Etiquette

[Manus Domini]

I've won some points cause of UEs by opponents on floaters. Really lucky one time, they tried smashing the ball but failed. Slow smash to my feet and I reaction volleyed it for a winner

But that was once, not gonna happen again...

 

[HunterST]

dude i do exactly this. what's wrong with running out of the way? this is one of the first things i learned over at operation doubles. it is called "the move". every doubles player should know this tactic of GETTING OUT OF THE WAY. below is an excerpt from the site:

This tennis doubles lesson teaches you how to play the net safely — how to get out of the way when an opposing volleyer is hitting a shot.

Let's start with three simple tennis facts:
· One in three tennis shots is so far off target that it misses the whole court. So tennis shots are SCUDs, not smart-bombs.
· When you're at net in tennis doubles, you're in the middle of the opposition's target zone.
· The only purpose of every rule in any game is to ensure a level playing field. So the rules of tennis don't allow you to shrink the court your opposition must hit into. Ergo, your being in a spot doesn't take away their right to hit there.

Therefore, even if it were fair to make your opponents responsible for your safety, it wouldn't be wise, because they can hit you even while trying not to. As the old saying goes, If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen. If you choose to position at net, especially anywhere near the Hole, you must be prepared for high-speed shots to come your way.
............................
But I always tell players, "If you ever get the feeling you're about to be hit, concede the point: Turn your back with a step toward the alley." That bears repeating: Turn your back with a step toward the alley. I call this the Move. It's a pivot turning your back to the shot as you step out of its way.
===============================

during our match, my partner floated a good 5 balls right to the net man. because i train my eyes on the net guy when my partner is hitting the ball, his big eyes let me know that my partner had hit a flaming duck. as soon as i saw the net guy load up, i performed the move and walked out of the way. i did this multiple times during the match because i am not about to get blasted by a ball all because my partner doesn't have good ball control.

what upset me though is that the opponents NEVER conceded any point. i concede 5 points but they don't concede NOTHING?! they don't even take a defensive net position on dinky 2nd serves?! ARE YOU SERIOUS? i was the best player on that court (and i say that from underneath a table), and i still would have my heels against the service line on my partners weaker 2nd serve. they would stand ready to volley as we all watch this floating ball loft its way over the net but yet they don't retreat. even after drilling 2nd serve returns at those guys, they still stood 2-3 feet from the net on their partner's 2nd serve. at first i tried to just pull it down the alley for a winner and hit 2 of those out. the 3rd one the net guy stuck his racquet up fast enough to protect the alley and hit a winner through the hole. that's when i was like, "enough. my partner can't sustain any rally past 3 balls and is launching 2nd serve returns to the back fence. i've already hit 3-4 winners long and we can't afford to lose this match. i can't continue to try hitting around these guys, i have to test their net play."


Te your way.

Haha sounds like what your partners lack in skill they make up for in bravery! Running away is fine if you are just playing for fun, think you have no chance of getting the ball, and aren't worried about playing 100% correctly, but it's not winning doubles. You wont see the pros turning around and running off of the court.

Even running away or backing up, there's no garuntee that your opponent isn't going to hit you. The best thing to do is just hold your ground and get ready to defend yourself. Usually if your opponent is bad enough that there's a good chance he would miss, he's bad enough that you'd have a good chance at returning a shot.

 

[dozu]

the correct play, when a sitter is given up, is for both partners to back up to defend

 

[Off The Wall]

At the higher levels of the game, the players are too good and too smart to get hit. Even so, if a player gets a setup, his opponent will drop his racket head and turn away. This is the cue for the hitter to hit a simple winner.

So, even at the lower levels it is not cool to aim at a defenseless opponent. However, if he presents you with a ready position. He's daring you to hit him. That, or he's just a fool.

 

[maverick66]

Haha sounds like what your partners lack in skill they make up for in bravery! Running away is fine if you are just playing for fun, think you have no chance of getting the ball, and aren't worried about playing 100% correctly, but it's not winning doubles. You wont see the pros turning around and running off of the court.

You have not watched alot of pro dubs. If there is a big floater in pros they will get the hell out of dodge. We are not talking a weaker return but a sitter. Something that you know is about to get hit 100 mph right at you. You can stand there all you want but me I am going back.

