Argument on court, first ever!

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Technically, yes you can kick the one person off.

At the public courts I play at, there is no rule stating there must be a minimum of 2 people. So on those courts, you could not kick someone off, technically or otherwise.

The reason is you can have someone out there for 30-60 minutes "warming up" and their partner will "be here in 5 minutes". We generally have very few issues, but sometimes this comes up during league nights.

The way around that is that the solo person gets his 30 minutes [or whatever the posted limit is] regardless of whether his partner arrives. If his partner arrives at the 29th minute, they don't get to "reset the clock".

IMHO at public courts, if you're the first one there you should get the court. Meaning you're physically on the court, not just the water bottles. Sounds to me the other people were just being difficult for some reason. Kind of a weird thing for them to complain about with an open court available.

The more interesting scenario, of course, is what if there was only one court?

If putting water bottles on a court is enough to claim it, what else could one do?

- Throw your water bottles over the fence to beat the people walking in ahead of you
- Hit a tennis ball into the court from 1/2 block away to beat the people walking in ahead of you
- Put your stuff down and then go do something else
- etc.

Obviously, the scenarios are getting increasingly ridiculous but they are to illustrate the gray area opened up. I don't see much difference between that the OP did and the mother/daughter tag team. Both OP and the daughter claimed the court without having their stuff. OP was slightly better in that he put water bottles down but mother/daughter were slightly better in that there were 2 of them and supposedly ready to play.

On a tangent, in beach volleyball I've seen people put their bag down to claim a court and then go to breakfast. It's common and accepted protocol. The reason is that the players supply their own nets so that makes it different from tennis.

Bottom line? Be kind to others. Everyone has to figure out on their own what this means.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

maybe its just a Canadian thing but public courts tend to have rules attached so arguments like this don't happen:
2) If people are waiting you must relinquish the court in 30 min for singles and 45 min for doubles (from the time both waiting players arrive)/QUOTE]

Why do you suppose you get more time for doubles? My doubles matches are done more quickly than singles because there is a lot of net rushing and those points end a lot more quickly than long BL rallies. Plus, there's twice as many people to pick up balls.

Also, here's another question: why do 2 [singles] and 4 [doubles] have priority over 1? Because more is better? If that's the case, why wouldn't doubles have priority over singles?

In my world, whoever is on the court [1, 2, or 4] should get the court for the allotted time.

 

[FedererExpress]

OP was slightly better in that he put water bottles down but mother/daughter were slightly better in that there were 2 of them and supposedly ready to play.

I would have been less pissed (although still pissed), if that were the cause. But in reality the mom just dropped off the girl, girl ran onto court with no gear and just stood there. The mom then drove off to park and bring their gear into the court -_- People I tells ya. PEOPLE! lol.

 

[newpball]

But in reality the mom just dropped off the girl, girl ran onto court with no gear and just stood there.....

I wonder, what is the opinion of the OP on this incident?

Perhaps he would argue: they were wrong because the girl did not come with two full water bottles!

But what if they popped a water balloon over the fence?

 

[Booger]

So a solo player is not allowed to play tennis on a public court in your world?

It's the same as any other public athletic court/field. Try "reserving" a busy basketball court with a couple water bottles and then tell a bunch of guys their game has to wait until you finish your solo underhanded free throw practice. Somehow I doubt you'd be so bold.

Feel free to use it as long as no one is waiting, but 2+ players take priority. If you're waiting for your hitting partner, don't go on court until you're both there. Last week I lost a court because my partner was 15 minutes late. While I was waiting, some 4.0 looking mug with a gaggle of students strolled up and took it. I had to painfully watch him try to teach a "modern forehand" for 20 minutes before another court opened up.

 

[Dartagnan64]

The reason for 2, 3 or 4 players over 1 player is that the courts are meant for matches and not for practice during busy times. Matches get priority over practice. Since a solo person can only be practicing they have lower priority. So its a minimum 2 people waiting to queue for a court.

The reason for the 30 min for singles and 45 min for doubles is that it takes more time to get exercise from doubles. I should note that the 45 min rule has recently been removed locally and replaced by a 30 min rule for all matches. But it was a thing in the past.

 

[tennis tom]

When I pull in, there's a car in the parking lot with people with tennis gear.

They were there first. If you were close enough to see they had "tennis gear", you were close enough to ask them if they were coming or going. That would have been the courteous and friendly thing to do, rather then race them for your favorite court. It doesn't compute that getting your bag out of your car would take that much longer. You precipitated the ill will by making a foot-race out of this. I bet one of the courts was preferable to the other for some reason, like it had a bench, shade, no shade, or the other court had cracks, a bad net, leaves, etc.

OP, take a video of the courts and parking lot, etc, to fill in the missing links.

 

[Shaolin]

8x out of 10 there's some water or Powerade bottle laying on the bench on by the net when I play at a public court.

OP next time you want to ''reserve'' a court I would leave your bag on it or go out and practice serves on it. Water bottles aren't going to work.

