by holding onto your foot?
You busted your rear for this one. If you tried 1000 times in a row to hit the net cord in order to win a point, it would be unlikely that you'd be able to do it even once. So when the tennis gods are shining upon you, man-up and enjoy just your victory, will ya'?!
Mine is definitely people acting high society without a proper education who can't even spell gauche. It's uncivilised.
r2473
G.O.A.T.
I thought the misspelling would be funny, but changed my mind.
Fortunately my edit time stamp is before your posting time stamp.
my biggest pet peeve is players (of the same rating, or one rating higher) that think they are too good to play you in a casual match.
Net cords don't bother me. If someone hits with heavy topspin, their netcord winner isn't 100% luck as the spin often helps the ball climb over the net.
Net cords don't bother me. If someone hits with heavy topspin, their netcord winner isn't 100% luck as the spin often helps the ball climb over the net.
I'm not bothered by apologizing or not after a net cord, but it is an annoying way to lose a point. ...however not so unpleasant of a way to win one
The thing about net cord winners though, no one is EVER trying to hit the net, so it IS an accidental winner. It's not like you should be feeling like you executed a great shot.
A peeve of mine is people who spit on the court. I played a guy on a hot dry day and picked up a ball wondering why it had a wet spot then I noticed the guy routinely spit on the court back behind the baseline.
My pet peeve is people who brag about their time stamp edits.
Bingo. You can't be on time just this once? my club charges $40/hour for indoor time and you're gonna stroll in 10 minutes late? Really?
jc4.0
Professional
THAT's your biggest peeve? A net cord winner, and your opponent doesn't say sorry? How many times have we all hit a "framer" that becomes an unexpected winner? What about when you hit the outside edge of the line, and it's 99.9% out? C'mon, you really aimed for that?
Luck is part of tennis. No apologies necessary. If my opponent offers one, I'll accept it, but I don't expect sincerity. Best to have a good mutual laugh and move on. You get good luck, thank the tennis-gods, sometimes they're on your side - but they're fickle as heck.
Luck is part of tennis. No apologies necessary. If my opponent offers one, I'll accept it, but I don't expect sincerity. Best to have a good mutual laugh and move on. You get good luck, thank the tennis-gods, sometimes they're on your side - but they're fickle as heck.
kylebarendrick
Professional
The guy that walks two courts over to retrieve a ball while I'm standing on the baseline saying "I've got two...".
pc1
G.O.A.T.
If it's a new ball I don't think it's that bad since the ball could be taken by the players on the other court.
Biggest Pet Peeve-Obnoxious people who think they're better than Nadal and Djokovic combined, yell at people and really aren't that good. Actually it's bad even if they're good but it may be a little worst the other way since that way they would also be delusional.
kylebarendrick
Professional
No argument from me if there is a risk of the ball being lost.
Another one... people demanding a new first serve for just about any cause under the sun. You missed your first serve, I deserve to see a second.
Another one... people demanding a new first serve for just about any cause under the sun. You missed your first serve, I deserve to see a second.
Angle Queen
Professional
In the grander scheme, players who take it all too darn seriously are the one who bother me the most. It's an escape for me, something I want to enjoy. You can beat my brains out but you don't have to be a jerk about it. Show up on-time, offer to open balls, make decent line calls, acknowledge a nice point or shot. At the end of the match, no one's paycheck is gonna change.
As for the game itself, my biggest peeve is folks who dilly-dally. The rules have specific time limits and, while I'm not even remotely suggesting hold a stop watch to it for the recreational player, move it along would ya? All this timed-match and no-ad nonsense might have been avoided if folks played at a decent pace.
As for the game itself, my biggest peeve is folks who dilly-dally. The rules have specific time limits and, while I'm not even remotely suggesting hold a stop watch to it for the recreational player, move it along would ya? All this timed-match and no-ad nonsense might have been avoided if folks played at a decent pace.
skiracer55
Hall of Fame
Let me just hang on this for a minute...
...this is your biggest pet peeve? I strongly suggest you take up shuffleboard...although you could argue that NTRP tennis already is shuffleboard for yuppies....
...this is your biggest pet peeve? I strongly suggest you take up shuffleboard...although you could argue that NTRP tennis already is shuffleboard for yuppies....
SOY78
Professional
My pet peeve is I always have one ball in the pocket even when returning serve, because some of my opponents are like Sampras and have only one ball when serving 1st serve and when it is a fault they just stand there waiting for the ghost ball boy/girl to give them the ball. That really pisses me off sometimes.
really? "some" of your opponants? I've never seen that except for very late in a casual match when a ball is lost and a guy is too spent to go down two courts to retrieve the 2nd one. And then he just spins the serve in to make sure he doesn't fault with the one ball he has.
Maybe your opponants only have one ball when they serve cause you;re always hoarding one in your pocket!
