I'm engaged in a rally in a match when I hit a ball directly towards my opponent, who happens to be standing about five feet inside the baseline. The ball is overhit and heading directly at him. He seems flummoxed and instead of moving to either side he turns his back to the ball, at which point it hits him before bouncing. I call out the score reflecting my having won the point, at which point he laughs and says "you want that point?" as if I shouldn't. I said "yes." (I never asked him if he thought the point should be replayed or should be given to him, as I think he felt the ball would have been long). The rules certainly favor me here. I think he was overreaching by expecting some sort of courtesy let here.
Ball hits opponent....
- Thread starter El Diablo
- Start date
floridatennisdude
Hall of Fame
It's clearly your point. Not sure why he would think otherwise. Even if he went butts up at the fence and you nailed him, it would still be your point.
cknobman
Legend
Yeah, I am not sure what he was thinking here but the point was clearly yours.
The only time I would give consideration to conceding the point is if the person was outside of the bounds of the court (behind baseline or outside of the alleys) and my ball hits them without hitting in the court first.
The only time I would give consideration to conceding the point is if the person was outside of the bounds of the court (behind baseline or outside of the alleys) and my ball hits them without hitting in the court first.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
I am surprised that so many players don't know the rule that you lose the point if the ball hits you, no matter where you were standing.
I remember a match a few seasons ago where this happened. I was serving to the deuce court, and the opposing net player was near the T. I mishit my serve, which hit the opposing net player in the shoe. She laughed.
I said, "Did that ball hit you?" She said something like, "It doesn't matter, it was going out." I walked up and explained that the rule is loss of point regardless of where you are standing, but it is her call to make. I repeated my question, "So did the ball hit you?" She kind of smirked and said no, the ball hadn't hit her.
Yep, she straight up lied. That's OK. It was a close match, but we won it.
I remember a match a few seasons ago where this happened. I was serving to the deuce court, and the opposing net player was near the T. I mishit my serve, which hit the opposing net player in the shoe. She laughed.
I said, "Did that ball hit you?" She said something like, "It doesn't matter, it was going out." I walked up and explained that the rule is loss of point regardless of where you are standing, but it is her call to make. I repeated my question, "So did the ball hit you?" She kind of smirked and said no, the ball hadn't hit her.
Yep, she straight up lied. That's OK. It was a close match, but we won it.
bcart1991
Professional
You do. Rules state that if the ball touches your body, you lose the point.
goober
Legend
If the ball hits any part of the body, the point is over.
volleygirl
Rookie
Wow, thats very weak to just flat out lie about the ball hitting her. Glad you won after that crap.
burosky
Professional
This situation is pretty straight forward. Your opponent should have not even asked. This is not like the hindrance call made during the Mardy Fish/Matthew Ebden match where Fish hit a shot he thought was a clear winner and as such let out a loud "yes" or something similar (can't remember what he yelled). Since the ball hasn't bounced twice yet when he yelled, the point was awarded to Ebden on the grounds of hindrance. The umpire felt the loud yell distracted the opponent.
In your case, he may be trying to imply that it was a cheap point but that's what the rule book says. Maybe that's his way of appealing the point.
In your case, he may be trying to imply that it was a cheap point but that's what the rule book says. Maybe that's his way of appealing the point.
We know only one side of the story
OrangePower
Legend
Actually I think that should be worth two points!
I would not even consider conceding the point in this event, assuming they were trying to get out of the way. Situational awareness and getting out of the way of the ball is part of the game. Now on the other hand, if they deliberately stopped the ball (caught it) while standing outside the court, I would accept that as an out call and not take the point.
storypeddler
Semi-Pro
I am always courteous---but the rules are the rules. Courtesy goes both ways. Any player who knows the game and has any character wouldn't even ask the question of you. The point is yours. Period.
Loose Cannon
Rookie
This does happen. Alot of times I mishit high looping lobs in dubs.....easily out....and they guy back will snatch it.....I assume to prevent bouncing over the fence.....it its that blatant......I wouldnt mind......
But in the OP's example.....where it was a case of bad athletisism or slow reflexes.....sorry bud, My Point!
But in the OP's example.....where it was a case of bad athletisism or slow reflexes.....sorry bud, My Point!
cknobman
Legend
Exactly what I do. In fact in my area since we play at tennis centers with locked gates and if the ball goes out of court often you cant get it back, I appreciate it if the opponent recognizes a clear out ball, but also that it has a chance of going out of the tennis center, and stops it even if that ball has not bounced yet.
floridatennisdude
Hall of Fame
I was in a similar situation once where I chose to catch a ball over my shoulder that looked like it was going to bounce hard off a moon ball (8 or 9 feet out of bounds) and end up over the fence off the bounce. Opponent In this casual match basically demanded the point. After giving him an "are you a d-bag" look, I conceded the point. And never hit with him again.
li0scc0
Hall of Fame
Exactly. I hit an errant overhead a year ago that hit a player 5 feet behind the baseline. My point, although they demanded it to be theirs.
mikeler
Moderator
Tournaments and leagues should be played to the letter of the law but in a casual match in that situation I'd be pissed off too. Sometimes I yell "catch it" after I hit a shot if I think there is a chance for the ball to bounce and then go over the back fence.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
Right.
Every single post on this board is an instance of someone telling their side of the story.
I guess it's good you pointed that out, though. I guess.
cknobman
Legend
Clearly you must have been kicking his @ss :twisted:
floridatennisdude
Hall of Fame
It was tight, but yes I did win.
I'd thought of another 'pet peeve' and this seems like a challenge:
"So I was playing doubles and hit a first serve that hit the tape and rolled over toward the next court. I need a good serving rhythm, so I put my second serve in and we played a helluva point--volleys, lobs, overheads, good gets, ground stroke exchanges--must've been a 30-shot point. When it was finally done and I was high-fiving my partner (we won the point!) this scroungy looking guy from the next court's standing there with his arms crossed and says 'you guys want this ball back or what?' What a butthead!!!"
Edit: I noticed after posting that I wasn't in the "pet peeves" thread. Sorry about that.
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