Drilled in face during team practice match.

B

bob

Rookie
Last week we practiced at night against one of our 6.5 combo teams.
-The 3.0 player I played against who was new on the team was one of those guys that lobbed 30% of the time and hugged the net (3-4 away) when he could.
-He or his partner hit a short, easy sitter to me inside the service line. I approached the ball and he didn't back off the net. I could have drilled it at his chest. Instead I tapped it below his waist so I wouldn't hurt him. He chopped at the ball and drilled me right below my nose (we were probably 6-7 feet apart) . When I got hit I was close enough to the net to touch it with my racquet. I had zero seconds to get out of the way. If the shot was an inch lower it could have knocked my front teeth out. The guy that hit it claimed he wasn't hitting at me and it was an accident. I'm not a violent guy but for a fraction of a second after I was hit I almost threw my racquet at him (which would have been a bad move).

Here's my point: I believe that net huggers should realize that when their opponents get a short sitter in front of them that they need to back up, or get out of the way. They can't rely on their opponent not wanting to hit them. And if the net hugger does hang in there they shouldn't swing at the ball if there opponent is six feet away and they don't know where there shot is going to go.

Our team is playing a USTA state final starting Friday. I think there are plenty of guys that if they got clocked in the face like I did would physically go after this guy.
 
C

chic

Professional
I mean, he should definitely be back a couple steps. But if I, as a net man, put a shot right at the opposing netman, and he can't control the shot and hits me. That's on me for giving him a shot to work with. I don't expect someone to have a great shot on a reaction volley, and I don't expect a 3.0 to have great control on any volley.

Next time just drill him or put the ball away, it's what people will do in league, and once it happens enough he'll be more amenable to the idea that he needs to move. If he's able to react to the majority of shots and gets free points when he does theres no evidence he should change.
 
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OnTheLine

OnTheLine

Hall of Fame
I also find no fault against a 3.0 not having the control on a reflex volley (clearly what he hit was simply a reflex stab).

If you have control on a sitter then why are you even hitting below the waist to an opponent rather than at an angle away from a net player? I fear this one is on you.

At the 3.0 level positioning is not a strength, it is still being learned (like why you were so close to the net having not re-positioned after your shot) so I can also not fault the guy for being a few steps further back.

If this was a higher level player who drilled you this would be a different discussion.
 
T

TennisCJC

Legend
Dear Bob, I have been playing 40+ years and been hit and have hit people many times. I don’t think you should get mad because you hit a weak shot that got flicked back and hit you in the nose. You should hit a better volley through your opponent or direct it away from them. Getting hit is part of the game. I have been hit in the eye and got a black eye. I was hit on top of finger and it jammed the finger and it turned black and blue. I hit a friend in the ear resulting in a slight rupture of the ear drum. I have been hit and have hit people in the chest, knees and torso. I don’t head hunt and always try to keep my shots low to avoid hitting someone in the face but sometimes under pressure my shots get higher than I want. It is part of the game. In a short range quick exchange I don’t think you can get mad as opponent was likely just reflexives g it back
 
R

Rusbus

New User
It’s a little green ball...I wouldn’t have backed off either. Hit a better shot. Also dude is a 3.0....I am a 4.5 and can’t always control my volleys especially reaction ones.
Practice like you play....Don’t hit weak balls because you are scared to hit it towards another man.
 
Shaolin

Shaolin

G.O.A.T.
Hit better approach shots and volleys and you won't get hit as much.

Even the pros get hit a lot in dubs. It's part of the game.
 
Mongolmike

Mongolmike

Hall of Fame
The part l find odd is you chastise him for being a net hugger, then mention you yourself were close enough to the net to touch it with your racquet...i.e., a net hugger.

I'm sure the responses aren't what you want to read, but getting hit, even in the face, happens. I'm just glad you didn't throw your racquet, because you would've REALLY been in the wrong...for the action and for the mindset.