I thought people of quality were supposed to have their pinky sticking out when drinking tea. Personally, I hate the stuff, good water spoiled.
One of my pet peeves (I have more than one pet, too) is the guy who'll never call a double-bounce on himself. You're watching, see him shovel the ball just over the net with a second-bounce "half-volley," you hear nothing from him, what are you 'sposed to do? I know, sprint in and play the ball and think nice thoughts, or no thoughts at all.
r2473
G.O.A.T.
Are you people savages?!?
http://www.tealaden.com/teaweb/etiquette.htm
How to Properly Drink your Tea
First and foremost never hold your cup with your pinkie finger extended. This is improper and in most social settings is considered rude. Place your index finger into the handle of the cup up to the knuckle while placing your thumb on the top of the handle to secure the cup. The bottom of the handle should then rest on your third finger. The fourth and fifth fingers should curve back towards your wrist.
Fuji
Legend
Larrysümmers
Hall of Fame
when people walk behind the court while the point is being played. even if it isnt a match.
tennis_ocd
Hall of Fame
When serving, what's with the returners who insist on holding onto the third ball; providing it to me when they desire??
floridatennisdude
Hall of Fame
Returner calling out the score, for sure. My service routine is to say the score when I approach the baseline to serve & is part of my routine.
I don't mind someone asking the score, as I always announce it. It just bugs me when someone feels they need to be the one in charge of announcing it for me.
I don't mind someone asking the score, as I always announce it. It just bugs me when someone feels they need to be the one in charge of announcing it for me.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
As a player: Players who return obviously out serves. Always. Every single time.
As a player: Partners who say they cannot hit good shots because the opponents are not giving them enough pace.
As a captain: Players who won't read or acknowledge emails so that I have to dig out their phone number and call them.
As a captain: Players who accept an invitation to be on the team, have me hold the spot for months, and then bail without good cause.
As a captain: Players who receive an invitation to be on a team and ignore it because they cannot be bothered to type a simple, "Sorry, I can't."
As a person: People who are habitually late.
As a player: Partners who say they cannot hit good shots because the opponents are not giving them enough pace.
As a captain: Players who won't read or acknowledge emails so that I have to dig out their phone number and call them.
As a captain: Players who accept an invitation to be on the team, have me hold the spot for months, and then bail without good cause.
As a captain: Players who receive an invitation to be on a team and ignore it because they cannot be bothered to type a simple, "Sorry, I can't."
As a person: People who are habitually late.
tennis_ocd
Hall of Fame
Those that don't call my close first serves (especially teams); making me wait to see if they move over.
I used to feel guilty - as if this burden was on me (and I always default to giving all doubt to opponent.) Now I just slide over.
Another; the shouted, "I THINK it was out" on a close ball.
I used to feel guilty - as if this burden was on me (and I always default to giving all doubt to opponent.) Now I just slide over.
Another; the shouted, "I THINK it was out" on a close ball.
tennis tom
Legend
"Players" who delay the game picking up balls from the vast reaches of the court's corners, even when the server has two in hand and is ready to serve. If the server requests all the balls OK, because they do change after about five games. I think players, especially older ones (and I'm older), take the long slow walk to the fence corners to pick up the unnecessary errant ball for a breather and it becomes a habit, whether a rest is needed or not. A good player will be aware of where all three (or better yet four) balls are even being able to discern a ball in opponent's pockets. It just makes the game move faster and you get to hit more balls which is the point of playing, having fun hitting balls. If I see the chronic corner picker-upper start his perp walk, I'll yell, "I have two." These are usually the same players who are more interested in who and what is going on on the adjacent courts rather than their own. When you toss them a ball to hold it goes by them because they aren't paying attention to what's going on on their own court.
Harl Goodman
New User
Net courts are funny.
If I hit one and it wins me the point, I should apologize.
The flip side - If I hit what would have been a great passing shot, but it clips the net and sits up for a giant put away ... nobody is going to apologize to me.
If I hit one and it wins me the point, I should apologize.
The flip side - If I hit what would have been a great passing shot, but it clips the net and sits up for a giant put away ... nobody is going to apologize to me.
Paying damn good money to play indoors.....and then having the "tennis Pro" "teach" a clinic of 16-20 high school age mindless ball bashers on court next to me ..and then complain about me when i complain about the noise and distraction of kids walking behind my court and hitting ball into the side netting as they are waiting for their turn to wail a forehand off the freaking back wall. puuulllllllleeeeeeezzzzzzzeee:evil:
Last edited:
tennis tom
Legend
Yes, it's a sad state of affairs today. Most pro's today (not all) only care about you if you are putting money into their wallets. They have abdicated their responsibility to be helpful to ALL their club's members. This is short-sighted on their part because I will never take a lesson from one of them if they walk by me for years and never bother to say hello or acknowledge my existence at their club. I blame this on equally mindless and disinterested management/ownership who obviously have more money then brains and don't value mine or yours. As for the pro on the court next to yours, he is turning out the future crop of thoughtless yahoo tennis players who will be driving me to croquette one of these days--maybe they should just turn ye' ol' club into a skate-board park/medicinal marijuana dispensary.
