Can pro's get DQ'd for intentional harm that is done technically within the rules?

T

thomasferrett

Hall of Fame
For example, if one guy is losing 0-6, 5-0, but then plays a point where he gets a sitter and his opponent is right at the net - can he decide to drill the ball at 500mph straight into his opponent's eyes hoping to blind him permanently to force a retirement from the match so that he can win?

Or, in another example, what if the opponent has run to the net to try to get a drop-shot and couldn't stop himself from actually leaning over the net so his head is now on your side of the court. Can you now club him in the face with your racket (hoping to concuss him) and then claim you were trying to hit the ball and hit his face accidentally?

Are these legitimate plays, or would one get disqualified in either instance?
 
T

Tennis_Hands

Banned
Body shots are allowed.

When your opponent touched the net he lost the point. You cannot claim that you wanted to play the ball, if there was no ball to be played, and even if there was you will get DQed immediately.

:cool:
 
T

thomasferrett

Hall of Fame
Tennis_Hands said:
Body shots are allowed.

When your opponent touched the net he lost the point. You cannot claim that you wanted to play the ball, if there was no ball to be played, and even if there was you will get DQed immediately.

:cool:
Click to expand...

What if the guy's head was leaning over the net but yet his body was not touching the net - could you smash him in the face with your racket then? Even if he had lost the point you could claim that you were trying to hit the ball and that you were unaware at that moment that the point had ended? If you were losing badly, disabling him with a head injury may be your only hope of winning the match...
 
Nostradamus

Nostradamus

Bionic Poster
thomasferrett said:
For example, if one guy is losing 0-6, 5-0, but then plays a point where he gets a sitter and his opponent is right at the net - can he decide to drill the ball at 500mph straight into his opponent's eyes hoping to blind him permanently to force a retirement from the match so that he can win?

Or, in another example, what if the opponent has run to the net to try to get a drop-shot and couldn't stop himself from actually leaning over the net so his head is now on your side of the court. Can you now club him in the face with your racket (hoping to concuss him) and then claim you were trying to hit the ball and hit his face accidentally?

Are these legitimate plays, or would one get disqualified in either instance?
Click to expand...
Lendl used to do this all the time and he never got DQ'ed. he tried to hit McEnroe in the eye many times but he never succeeded
 
T

Tennis_Hands

Banned
thomasferrett said:
What if the guy's head was leaning over the net but yet his body was not touching the net - could you smash him in the face with your racket then? Even if he had lost the point you could claim that you were trying to hit the ball and that you were unaware at that moment that the point had ended? If you were losing badly, disabling him with a head injury may be your only hope of winning the match...
Click to expand...

You get DQed either way.

Also, go to anger management courses.

:cool:
 
mahesh69a

mahesh69a

Semi-Pro
Tennis is gentler with respect to physical danger than several other sports and the players also try to be gentlemen/ladies (some do push the limit by threatening to shove the ball up the throat).
 
T

thomasferrett

Hall of Fame
I can easily imagine the secnario - you hit a drop shot, your opponent runs to the net, stops himself just before he touches the net, but his head is now leaning over the net and onto your side of the court. Meanwhile he has bunted the ball straight in the air on your side of the court. In my books, that is a free head shot to connect your RACKET (not the ball) with your opponent's FACE. Even if you miss the ball you can say you were trying to hit it, but missed and accidentally got your opponent's face instead of the ball. Not sure how the ump could argue with that - is it illegal to miss the ball now? And your opponent's face should never be on your side of the court, so if his face got in the way of your racket, you can always claim it's your opponent's fault.
 
T

Tennis_Hands

Banned
Mr.Lob said:
Hitting at your opponent is not against the rules. So aim for the whites of the eyes.

If opponent is leaning over the net....scissor kick to the head.

All legal AND approved by Serena Williams.
Click to expand...

Are Korda and Serena associated in any way (apart from a bit of drug abuse, that is)?

:cool:
 
OldschoolKIaus

OldschoolKIaus

Hall of Fame
ASF2.gif
 
RaulRamirez

RaulRamirez

Legend
Tennis_Hands said:
Ramos is a star.

I wish that more umpires were as professional as he is.

:cool:
Click to expand...
...was just going for levity.
I agree that Ramos handled the SW situation as well as it could be, and while I don't follow tennis umps too closely, he seems to be one of the top two or three on tour.
 
T

thomasferrett

Hall of Fame
As soon as your opponent puts any part of his body onto your side of the court, I fail to see how he doesn't become your property and you can deface/maul him in any way possible?
 
ChaelAZ

ChaelAZ

G.O.A.T.
There have been very few body shots that had malicious intent. Tennis isn't a full contact sport, though doubles is just asking for it. In a fast paced game though, you come ot the net at your own risk because stuff happens.

And then, in the famous Lendl quote about drilling the guy with 100 mph volley..."I did not invite him to the net."
 
Enga

Enga

Hall of Fame
thomasferrett said:
As soon as your opponent puts any part of his body onto your side of the court, I fail to see how he doesn't become your property and you can deface/maul him in any way possible?
Click to expand...
Definitely, and by this point I believe full right to bear arms should be enacted
 
T

thomasferrett

Hall of Fame
Enga said:
Definitely, and by this point I believe full right to bear arms should be enacted
Click to expand...

Basically, they reach their arm across the net, you can break it with your racket. If they reach their head across the net, you can break their FACE with your racket.
 
BGod

BGod

G.O.A.T.
Im(moral) Winner said:
Sometimes I also wonder why pros don't go for "kill" shots more often but I guess they don't want to be the ******* on the tour.
Click to expand...

It goes both ways. It's unlikely you can get away drilling your opponent and they're not going to return the favour.

However I'll also say a tennis ball is hard to hurt. I've been drilled side of the head on smashes and although it's not a great feeling it's not very painful. Same for a beaming serve (Wawrinka level).

Nut shots however......
 
T

thomasferrett

Hall of Fame
BGod said:
However I'll also say a tennis ball is hard to hurt.
Click to expand...

Yeh, that's why your best bet is that some part of your opponent's body leans across the net and onto your side of the court, so you can use your RACKET (and not the ball) to smash his face with.
 
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