I've only played organized tennis (USTA leagues and local ladder) since August 2011, but I've already seen a lifetime's worth of boorish/childish/unsportsmanlike conduct from my opponents. Four separate incidents, in varying degrees of outlandishness, are described below.
(1) This is the most benign of the four, but my first glimpse at what frustration can do. I joined a local tennis ladder and challenged an older gentleman (guessing 55; I am 40). I was beating him handily the first set, and was taken aback by his antics. He would routinely make verbal outbursts (directed at himself), and 3-4 times he would punctuate his tirade by smacking his racquet into the fence. I thought it was a little weird that a grown man would not be able to keep his cool, and made a mental note not to play him again if I didn't have to.
(2) I then joined a USTA Flex League (3.5) to get more singles match play in last all. Met and played with six friendly, cordial opponents, but there was one opponent that was ridiculous with his behavior. He was also older, probably in his late 50s. He fell behind early, and I kid you not, in the SECOND game of the first set, he threw his racquet into the fence out of frustration. He threw his racquet into the fence or net about ten times that match, along with a steady stream of F-bombs. We were playing at a local HS, so there were kids around and also another couple playing tennis two courts over. Twice, after losing a point, he smacked the ball down to the other other end of the courts, where the couple was playing. (He did track down the balls each time, to his credit.) At one point, during a changeover, my smart-Alec self told him I bet I could guess who his favorite tennis player was growing up (obviously alluding to McEnroe; he didn't seem to get what I was driving at, and responded that it was either Federer or Nadal).
(3) This spring, I joined a men's doubles league at the tennis club my family joined. It was a friendly league; we didn't even keep track of sets over the season like we were supposed to. But one member blew up big time (after losing a set to me and my partner). He threw his racquet over the back curtain. He evidently did not cool down, because during the next set (not vs. me), he spazzed out when a kid (early 20s, maybe 160 pounds) crossed through the court during a stoppage in play. The maniac (late 40s, 250 pounds) threw his racquet at the kid, barely missing him, then followed up by pushing the kid down into the Gatorade bucket adjacent to the court. [Haven't seen the maniac since; heard he terminated his membership at the club.]
(4) Last week, I played a singles match for my 3.5 men's USTA league team. My opponent looked to be in his late 20s or early 30s and had much better strokes than me. But his nerves must have gotten to him, because he kept shanking balls and lost the first set 6-0 to me. He kept up a steady stream of F-bombs and other "motivational" words to himself, and threw his racquet a few times during the match. His captain was watching, and offered me an apology after the match (which I won, even after he pulled ahead 5-3 in the second set). Truthfully, I replied that it didn't bother me (I want them flustered and off their game). But just find it weird that there are so many folks playing tennis with no ability to moderate their emotions.
Do I have some sort of Dennis Rodman-like ability to bring out the worst in my opponents, or is this type of behavior par for the course?
(1) This is the most benign of the four, but my first glimpse at what frustration can do. I joined a local tennis ladder and challenged an older gentleman (guessing 55; I am 40). I was beating him handily the first set, and was taken aback by his antics. He would routinely make verbal outbursts (directed at himself), and 3-4 times he would punctuate his tirade by smacking his racquet into the fence. I thought it was a little weird that a grown man would not be able to keep his cool, and made a mental note not to play him again if I didn't have to.
(2) I then joined a USTA Flex League (3.5) to get more singles match play in last all. Met and played with six friendly, cordial opponents, but there was one opponent that was ridiculous with his behavior. He was also older, probably in his late 50s. He fell behind early, and I kid you not, in the SECOND game of the first set, he threw his racquet into the fence out of frustration. He threw his racquet into the fence or net about ten times that match, along with a steady stream of F-bombs. We were playing at a local HS, so there were kids around and also another couple playing tennis two courts over. Twice, after losing a point, he smacked the ball down to the other other end of the courts, where the couple was playing. (He did track down the balls each time, to his credit.) At one point, during a changeover, my smart-Alec self told him I bet I could guess who his favorite tennis player was growing up (obviously alluding to McEnroe; he didn't seem to get what I was driving at, and responded that it was either Federer or Nadal).
(3) This spring, I joined a men's doubles league at the tennis club my family joined. It was a friendly league; we didn't even keep track of sets over the season like we were supposed to. But one member blew up big time (after losing a set to me and my partner). He threw his racquet over the back curtain. He evidently did not cool down, because during the next set (not vs. me), he spazzed out when a kid (early 20s, maybe 160 pounds) crossed through the court during a stoppage in play. The maniac (late 40s, 250 pounds) threw his racquet at the kid, barely missing him, then followed up by pushing the kid down into the Gatorade bucket adjacent to the court. [Haven't seen the maniac since; heard he terminated his membership at the club.]
(4) Last week, I played a singles match for my 3.5 men's USTA league team. My opponent looked to be in his late 20s or early 30s and had much better strokes than me. But his nerves must have gotten to him, because he kept shanking balls and lost the first set 6-0 to me. He kept up a steady stream of F-bombs and other "motivational" words to himself, and threw his racquet a few times during the match. His captain was watching, and offered me an apology after the match (which I won, even after he pulled ahead 5-3 in the second set). Truthfully, I replied that it didn't bother me (I want them flustered and off their game). But just find it weird that there are so many folks playing tennis with no ability to moderate their emotions.
Do I have some sort of Dennis Rodman-like ability to bring out the worst in my opponents, or is this type of behavior par for the course?