Last edited:
Oops, I'm guilty of #1. Mini tennis just gets me in the groove of my strokes, without it my timing gets off.
As a Player: People who won't set up a doubles match or reciprocate for those who do set up matches. They just sit back and wait for someone else to do it.
As a player: People who dilly-dally (as someone else mentioned).
As a captain: Players who won't respond to emails, even when they are told that I don't have time to make individual phone calls. Invariably, they complain about their lack of playing time after the season.
As a league coordinator: Captains who refuse to read any rules or informational emails because they believe that the league coordinator is their personal 24/7 question answering service. And they expect their emails to be answered within 10 minutes no matter what. If they don't get a response in 30 minutes they start emailing the District.
As a league coordinator: Captains who send an email asking the LC a question but don't identify themselves, their league or level. Their email address has a first name only and they sign the email with initials. Do they really think that the LC knows 500 captains by their initials?
As a player: People who dilly-dally (as someone else mentioned).
As a captain: Players who won't respond to emails, even when they are told that I don't have time to make individual phone calls. Invariably, they complain about their lack of playing time after the season.
As a league coordinator: Captains who refuse to read any rules or informational emails because they believe that the league coordinator is their personal 24/7 question answering service. And they expect their emails to be answered within 10 minutes no matter what. If they don't get a response in 30 minutes they start emailing the District.
As a league coordinator: Captains who send an email asking the LC a question but don't identify themselves, their league or level. Their email address has a first name only and they sign the email with initials. Do they really think that the LC knows 500 captains by their initials?
Last edited:
Marcus2137
Rookie
I have no problem with net cords. Even if it were on purpose: good for you for being able to hit it when you want. If it's not on purpose, seems silly to apologize.
mine are:
-don't close the door
-don't call out score
-don't look at player across from them before feeding or serving a ball
-don't call out or give a sign on close bounces, which leaves me wondering what the score is
-when rallying, walk over and pick up one ball but leave the other 2 right next to it
-when rallying, they keep feeding ball after ball without giving me the chance so suddenly they are out of balls and I have pockets full that are pulling my shorts off
-stopping the rallying to go pick up balls even though I still have three in my hand and pocketfuls
-serving without getting 2 balls first
-interrupting me between first and second serve without a good reason (i.e. moving a ball posing a danger)
-questioning the score while I'm in the middle of my service motion, and then not giving me a let despite talking while I'm serving
-people in too much of a hurry to warm up and just want to immediately start a set
-dirty courts that make my tennis equipment filthy and wear out faster
-every questionable serve being played as a let
-people who hit my balls out of the court and then come back with some old, bald, flat ball instead
Ahhh, feels good to get it all out
mine are:
-don't close the door
-don't call out score
-don't look at player across from them before feeding or serving a ball
-don't call out or give a sign on close bounces, which leaves me wondering what the score is
-when rallying, walk over and pick up one ball but leave the other 2 right next to it
-when rallying, they keep feeding ball after ball without giving me the chance so suddenly they are out of balls and I have pockets full that are pulling my shorts off
-stopping the rallying to go pick up balls even though I still have three in my hand and pocketfuls
-serving without getting 2 balls first
-interrupting me between first and second serve without a good reason (i.e. moving a ball posing a danger)
-questioning the score while I'm in the middle of my service motion, and then not giving me a let despite talking while I'm serving
-people in too much of a hurry to warm up and just want to immediately start a set
-dirty courts that make my tennis equipment filthy and wear out faster
-every questionable serve being played as a let
-people who hit my balls out of the court and then come back with some old, bald, flat ball instead
Ahhh, feels good to get it all out
On #3, I would set up a facebook group. Much easier to keep track of things and players can refer back to it. We did it and eliminated a lot of problems.
I don't use Facebook. Emails are very simple. All the players have to do is hit respond and give their availability.
I tried to use the Tennis Link Team Management tool, but half the players felt that creating a login and entering their availability was too complicated.
floridatennisdude
Hall of Fame
I used to play with a guy that did this and it drove me nuts. Made the warm up into a 30 minute project.
I haven't played him in months and won't again unless I am desperate for a match.
I guess I'm a savage. Maybe I can mask it by never drinking tea. And with this level of complexity, you should really post it in Tips/Instruction.
How about if they just lollygag?
When I'm serving I don't want the third ball, I'd just as soon the opponent has it in a pocket and gives it to me when needed. Now, the ones that forget it's in their pocket...that is peevish.
Similar threads
