Appropriate Coin Toss/ Racquet Flip

[5sets]

I'm sure this has been brought up before, and I really don't care about losing the flip since I usually elect to receive anyways if I win but how are you or your opponents doing this.

More significantly I've played some tourneys where my opponent will hold the frame of the racquet with the handle outstretched to me covering the emblem and ask me to call it. Sometimes I'm lazy and ask him to call it but he still flips it around this way rather than spinning on the ground.

If he knows which end is up at the beginning this guarantees he will win the toss. The first few times I've seen this way of flipping it almost seems like cheating if he's calling it.

Again, I don't really care since most people elect to serve first if they win, but was interested in your

Thoughts, comments?

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[Jin An]

That's pretty normal - many people don't want to unnecessarily throw their racquet on the ground. You should just call it or you should flip your racquet instead if you want the opponent to call it.

 

[Jin An]

I personally don't like spinning my racquet on the ground.

 

[brettatk]

Never spin my racket on the ground. I'll flip it a few times and show them the butt of the racket with my other hand covering it. As soon as they say up or down I remove my hand. There is no flipping after the call. Plus if someone is flipping/spinning their racket then they should not call it, someone else does.

 

[sureshs]

I use a coin flip app on my phone.

 

[J_R_B]

I'm sure this has been brought up before, and I really don't care about losing the flip since I usually elect to receive anyways if I win but how are you or your opponents doing this.

More significantly I've played some tourneys where my opponent will hold the frame of the racquet with the handle outstretched to me covering the emblem and ask me to call it. Sometimes I'm lazy and ask him to call it but he still flips it around this way rather than spinning on the ground.

If he knows which end is up at the beginning this guarantees he will win the toss. The first few times I've seen this way of flipping it almost seems like cheating if he's calling it.

Again, I don't really care since most people elect to serve first if they win, but was interested in your

Thoughts, comments?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G928A using Tapatalk

If he does this, just wait until he's stopped spinning then call it. If he flips one more time after you call it, call him out on that (although this seems really unlikely).

 

[5sets]

In a perfect world there is no flipping after the call. I like when people spin like Brett does, stop, then ask.

I've been spinning on the ground to be fair, but think I'll reconsider because I don't like unnecessary scratches. Also opponents have been calling 'Circles Up' on my Yonex which I think is another form of gamesmanship, because Circles Up is actually Down.

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[kevrol]

I use a coin flip app on my phone.

Yep. Just tell Siri to flip a coin.

 

[tennis tom]

rough or smooth?

 

[Nacho]

I'm sure this has been brought up before, and I really don't care about losing the flip since I usually elect to receive anyways if I win but how are you or your opponents doing this.

More significantly I've played some tourneys where my opponent will hold the frame of the racquet with the handle outstretched to me covering the emblem and ask me to call it. Sometimes I'm lazy and ask him to call it but he still flips it around this way rather than spinning on the ground.

If he knows which end is up at the beginning this guarantees he will win the toss. The first few times I've seen this way of flipping it almost seems like cheating if he's calling it.

Again, I don't really care since most people elect to serve first if they win, but was interested in your

Thoughts, comments?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G928A using Tapatalk

I flip it around covering....mainly because I use the new ultra and the paint job sucks, if I spin it around on the ground it will just chip and get beat up more.....

 

[tennis4me]

I once get into a mild discussion over the result of a 'coin toss' using my Babolat. I go by the logo (the red slanted oval with red/white stripes) being upside down or not. The opponent insisted on interpreting the toss as the white stripes being on top or on the bottom. I just re-tossed and move on. Lesson learned, be explicit.

I never spin on the ground either. But, I look away from my racquet while spinning, in case the opponent think I'm cheating by not spinning the racquet on the ground. Nowadays, I usually have a coin in my bag also.

 

[tennis4me]

I know a lefty dubs player who likes to say 'defer' when he wins a toss. Not sure the real motivation, but it throws off many people since they're not used to hearing "defer". My guess why he does that is being a lefty (with a righty partner), he probably has advantages in choices no matter what his opponents pick.

 

[schmke]

I know a lefty dubs player who likes to say 'defer' when he wins a toss. Not sure the real motivation, but it throws off many people since they're not used to hearing "defer". My guess why he does that is being a lefty (with a righty partner), he probably has advantages in choices no matter what his opponents pick.

The typical reason to defer is in doubles when you want a specific starting scenario, e.g. you want player A to serve first for your team on his/her preferred side.

Say you want player A to serve first and he prefers to serve on the North side.

If you win the spin:

• and choose to serve, the opponents can pick the North side and you are forced to have player A serve on the South side or have player B serve first.
• and choose to receive, the opponents can pick the South side and you will end up serving first from the South side so again player A must serve there or player B must serve first.
• and choose the North side, the opponents can choose to serve and you will end up serving first from the South side again ...
• and choose the South side, the opponents can choose to receive and you will end up serving first from the South side again ...

If you win the spin and defer, now the opponent must choose and you can assure yourself of having player A serve first and from on the North side:

• opponents choose to serve, you pick the South side and player A gets to serve first for you on the North
• opponents choose to receive, you pick the North side and player A gets to serve first for you on the North
• opponents choose the South side, you choose to serve and player A gets to serve first for you on the North
• opponents choose the North side, you choose to receive and player A gets to serve first for you on the North

 

[winchestervatennis]

I once get into a mild discussion over the result of a 'coin toss' using my Babolat. I go by the logo (the red slanted oval with red/white stripes) being upside down or not. The opponent insisted on interpreting the toss as the white stripes being on top or on the bottom. I just re-tossed and move on. Lesson learned, be explicit.

