Drilled in face during team practice match.

[Bender]

Perhaps there is more information that wasn't shared but from what you have shared this looks like it's on you.

It's a reaction shot and the guy's a 3.0. Seems a bit unreasonable to expect him to be able to control a reaction volley from that distance.

You should've just hammered that volley at his feet or past him if you don't want to hit it at him.

 

[Alex78]

All's been said here, but anyway, some kind of related story: Once played dubs with a beginner and I'm covering the backhand side and want to move in for a forehand (both right-handed). I'm yelling "it's mine" and focus on the ball and he just takes a huge swing with his backhand so that our sticks collide in the air. I was really excited about that...
What I want to say: Totally my fault because I assumed he had the ability to act/play appropriately but should have known better and rather play it safe (i.e., let him either take the shot no matter what or be prepared noone takes it - it's practice, anyway). And that's the same thing with your case.

 

[travlerajm]

Honestly, the times I’ve gotten tagged the hardest were by high level players with huge weaponry. Lower level players are unlikely to have enough time to set up and execute a powerful enough shot to hurt you.

 

[Ronaldo]

Honestly, the times I’ve gotten tagged the hardest were by high level players with huge weaponry. Lower level players are unlikely to have enough time to set up and execute a powerful enough shot to hurt you.

Recall a guy getting impaled by a forehand. Stem of his glasses stuck in his grill after an errant forehand by a pro.

 

[travlerajm]

Here is the result after I serve-and-volleyed in singles against a WTA pro with a laser-like Agassi-style straight-arm 2hb, but popped up a weak short crosscourt bh volley and charged in behind it foolishly:

FC13 AD5 F F53 F 4694 93 AE 8 AFA173 A0 DB7 — Postimage.org

postimg.cc

 

[Mongolmike]

I don’t train MMA for fun lol

Just out of curiosity... and not to derail.... but in the movie Rocky, he trained in the meat locker punching slabs of beef.

Do you train in your shipping room punching and wrestling boxes?

If so, I hope you focus your energies on the French ones.... the ones marked f r a g i l e are the best ones!

 

[travlerajm]

Just out of curiosity... and not to derail.... but in the movie Rocky, he trained in the meat locker punching slabs of beef.

Do you train in your shipping room punching and wrestling boxes?

If so, I hope you focus your energies on the French ones.... the ones marked f r a g i l e are the best ones!

Was it Rocky IV where he trained by chasing chickens? That might work for dgold44 to recover the speed of his youth.

 

[snr]

i agree with whoever on the first page says practice how you play. IMO, people who take it super easy on their practice, are playing more for fun than being productive. just my 2 cents. if you're just hitting around for fun great play however you like. But practice to be in a COMPETITIVE situation? Play hard. Also, tennis as a sport, is relatively pretty safe, non-contact etc. (though of course chance of injury from falls etc.) and sometimes I think gets looked down from other sports for that reason as being a "softy sport". In the end, its a yellow ball and you have a pretty sizable weapon to "defend" with. it's not like you're volleying a BASEBALL, with a baseball bat.

Personally, volleying is part of the game, if you don't want any chance of being hit, don't be at the net. Or take a few steps back... but of course, your advantage is now diminished a little. Advantage versus chance of getting hit? Your call.

Person hitting the ball was in the right.

Also, at 3.0, let's be real, they really have no control.

 

[dgold44]

Just out of curiosity... and not to derail.... but in the movie Rocky, he trained in the meat locker punching slabs of beef.

Do you train in your shipping room punching and wrestling boxes?

If so, I hope you focus your energies on the French ones.... the ones marked f r a g i l e are the best ones!

I actually do !!!
but with no boxes just air

 

[GatorTennis]

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.

You obviously didn't learn your lesson. Why are you blaming him? It's your fault. How are you going to blame a 3.0 for the placement of a reaction shot. Even if you are a crappy lobber, you can lob a winner over a 3.0 net hugger.

 

[stapletonj]

"Watch out for those sharp needles, they can poke your eye out!"


here.....is ... my impression... of Elvis..... if he had.... knitting needles....... jammed in his eyes.

ahhhh aaaaaaa AAAAAHHHHHH OOOOHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!

Old SNL forever!!!!

 

[sureshs]

I stand slightly ahead (towards net) from the half way point between the net and the service line, never closer. I need that distance to adjust to the ball due to my progressive lenses which blur motion across the visual scene. Going closer than that has advantages and that is why the pros stand close to the net, but it comes with risks too.

 

[stapletonj]

btw, it's good tennis to take it like a man.....

our new phrase when ever someone gets "tagged" is that they've been "Mahutted"

 

[jered]

Focusing on what you want your opponent to do or what they “should” do is foolish. They owe you nothing and can do whatever they want. Barring intentional headhunting, it’s all fair game. Focus on yourself.

I personally thrive off shutting down “obvious winner” situations. The WTF looks are priceless.

 

[ptuanminh]

I was playing a double set with some tennis buddies. My partner accidentally hit a soft first serve, and opponent FH whacked that serve back at me. I was totally caught offguard, managed to put it back in to the service box. Then, the other opponent moved in for the kill. If it were some older guy with no BH, i would stay and take my chance. But this guy is young, move well, a very solid 4.0 , hit it with everything at me. I turned my face away tried to use the racquet to cover my face. The ball hit my finger, it hurt as hell. I said "good shot" and moved on.
See, no need to make a fuss...

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Just out of curiosity... and not to derail.... but in the movie Rocky, he trained in the meat locker punching slabs of beef.

Do you train in your shipping room punching and wrestling boxes?

If so, I hope you focus your energies on the French ones.... the ones marked f r a g i l e are the best ones!

Isn't "fragile" French for "indestructible"?

 

[Mongolmike]

Isn't "fragile" French for "indestructible"?

It means that or "l surrender, may l have a croissant?"

 

[Mark Bosko]

It should be pretty easy to lob someone who is right on top of the net but if your best shot available is at the opponent then that is acceptable play, regardless of level. If there is plenty of space to hit a winner into the open court and you choose to go at your opponent, then you probably are a jerk.

 

[ShaunS]

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.

I hate to belabor an obvious point, but it's not a "perfect shot" if it's somewhere he can reflex volley into your soft face.

The takeaway here is that you're attempting to assign some "dangerous shot" safety rule to your opponents, and this is a common, misguided effort. Lower level players, by their very nature, are going to lack control and understanding of the correct shots to hit. This means they're going to oftentimes overswing in an attempt to cover up other flaws (late reaction/bad positioning). This is about you. If the shot you are hitting sets you up in a way that you cannot protect yourself then you hit the dangerous shot. It's not fair for you to expect your opponent's to take care of you.

If you were playing with a 5.0, and he tagged you in the jaw instead of putting away an easy winner... well you might have some words with him about that.

It should be pretty easy to lob someone who is right on top of the net but if your best shot available is at the opponent then that is acceptable play, regardless of level.

Are you thinking about bob's approach, or his opponent's reflex return? For the latter, I would never recommend lobbing while on top of the net. To the former, I can see a lot of people who use a short lob to get over someone at the net, but I love to approach with a heavy topspin ball to the net player's weaker side. It usually doesn't come back, but when it does they'll have to pop it up giving me an easy putaway volley. Depends on your style of play I suppose.