Full disclosure- l have been hit WAY too many times to count, and have hit both men and women too many times to count. None were intentional. It happens if you are at the net. Don't like it? Get off the net. (I've never been hit in the face, but have been tagged in the nuts 3 times...once was from a flat serve when l was expecting a 2nd serve kick and moved in! Surprise, surprise, surprise. )
 
B

bob

Rookie
I wasn't hugging the net & I didn't hit a weak shot. I had to run in from behind the service line & the choice I had was to avoid hitting him in the face and still win the point. I didn't have an angle to hit a winning passing shot so I tried to tap it at his feet (or at least below the waist). I've played several years at 4.0 level and played several 4.5 players in USTA tournaments. Whenever there is a short popup in the service box & the offensive player charges in, the defensive net player backs up or at least turns his back. The guy that hit me tried to cover the shot. I play a lot of box lacrosse & field lacrosse and the guy reacted like a goalie trying to stuff a shot. I think doing this in tennis (the goalie covering the shot) is dangerous.
 
C

chic

Professional
Oh, well if you're moving in on a short ball that's even more reason for him to stand his ground.

Sounds like he or his partner set you up to tee off, if he moves back he's giving you more angles on an already aggressive shot (assuming it's too late for him to get back around the service line). Standing his ground cuts off as much as he can (granted his chances are low regardless).
 
J

J_R_B

Hall of Fame
bob said:
I wasn't hugging the net & I didn't hit a weak shot. I had to run in from behind the service line & the choice I had was to avoid hitting him in the face and still win the point. I didn't have an angle to hit a winning passing shot so I tried to tap it at his feet (or at least below the waist). I've played several years at 4.0 level and played several 4.5 players in USTA tournaments. Whenever there is a short popup in the service box & the offensive player charges in, the defensive net player backs up or at least turns his back. The guy that hit me tried to cover the shot. I play a lot of box lacrosse & field lacrosse and the guy reacted like a goalie trying to stuff a shot. I think doing this in tennis (the goalie covering the shot) is dangerous.
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You have to look at what the guy is doing. If he backs off and concedes the point then take something off your shot and be nice to him. If he stands there ready to play goalie and try to return the shot, then drill it at him as he's signalling that he is ready to return your best shot. If he complains about that, tell him to turn his back and concede the point and you'll ease up. If he says he wants you to ease up AND he wants to play the shot, tell him no way, homie don't play that.
 
FedLIKEnot

FedLIKEnot

Professional
As many have said doubles has a lot of hitting it at and through players. I personally wouldn’t be mad at the 3.0. Two reasons either he doesn’t have those instincts yet to back up or in that moment to conceded the space he felt it better to stand tough and try to get a racquet on the ball. We have all won points stabbing at a ball we had no business even getting to. Lastly to be angry at him for either not moving or hitting you says more about you than him and his intent. Put it away, hit it at him or lob him and reset the point. You played a percentage that hitting to a good target with less pace would end it. You guessed wrong on that instance. Now you know that since he hangs in there he gets to get hit. Pace to his feet would work. Or shoot peg him. He’s a 3.0 realistically he needs to learn that lesson.
 
T

therecanbeonlyone

Semi-Pro
I hit a guy in the nose with a backhand volley this weekend. I was serve-and-volleying. His partner floated a weak return and the net man was a good 3 feet closer to the net than he should have been. I had eased up on him a game earlier and netted a volley (also hit his foot with another volley that game). This time, I took the net out of play. Unfortunately, I overcorrected a bit and drew blood.

Honestly, I blame his partner for floating a sliced return. But his partner had also advised him to play at the baseline when I was coming in. He is a tough dude though, and took it like a champ. It is part of the game.
 
Nostradamus

Nostradamus

Bionic Poster
bob said:
Last week we practiced at night against one of our 6.5 combo teams.
-The 3.0 player I played against who was new on the team was one of those guys that lobbed 30% of the time and hugged the net (3-4 away) when he could.
-He or his partner hit a short, easy sitter to me inside the service line. I approached the ball and he didn't back off the net. I could have drilled it at his chest. Instead I tapped it below his waist so I wouldn't hurt him. He chopped at the ball and drilled me right below my nose (we were probably 6-7 feet apart) . When I got hit I was close enough to the net to touch it with my racquet. I had zero seconds to get out of the way. If the shot was an inch lower it could have knocked my front teeth out. The guy that hit it claimed he wasn't hitting at me and it was an accident. I'm not a violent guy but for a fraction of a second after I was hit I almost threw my racquet at him (which would have been a bad move).

Here's my point: I believe that net huggers should realize that when their opponents get a short sitter in front of them that they need to back up, or get out of the way. They can't rely on their opponent not wanting to hit them. And if the net hugger does hang in there they shouldn't swing at the ball if there opponent is six feet away and they don't know where there shot is going to go.