 

[Jonboy]

Okay, so I got into my first ever tennis court argument today. It was pretty heated. Although I didn't drop any curse words and at no point was there a chance of physical alteration.

Anyways, here's the deal. We're playing at 7:30 pm, so I got there early to get a court before they filled up. Public park with two courts. When I pull in, there's a car in the parking lot with people with tennis gear. I don't know if they're arriving or departing. But to be safe and make sure I got a court, I got out and walked up there and put my water bottles on one of the courts (both empty).

I go back to my car to get the rest of my stuff, and they go up there and CROSS the empty court to play on the court I chose. So I get my stuff and go back there to the open court, and when I grab my bottles I tell them they they took my court. The lady then gets super mad at me, telling me what I did is wrong, that I can't do that, they it was very bad, etc etc.

So it got heated and I basically said hey, not my fault you're slow getting out of your car. Pulling into the parking lot isn't enough to reserve a court. And regardless, she went out of her way to take my court by not taking the open one - so she brought on the dispute.

Thoughts?

Hmm, if they had arrived before you, etiquette would of been to ask. Not sure why they didnt go on the empty one though.

 

[mmk]

The two courts just up the street from me are rarely used, but if I'm there just to hit serves, I'll get off if people want to play and the other court is being used. And there are reasons to use one court over another, one of the courts up the street is in much better shape than the other, it wouldn't be unusual for that to be true elsewhere.
Fortunately, within five miles of my house there are over 40 public courts, including one park with 18 courts, a hitting wall that can be used from both sides and a number of racquetball courts that could also be used for solo hitting. It would be extremely rare for a court not to be available.

 

[swizzy]

We have rules at our courts. You can't have a court until there are 2 players. Sounds like a lame argument if there was an open court though.

you can't bring a hopper and work on your serve?

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

you can't bring a hopper and work on your serve?

Most on this forum argue that you can only hold a court if there are 2-4 people; Dartagnan said in Canada, rules explicitly state this whereas I've looked for such rules at my local courts and can't find that one; perhaps it's just an unspoken agreement.

I am of the opinion that one person has just as much right to a court as 2 people for the allotted 30 minutes [or whatever the time period is]. I don't believe the # of people determines who has precedence; if that were the case, 4 people waiting to play doubles could override 2 people playing singles.

I can see the other viewpoint that tennis is usually defined by 2-4 people so if the intent is to give play preference over practice, then 2+ > 1. But then what if 2 people want to play: can they kick off 2 people who are just practicing?

 

[r2473]

When I pull in, there's a car in the parking lot with people with tennis gear. I don't know if they're arriving or departing. But to be safe and make sure I got a court, I got out and walked up there and put my water bottles on one of the courts (both empty).

I go back to my car to get the rest of my stuff,

Thoughts?

You reserved the court with 2 water bottles? You really are Rafa, no?

 

[newpball]

You reserved the court with 2 water bottles? You really are Rafa, no?

Rosol would have dealt with these antics appropriately!

 

[the green god]

Public Park tennis. Serious bidness.

 

[swizzy]

couple of things are working for me since moving to our new house these 8 years.. with tennis dying the way it has been in the states, courts are often available... one park has 4 courts and lights. other courts are nearby as well.. we have no posted rules beyond wearing non marking shoes, no dogs, and tennis only. no one seems to care that very rarely people show and have to wait for a court to free up. and as they say "when in rome" so usually people will ask how much longer? and decide if they wish to wait or find another option elsewhere. i know i would want a posted rule if i was waiting for a court..but i also know that when i go to play i play for three hours or more..so 30 minutes or an hour would also blow.. back to the op's story.. those people were rude!!! taking your court..with a perfectly good court right next to it? baffling.. was it a particular nicer court? did the other have cracks, leaves, puddles, a sagging net??? something doesn't add up.

 

[Mr.Lob]

Thoughts? So the lady thought she could reserve BOTH courts by sitting in her car? Was she a beginner? I'd say water bottles don't reserve a court, that being on the court ready to play does. Seems like she probably should have said something to you if she saw you walking to the courts. One court better than the other... in the shade?

 

[dgold44]

My

Okay, so I got into my first ever tennis court argument today. It was pretty heated. Although I didn't drop any curse words and at no point was there a chance of physical alteration.

Anyways, here's the deal. We're playing at 7:30 pm, so I got there early to get a court before they filled up. Public park with two courts. When I pull in, there's a car in the parking lot with people with tennis gear. I don't know if they're arriving or departing. But to be safe and make sure I got a court, I got out and walked up there and put my water bottles on one of the courts (both empty).

I go back to my car to get the rest of my stuff, and they go up there and CROSS the empty court to play on the court I chose. So I get my stuff and go back there to the open court, and when I grab my bottles I tell them they they took my court. The lady then gets super mad at me, telling me what I did is wrong, that I can't do that, they it was very bad, etc etc.

