Calling ball out on match point.

[ConR]

I've played two matches recently where there was a close call on either match point or to set up match point.

Both balls were definitely out but the ball was very close to the line. My opponents may have seen it in from their position on the court and hence believed the ball to be in. One was deep crosscourt wide too the outside tramline. The other was on the baseline.

Both matches ended on a sour note.

How do you rectify this as it's an awkward situation to be in.

Are the opponents being overly aggressive/disrespectful?

 

[ratherlosethanpush]

I've played two matches recently where there was a close call on either match point or to set up match point.

Both balls were definitely out but the ball was very close to the line. My opponents may have seen it in from their position on the court and hence believed the ball to be in. One was deep crosscourt wide too the outside tramline. The other was on the baseline.

Both matches ended on a sour note.

How do you rectify this as it's an awkward situation to be in.

Are the opponents being overly aggressive/disrespectful?

Whether it's match point or just any random point is irrelevant.

If the ball is clearly out, it's clearly out. If you're not sure it's in benefit goes to the opponent.

If by definitely out you mean zero doubt it's out.

Different positions on court can affect the viewing perspective, anyone not in a good position to make a call or see the ball needs to be aware of this and call / react accordingly.

Edit: definitely out and very close to the line can be hard to reconcile.

A lot of players will play and call anything close to the line as in and they are generally the more pleasant matches and usually finish in such a manner.

 

[Robert F]

When the stakes are high our own indepdent psychologies factor in to our calls whether we like it or not.
In a match with no stakes, close calls are close calls and you can say to your opponent "man that was close but I saw a sliver of green. It was out." And your opponent knows you had a better view point than him and moves on.

Once something is on the line, things change. In the beginning close calls are accepted and trusted but as things get tight, we want our opponents balls out and our balls in and the opponent the opposite. And so we might see certain balls more likely out than in and vice versa.

Playing fun tennis, USTA tennis, watching USTA tennis and high school matches, you just see close calls start to lean a certain way. I don't think it is cheating, I just think it is situational wishful thinking and in some cases confirmation and recency bias during important points. A Dad doesn't get mad when a close ball is called out at love-15, but at break point "That ball was so in, I can't believe they called it out." Add to that that your opponent often has the worst viewpoint for many baseline calls compared to you and vice versa.

In your case you have to stick with your guns if it was out it was out. I'd just emphasize great match to the other team and that you'd love to play with them again. If they still give you gruff, you might ask them why and if they felt their ball was in or claim you were cheating, you can attempt to explain that you clearly saw it out and try to explain parallax to them--but good luck.

 

[tennis3]

In your case you have to stick with your guns

Is the OP in a "stand your ground" State?

 

[ConR]

So at the end of one of the matches it was doubles and it was a cold handshake. One of the opponents as described above kept at me and said that's the second one tonight you've done me on..(I don't remember another one and he definitely didn't say anything during the match about that one).

Seeing he was fairly ticked off (we came back from 1-6 down in a championship tie break to win 10-7) I said to his partner , "this is out of order if was a good match with no bad calls the whole match, can you please ask you partner to call down!?"


The aggressive player who was unhappy with the call then calmed down and apologized shook my hand again.

In the other match it was singles and after the handshake he admitted he was trying to drag me down to his level and when it's over it's over.

 

[ConR]

*it , *calm

 

[Robert F]

Seems you made the doubles match guys chill out and come back to planet earth.

Even the singles guy seemed to accept it and take some of the blame.

Heck even when it is clearly out, if it is flub or shank, I almost feel bad calling it out on a quality player, but I do.

 

[Ronaldo]

Recall arguing with my partner over a service line call. Opponents told us to get a room.

 

[ConR]

Seems you made the doubles match guys chill out and come back to planet earth.

Even the singles guy seemed to accept it and take some of the blame.

Heck even when it is clearly out, if it is flub or shank, I almost feel bad calling it out on a quality player, but I do.

Exactly that's how I felt. It's not an easy call to make but it's the right one.

 

[StoicBoxer]

Did they feel all the close calls went in your favor?

 

[ratherlosethanpush]

Did they feel all the close calls went in your favor?

That's kind of a good way of looking at this type of situation.

Overall on average our calls should be favouring the opponent(s) and vice versa if that's what your inferring.

Edit: it seems to help as well when u narrowly miss dtl and are in position to see it miss, they call it in or look confused and you just go out your point.

 

[sureshs]

I've played two matches recently where there was a close call on either match point or to set up match point.

Both balls were definitely out but the ball was very close to the line. My opponents may have seen it in from their position on the court and hence believed the ball to be in. One was deep crosscourt wide too the outside tramline. The other was on the baseline.

On the baseline is in? Or do you mean on baseline but in the alley?

 

[Ronaldo]

On the baseline is in? Or do you mean on baseline but in the alley?

Dubs

 

[sureshs]

Dubs

Yes, it would be in if it is anywhere on the baseline for dubs. He said it was out.

 

[jhick]

Yes, it would be in if it is anywhere on the baseline for dubs. He said it was out.

I don't think he literally meant the ball was "on the baseline". I'm guessing he just meant near the baseline as opposed to near the alley.

 

[Ronaldo]

Yes, it would be in if it is anywhere on the baseline for dubs. He said it was out.

He said it was out. My partner called it out, I told him to look at the mark. We were playing on Har-tru, clay. And he is legally blind

Gonna start carrying a white cane for my partner, and I am never wrong!

 

[sureshs]

I don't think he literally meant the ball was "on the baseline". I'm guessing he just meant near the baseline as opposed to near the alley.

Yeah that is usually OK but in this case the choice of words is very important!

 

[ichaseballs]

some people's desire to win will be greater than their sportsmanship & ethics...
been scientifically shown that most of our decision making is made by our sub and unconscious minds.

 

[Pass750]

You have to call it as you see it, but I have had some very close calls on match point I would normally call out but didn’t because it was match point.

 

[ConR]

Did they feel all the close calls went in your favor?

There were no other close calls or arguments in the doubles, everything in the match was really fair and sporting. That's why it was so out of character and random.

 

[ConR]

On the baseline is in? Or do you mean on baseline but in the alley?

In the doubles match it was on the outside tramline left hand side.

In the singles it was out behind the baseline.

 

[ConR]

some people's desire to win will be greater than their sportsmanship & ethics...
been scientifically shown that most of our decision making is made by our sub and unconscious minds.

And some people are just A*£holes too don't need any scientific evidence for that