Our team is playing a USTA state final starting Friday. I think there are plenty of guys that if they got clocked in the face like I did would physically go after this guy.
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just give him the finger and water under the bridge...
 
J

J_R_B

Hall of Fame
therecanbeonlyone said:
I hit a guy in the nose with a backhand volley this weekend. I was serve-and-volleying. His partner floated a weak return and the net man was a good 3 feet closer to the net than he should have been. I had eased up on him a game earlier and netted a volley (also hit his foot with another volley that game). This time, I took the net out of play. Unfortunately, I overcorrected a bit and drew blood.

Honestly, I blame his partner for floating a sliced return. But his partner had also advised him to play at the baseline when I was coming in. He is a tough dude though, and took it like a champ. It is part of the game.
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I played a mixed doubles match this weekend. My partner was a woman with a pretty good net game and putaway OH/volleys for a 3.5 woman. I told her I was going to kick serve to the body of the opposing woman so be aggressive and look for mishits to put away at the net. She did that a couple times early in the match. Her natural stroke (which is fine doubles play) is to hit the sitter cross court and follow it across and she naturally hits at a pretty sharp angle that actually crosses in front of a receiving partner watching the service line. After a couple of these putaways, the guy at the net caught on that she was good at this and would turn his back and start moving off the court towards the alley when she lined up the sitter, but when he did that, he was moving right into the natural hitting angle that my partner hit into, so she ended up hitting at him a bunch of times and hitting him (in the back of the leg) once or twice. She kept apologizing because he was giving up on the ball and she didn't want to hit at him, but he didn't figure out that he was moving right into the natural angle where she was hitting and as a 3.5 woman adjusting her shots on the fly mid-match that she had drilled for hours wasn't really a possibility.

No one got hit anywhere dangerous or that hurt at all, so no harm, no foul, I guess, but it was funny because she kept asking me what to do because she felt bad about hitting at him, and I had to tell her, just keep hitting your shot and hopefully he'll figure out to move back instead of to the side to get out of the way.
 
B

bob

Rookie
J_R_B said:
You have to look at what the guy is doing. If he backs off and concedes the point then take something off your shot and be nice to him. If he stands there ready to play goalie and try to return the shot, then drill it at him as he's signalling that he is ready to return your best shot. If he complains about that, tell him to turn his back and concede the point and you'll ease up. If he says he wants you to ease up AND he wants to play the shot, tell him no way, homie don't play that.
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I agree.
ptuanminh said:
Can you lose a few teeth getting hit by a tennis ball???
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I'm 72 years old & my gums have receded and aren't as big as they used to be. I was hit point blank with a pretty big shot. I'm surprised they weren't loosened.
 
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djkahn86

djkahn86

Rookie
next time blast one at him and warn him while you are coming up to hit it. I will never back off the net and I'm not afraid to be hit. Don't get mad, get even LOL!
 
B

bob

Rookie
Final comment:
The guy that hit me is on my USTA 6.5 combo 6.5 and over team and we are playing in the state finals starting Friday. The incident occurred during a "friendly" team practice. He is not one of our regular team mates and I don't think I am going to play any more combo so I doubt I'll be playing against him.

For those commentators that would have hit a better shot than me: How would you react if you are running towards the net and you hit your perfect shot below the waist shot so you won't hurt your opponent and he "gets lucky?" and drills the ball squarely in your face from 6 feet away? IMHO the issue is that the 3.0 player didn't realize that they were making a possibly dangerous shot.
 
Mongolmike

Mongolmike

Hall of Fame
Many people have already responded that "it's tennis- people get hit" etc.... but clearly you disagree. What is it you were hoping people would've said? Just curious.
 
B

bob

Rookie
Mongo:

"it's tennis people get hit" I AGREE

That there are some scenarios where players should back off shots because of the situation and their skill level they might hurt someone. I think several posters (not everyone) agreed with this.

No mas.
 
K

kevrol

Hall of Fame
bob said:
For those commentators that would have hit a better shot than me: How would you react if you are running towards the net and you hit your perfect shot below the waist shot so you won't hurt your opponent and he "gets lucky?" and drills the ball squarely in your face from 6 feet away? IMHO the issue is that the 3.0 player didn't realize that they were making a possibly dangerous shot.
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The guy hit a one in a million shot on accident. My advice is to get over it.
 