So it got heated and I basically said hey, not my fault you're slow getting out of your car. Pulling into the parking lot isn't enough to reserve a court. And regardless, she went out of her way to take my court by not taking the open one - so she brought on the dispute.

Thoughts?

My thoughts were you are 100 percent

Correct

Now if u disappeared for several minutes after you put the bottle down then I would say no
I assume you only took a few minutes to return from court to car to court
The lady as you said did it on purpose
Was it a soccer moms double match ???

 

[dgold44]

Funny 2 weeks ago I entered a bubble to play tennis and walked right onto a doubles match during their point . You cannot tell because the door was blocking the court view
I entered 5 min early and one of the doubles guys yelled at me, and I get very defensive by nature, so I responded nasty back
He was right as I should of waited 5 min

I told him to calm down and few other words

 

[norcal]

You know you are hopelessly wrong when dgold agrees with you, lol!

 

[beltsman]

My


My thoughts were you are 100 percent

Correct

Now if u disappeared for several minutes after you put the bottle down then I would say no
I assume you only took a few minutes to return from court to car to court
The lady as you said did it on purpose
Was it a soccer moms double match ???

Soccer mom training. Not even a match.

 

[beltsman]

couple of things are working for me since moving to our new house these 8 years.. with tennis dying the way it has been in the states, courts are often available... one park has 4 courts and lights. other courts are nearby as well.. we have no posted rules beyond wearing non marking shoes, no dogs, and tennis only. no one seems to care that very rarely people show and have to wait for a court to free up. and as they say "when in rome" so usually people will ask how much longer? and decide if they wish to wait or find another option elsewhere. i know i would want a posted rule if i was waiting for a court..but i also know that when i go to play i play for three hours or more..so 30 minutes or an hour would also blow.. back to the op's story.. those people were rude!!! taking your court..with a perfectly good court right next to it? baffling.. was it a particular nicer court? did the other have cracks, leaves, puddles, a sagging net??? something doesn't add up.

No, both courts were fine. It was the evening so both courts were in the shade.

 

[Turbo-87]

and I get very defensive by nature, so I responded nasty back
He was right as I should of waited 5 min

I told him to calm down and few other words

I would have never imagined that.

 

[dgold44]

Funny 2 weeks ago I entered a bubble to play tennis and walked right onto a doubles match during their point . You cannot tell because the door was blocking the court view
I entered 5 min early and one of the doubles guys yelled at me, and I get very defensive by nature, so I responded nasty back
He was right as I should of waited 5 min

I told him to calm down and few other words

I would have never imagined that.

I seem to not be the best people person around ??? I need to snip out the bad DNA or something
You get my small nice side here ???
The real me is a tad different

 

[dgold44]

You know you are hopelessly wrong when dgold agrees with you, lol!

i tend to miscalculate people interactions as much as my lousy serve !! My people skills are like mixing Lendl with robocop.
However this one I am confident I am correct

 

[tennis tom]

Funny 2 weeks ago I entered a bubble to play tennis and walked right onto a doubles match during their point . You cannot tell because the door was blocking the court view

How come the door doesn't have a window in it so you can see if a game is in progress? Seems weird, bubbles I've played in have revolving doors made of glass not to let the air out. How hard would it be to put a window in to view inside?

 

[samarai]

how does a solo player play on a court. on our public courts u better be playing a game( either single or doubles) to hold the courts. If there are people waiting, u are also not supposed to be be practicing (ie serves)

 

[Dartagnan64]

Most on this forum argue that you can only hold a court if there are 2-4 people; Dartagnan said in Canada, rules explicitly state this whereas I've looked for such rules at my local courts and can't find that one; perhaps it's just an unspoken agreement.

I am of the opinion that one person has just as much right to a court as 2 people for the allotted 30 minutes [or whatever the time period is]. I don't believe the # of people determines who has precedence; if that were the case, 4 people waiting to play doubles could override 2 people playing singles.

I can see the other viewpoint that tennis is usually defined by 2-4 people so if the intent is to give play preference over practice, then 2+ > 1. But then what if 2 people want to play: can they kick off 2 people who are just practicing?

Well the two people can just start playing a match if they want to avoid getting kicked off. The thing is, it's impossible to know if two people are just practicing or playing, unless its a coach feeding balls to a player.

I think in the end Parks and Rec want to give court time to the most people possible and having 4 courts filled with solo players hitting serves out of a bin at peak hours is not what they desire. I can't recall ever seeing the scenario of a doubles group waiting courtside for 30 min while a solo guy just hits serves from side to side. If I was that solo player I'd feel pretty silly holding these people up from their match so I can just hit serves. Again maybe a Canadian thing as we tend to be more polite and altruistic in general. Needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.

 

[OrangePower]

Again maybe a Canadian thing as we tend to be more polite and altruistic in general.

 

[dgold44]

How come the door doesn't have a window in it so you can see if a game is in progress? Seems weird, bubbles I've played in have revolving doors made of glass not to let the air out. How hard would it be to put a window in to view inside?

It has a window but the angle made me not see the full court , well