 

[HunterST]

the correct play, when a sitter is given up, is for both partners to back up to defend

Ideally they would both be back at the baseline defending, but it's pretty rare that the net partner has time to back peddle to the baseline.

 

[Tennis_Monk]

I rarely play doubles---not a big fan.
How does this scenario apply in singles?

is it ok to hit a overhead directly at an opponent in Singles?

I personally will never aim a overhead at my opponents. That is not fun in my book.If my opponent aims a sitter overhead at me, its ok by me.It is his call.

Passing shots--i dont have any restrictions. I dont purposefully aim at my opponents at the net but there were times when they got hit trying to setup a volley on my passing shots. They survived enough to play the next point with out any delay.

 

[Off The Wall]

I rarely play doubles---not a big fan.
How does this scenario apply in singles?

is it ok to hit a overhead directly at an opponent in Singles?

It's okay to aim an overhead at your opponent in singles, but why? Your chances of hitting them (in the backcourt) are almost nonexistant, whereas their chance of lobbing it back are much better. Just aim it away.

 

[Tennis_Monk]

It's okay to aim an overhead at your opponent in singles, but why? Your chances of hitting them (in the backcourt) are almost nonexistant, whereas their chance of lobbing it back are much better. Just aim it away.

i meant those aggressive opponents (play wise) who are camping at the net while dropping a sitter for me.

Backcourt is no biggie even if aimed.

 

[thebuffman]

i meant those aggressive opponents (play wise) who are camping at the net while dropping a sitter for me.

Backcourt is no biggie even if aimed.

overheads and sitters are two different things. to smash a ball at a person, IF THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY, is bad business. i remember this happened to serena once. she hit a floater to the opponent and tried getting out of the way and the girl pegged her. she looked around with the indignation hell fire itself in her eyes as if to say, "you've just been marked!"

a sitter is different because it takes skill to be able to hit the passing shot. however a passing shot is not the only option. you can also decide to put the ball in the opponent's front pocket. this can be a good strategy if your opponent has setup a good aggressive position and you don't think that you can hit a good enough pass. hitting right at them with extreme pace will typically result in them hitting another sitter but this time it may offer you a better position for a pass.

now if a player hits a floating overhead to the opponent and stands at the net ready to volley the smash then it is time for them to learn a valuable tennis lesson. if i am the smasher, my first priority is to not error on the smash because i am not at the point where executing a putaway overhead smash is 2nd nature to me. as a matter of fact i don't even think much about "hmmmmm where should i place this overhead". so if you are standing at the net attempting to volley this ball, chances are you might just get clocked. for instance i played a friend today and i missed two overheads from the service line. each time i tried going down the line and hit both out wide. so i am just trying to hit a solid shot primarily and secondarily i might think about placing it.

 

[Off The Wall]

i meant those aggressive opponents (play wise) who are camping at the net while dropping a sitter for me.

Backcourt is no biggie even if aimed.

Again, if they go into a ready position they are fair game.

 

[thebuffman]

PLEASE VOTE ON THIS VIDEO - revisit the original post

HA! found it! take a look at this video and tell me who is in the wrong serena or sarapova? and why?

though i love serena i believe she is straight up in the wrong especially to call sarapova out of her name after the play. but i will await the communities response first before i offer an explanation.

 

[eidolonshinobi]

Serena is wrong for being such a big target.

 

[tennis_balla]

HA! found it! take a look at this video and tell me who is in the wrong serena or sarapova? and why?

though i love serena i believe she is straight up in the wrong especially to call sarapova out of her name after the play. but i will await the communities response first before i offer an explanation.

No one is in the wrong, if Serena complained after that point she's a ******. She puffed one up and gave Maria an easy overhead, she was then moving back into the court trying to recover and give herself a chance to hit the ball and got hit herself. No big deal, her fault. Next point...

 

[Thud and blunder]

I think Serena was probably more pissed about Sharapova's least sincere apology in the history of tennis

Anyway, if you're going to bean people, study the Master:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLRx2TACIKA

lead with the body shot, finish with the knockout punch

come to the net, take what you get...

 

[dominikk1985]

I think Serena was probably more pissed about Sharapova's least sincere apology in the history of tennis

Anyway, if you're going to bean people, study the Master:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLRx2TACIKA

lead with the body shot, finish with the knockout punch

come to the net, take what you get...

what do you think how fast those lendl FHs were?