C

chatt_town

Hall of Fame
bob said:
Last week we practiced at night against one of our 6.5 combo teams.
-The 3.0 player I played against who was new on the team was one of those guys that lobbed 30% of the time and hugged the net (3-4 away) when he could.
-He or his partner hit a short, easy sitter to me inside the service line. I approached the ball and he didn't back off the net. I could have drilled it at his chest. Instead I tapped it below his waist so I wouldn't hurt him. He chopped at the ball and drilled me right below my nose (we were probably 6-7 feet apart) . When I got hit I was close enough to the net to touch it with my racquet. I had zero seconds to get out of the way. If the shot was an inch lower it could have knocked my front teeth out. The guy that hit it claimed he wasn't hitting at me and it was an accident. I'm not a violent guy but for a fraction of a second after I was hit I almost threw my racquet at him (which would have been a bad move).

Here's my point: I believe that net huggers should realize that when their opponents get a short sitter in front of them that they need to back up, or get out of the way. They can't rely on their opponent not wanting to hit them. And if the net hugger does hang in there they shouldn't swing at the ball if there opponent is six feet away and they don't know where there shot is going to go.

Our team is playing a USTA state final starting Friday. I think there are plenty of guys that if they got clocked in the face like I did would physically go after this guy.
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Good time to learn to move with your partner while you are 3.0 and 3.5. I see many 4.0 and 4.5 go apeChit because they get hit. Most people playing doubles never learn there is a lot of movement that should go on in doubles. Depending on who you are playing, you could easily move a hell of a lot more in doubles than you do in a singles match. I learned the hard way. I got drilled in the forehead as 3.0 playing pickup when I didn't know any better...and I have been drilled in the stomach with an overhead. The difference is I slipped on the clay trying to get the hell out of there.lol The other thing is I never blamed the guy for drilling me as I was a 4.0 when this happened. I knew it was my fault for not getting back no matter if I slipped or not. The higher you go the more you learn to put the ball away because when they get a chance they are going to put it away. That was your lesson. Anytime you have a ball high enough to hit an overhead...you hit it...don't give them a chance to drill you. Most people that play doubles don't even know how to move. Many play one up and one back. I don't subscribe to that kind of tennis. That's how you get drilled. You should both be looking to get in at some point but if one goes back...the other should go back and work to get back in. It's to the point when I'm practicing for doubles as I am now..I don't even come out of the service box for practice. The only ground stroke that should get hit is the return of serve or if you are retrieving a lob and even then....i'm looking to come back in asap.
 
T

travlerajm

G.O.A.T.
bob said:
I wasn't hugging the net & I didn't hit a weak shot. I had to run in from behind the service line & the choice I had was to avoid hitting him in the face and still win the point. I didn't have an angle to hit a winning passing shot so I tried to tap it at his feet (or at least below the waist). I've played several years at 4.0 level and played several 4.5 players in USTA tournaments. Whenever there is a short popup in the service box & the offensive player charges in, the defensive net player backs up or at least turns his back. The guy that hit me tried to cover the shot. I play a lot of box lacrosse & field lacrosse and the guy reacted like a goalie trying to stuff a shot. I think doing this in tennis (the goalie covering the shot) is dangerous.
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One of my 3.5 mixed partners for 8.0 says she used to be a hockey goalie. Her goalie skills translate very well to playing the net in mixed, where the cardinal sin for the weaker player is backing off the net.

Your opponent positioned himself properly to maximize his chances of winning the point.
 
Ronaldo

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
Yesterday guy took a full swing at a ball that did not bounce up but check'd. He whiffed and struck himself on the follow-thru. Should he retaliate?
 
J

JLyon

Hall of Fame
I am never ceding the net unless a lob goes up and I have to move back, doubles is stand your ground at the net, sorry the opponent did not just concede the point because you had a short ball. Not the opponents fault and as others said, at 3.0 and 3.5 most times players have no idea where the ball is going off a stab/reflex volley.
 
Ronaldo

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
JLyon said:
I am never ceding the net unless a lob goes up and I have to move back, doubles is stand your ground at the net, sorry the opponent did not just concede the point because you had a short ball. Not the opponents fault and as others said, at 3.0 and 3.5 most times players have no idea where the ball is going off a stab/reflex volley.
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Every 3.0/3.5 player shanks U more than U will ever know
 
Cindysphinx

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
bob said:
Mongo:

"it's tennis people get hit" I AGREE

That there are some scenarios where players should back off shots because of the situation and their skill level they might hurt someone. I think several posters (not everyone) agreed with this.