I never spin on the ground either. But, I look away from my racquet while spinning, in case the opponent think I'm cheating by not spinning the racquet on the ground. Nowadays, I usually have a coin in my bag also.

I've never known what was up or down with babolat and its like the guys that play these frames can sense it and always say its the opposite of what i called. Either that or im 0 for the century calling a babolat spin, which is statistically unlikely. But i don't really care so no big deal.

 

[darkhorse]

I know a lefty dubs player who likes to say 'defer' when he wins a toss. Not sure the real motivation, but it throws off many people since they're not used to hearing "defer". My guess why he does that is being a lefty (with a righty partner), he probably has advantages in choices no matter what his opponents pick.

I would bet he does it because he sees it in the NFL

 

[kylebarendrick]

The typical reason to defer is in doubles when you want a specific starting scenario, e.g. you want player A to serve first for your team on his/her preferred side.

Say you want player A to serve first and he prefers to serve on the North side.

If you win the spin:

• and choose to serve, the opponents can pick the North side and you are forced to have player A serve on the South side or have player B serve first.
• and choose to receive, the opponents can pick the South side and you will end up serving first from the South side so again player A must serve there or player B must serve first.
• and choose the North side, the opponents can choose to serve and you will end up serving first from the South side again ...
• and choose the South side, the opponents can choose to receive and you will end up serving first from the South side again ...

If you win the spin and defer, now the opponent must choose and you can assure yourself of having player A serve first and from on the North side:

• opponents choose to serve, you pick the South side and player A gets to serve first for you on the North
• opponents choose to receive, you pick the North side and player A gets to serve first for you on the North
• opponents choose the South side, you choose to serve and player A gets to serve first for you on the North
• opponents choose the North side, you choose to receive and player A gets to serve first for you on the North

That's exactly why I often defer. I usually want our better server to serve on the side they want. As you pointed out, deferring guarantees you can make that happen.

 

[Deanm85]

I've never known what was up or down with babolat and its like the guys that play these frames can sense it and always say its the opposite of what i called. Either that or im 0 for the century calling a babolat spin, which is statistically unlikely. But i don't really care so no big deal.

Trademark up is up

 

[RogueFLIP]

I have a big fake half dollar coin that I got at some carnival decades ago that I keep in my bag for the "coin flip". Always gets a good chuckle from people.

 

[MathGeek]

I don't really care what the opponent does. I usually have them handle the flip/spin so my racquet is not abused and so they can't think I buggered it.

But if they bugger it, it's their conscience, not mine.

 

[Rattler]

Just flip a coin...quarter size or larger

 

[esgee48]

Coin. Show the head and tail sides. Ask for choice and then flip. BTW, this should be done before the on court 5 minute warmups so everyone is on the correct side warming up.

 

[texasleaguer]

I still use a Wilson T2000 racquet. W or M, they call. Depending on how I pick it up, opponent always win. Been doing this for better than 40 years, haven't had a complaint yet.

 

[Seth]

I throw my racquet a minimum of 10 feet in the air while flicking my wrist right as I let go, causing the frame to twist and spin wildly out of control.

This is the only way to ensure a fair racquet spin.

 

[J_R_B]

I say P or D and spin the racket, then no matter what they pick, they're wrong because the racket is a Wilson so the correct call is either M or W.

 

[5sets]

I say P or D and spin the racket, then no matter what they pick, they're wrong because the racket is a Wilson so the correct call is either M or W.

[emoji23]

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[5sets]

I still use a Wilson T2000 racquet. W or M, they call. Depending on how I pick it up, opponent always win. Been doing this for better than 40 years, haven't had a complaint yet.

So you purposely twist it around as you pick it up if they guessed wrong? What does that mean, 'depending on how I pick it up'. I it lands on W its W, lmfao wtf

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[5sets]

Sometimes if I'm spinning and they call it but they guess the wrong one but are standing far enough away I just tell them they won because I like defering anyway

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[stapletonj]

I know a lefty dubs player who likes to say 'defer' when he wins a toss. Not sure the real motivation, but it throws off many people since they're not used to hearing "defer". My guess why he does that is being a lefty (with a righty partner), he probably has advantages in choices no matter what his opponents pick.

outdoors lefty doubs. always "I choose that you choose" that way neither you nor your partner EVER serve into the sun....

 

[tennis4me]

outdoors lefty doubs. always "I choose that you choose" that way neither you nor your partner EVER serve into the sun....

Exactly, I believe this was the reason of my lefty friend's choice.

 

[texasleaguer]

So you purposely twist it around as you pick it up if they guessed wrong? What does that mean, 'depending on how I pick it up'. I it lands on W its W, lmfao wtf

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Yes

 

[LeftyJunk]

I ask my opponent "head or gut". Then give them a punch in their desired location and take the balls from them and proceed to serve. That's usually a good way to start a match...

 

[Frank Silbermann]

The proper way is for everyone to have that thin plastic red thread woven in at the base of the string bed so that the racket spinner can call "rough of smooth?" Spinning the racket should be no big deal if one is playing real "lawn tennis."