No mas.
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Well . . .

There is a lesson to be learned here. At any level, if you hit a ball AT someone, they may reflex it back. Their ball may hit you, and it may go for a winner.

So resolve to hit smart shots that your opponents cannot return purely out of luck. Your safer option was to find some open court or at least a spot that would move your opponent.

The better you get, the better your opponents are, so get into the habit of thinking about shot placement. Since this was just practice, this was your opportunity to work on touch.
 
T

tonylg

Hall of Fame
How many threads are there about this? If you are struck anywhere but in the back by a tennis ball, it's almost always your fault .. either by being careless or by overestimating our ability to deal with the ball. You put yourself in that situation. Accept the risk that you have taken rather than trying blame others.
 
J011yroger

J011yroger

Talk Tennis Guru
tonylg said:
How many threads are there about this? If you are struck anywhere but in the back by a tennis ball, it's almost always your fault .. either by being careless or by overestimating our ability to deal with the ball. You put yourself in that situation. Accept the risk that you have taken rather than trying blame others.
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Can I amend your statement?

If someone talks smack and then turns their back you are justified in hitting them in the back.

J
 
C

Chadalina

Guest
tonylg said:
How many threads are there about this? If you are struck anywhere but in the back by a tennis ball, it's almost always your fault .. either by being careless or by overestimating our ability to deal with the ball. You put yourself in that situation. Accept the risk that you have taken rather than trying blame others.
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I hit my buddy a couple times when he was running off the court. Right in the butt, thought he was safe :)

Ronaldo said:
Every 3.0/3.5 player shanks U more than U will ever know
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I tell them, as long as your aiming for me, i know im safe :)
 
T

therecanbeonlyone

Semi-Pro
therecanbeonlyone said:
I hit a guy in the nose with a backhand volley this weekend.
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Quoting myself here so I can report that I got hit in the nose by a backhand volley tonight. In this case it was my partner who inflicted the damage. We both moved to cover a well-placed ball up the middle. I couldn’t quite get to it, but my partner a few feet behind me did get to it and hit a solid volley. I never saw it coming. Luckily, I have a big schnoz that stood up to that ball just fine.
Part of the game. ... and I guess karma got me back from this weekend.
 
Ronaldo

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
therecanbeonlyone said:
Quoting myself here so I can report that I got hit in the nose by a backhand volley tonight. In this case it was my partner who inflicted the damage. We both moved to cover a well-placed ball up the middle. I couldn’t quite get to it, but my partner a few feet behind me did get to it and hit a solid volley. I never saw it coming. Luckily, I have a big schnoz that stood up to that ball just fine.
Part of the game. ... and I guess karma got me back from this weekend.
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D

dgold44

G.O.A.T.
bob said:
Last week we practiced at night against one of our 6.5 combo teams.
-The 3.0 player I played against who was new on the team was one of those guys that lobbed 30% of the time and hugged the net (3-4 away) when he could.
-He or his partner hit a short, easy sitter to me inside the service line. I approached the ball and he didn't back off the net. I could have drilled it at his chest. Instead I tapped it below his waist so I wouldn't hurt him. He chopped at the ball and drilled me right below my nose (we were probably 6-7 feet apart) . When I got hit I was close enough to the net to touch it with my racquet. I had zero seconds to get out of the way. If the shot was an inch lower it could have knocked my front teeth out. The guy that hit it claimed he wasn't hitting at me and it was an accident. I'm not a violent guy but for a fraction of a second after I was hit I almost threw my racquet at him (which would have been a bad move).

Here's my point: I believe that net huggers should realize that when their opponents get a short sitter in front of them that they need to back up, or get out of the way. They can't rely on their opponent not wanting to hit them. And if the net hugger does hang in there they shouldn't swing at the ball if there opponent is six feet away and they don't know where there shot is going to go.

Our team is playing a USTA state final starting Friday. I think there are plenty of guys that if they got clocked in the face like I did would physically go after this guy.
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it’s 3.0 and most guys have zero control
I am sure it was an accident and if you attack him then you could get arrested
 
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