I think they were faster than they looked because they were quite flat and he used a very heavy racket.

I would not be surprised if he hit over 90 on winners even back then.

 

[Thud and blunder]

You may well be right...one indicator would be that while tennis technique advances rapidly, reflexes don't...so if Lendl was regularly beaning pros from the baseline (a rare sight today), they must have been pretty freaking fast...by my unscientific calculation

Some more examples:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pykN4jiaYdY&feature=related

 

[thebuffman]

You may well be right...one indicator would be that while tennis technique advances rapidly, reflexes don't...so if Lendl was regularly beaning pros from the baseline (a rare sight today), they must have been pretty freaking fast...by my unscientific calculation

Some more examples:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pykN4jiaYdY&feature=related

HA! I CANT STOP LAUGHING! man they call it a "passing shot" but i know better. lendl is like "why go around you when you haven't even proven that you can deal with right at you?" my respect for this man has just grown.

one of my friends is very stocky buiilt with guns on his arms. well he don't hit passing shots and dont have to. another friend and i were playing doubles against him and after 2-3 of his flat 90mph forehands coming right at us from the baseline, we happily backed up off the net when he would load up. i overheard him talking to his partner who was having a tough time hitting passing shots against us and he goes, "just hit it right at them!" i thought it was the funniest thing and hey, if we can't handle the heater, why employ any other strategy?

 

[blakesq]

there should be a third option on the poll. NObody was wrong. It is not wrong to get a little p.o.-ed when you are hit, as long as you settle down and play the next point.

 

[thebuffman]

there should be a third option on the poll. NObody was wrong. It is not wrong to get a little p.o.-ed when you are hit, as long as you settle down and play the next point.

i hear what you are saying but i decided to restrict it to those two options for the sake of maintaining the spirit of THIS thread. serena is upset allegedly because sarapova targeted her body with the overhead smash. serena, after launching a flaming duck, was off court, out of the way, and could have conceded the point but elected to come back into the field of play a few feet from sharapova. she gets beamed with the ball and then has a few choice words for sharapova. who is wrong? and this real scenario fits perfectly into the spirit of this thread. yeah i could have done a "both were wrong" or "nobody was wrong" and all of that jive but not for this thread.

 

[blakesq]

your poll, your rules. Sarapova was perfectly justified to hit at Serena's body. If serena was threatening Sarapova with her choice words, then she was wrong.

i hear what you are saying but i decided to restrict it to those two options for the sake of maintaining the spirit of THIS thread. serena is upset allegedly because sarapova targeted her body with the overhead smash. serena, after launching a flaming duck, was off court, out of the way, and could have conceded the point but elected to come back into the field of play a few feet from sharapova. she gets beamed with the ball and then has a few choice words for sharapova. who is wrong? and this real scenario fits perfectly into the spirit of this thread. yeah i could have done a "both were wrong" or "nobody was wrong" and all of that jive but not for this thread.

 

[Manus Domini]

Serena ran into a smash, her fault...

 

[thebuffman]

i just had my wife watch this video and asked her "who was wrong". she is not a tennis person so she asked me, "does the girl hitting the ball have the skills to put the ball anywhere she wants to?" i go, "yeah, an easy overhead like that she could easily go across court." wife then goes, "well you know serena is a hot head, very fiery individual."

summation, wifey never said who was wrong....LOL!! i love being married

 

[SlapChop]

Horrible sportsmanship. Honestly, after the third one, I'd tell you to go eff yourself and walk off the court. In doubles, you many better options on short balls.

Hitting a forehand at the netman from the baseline is one thing. Especially on a return. But almost all netmen have a chance at reacting to these balls.

But choosing to rip short sitters at someone who is 4 or 5 feet away from you is ridiculous. Especially when you easily have a cross court winner or a decent passing shot. Terrible.

How about instead of walking off like a biatch you back up from the net and play the game. I have played doubles with a weak partner that serves where the opponent can return from inside the base line and I back the hell up cause I know it is going to come at me. If I try to get up there to get one I take the chance of getting nailed. The guy could have been annoyed the first time but after that he should have adjusted his game.

He should be more pissed at his partner for his weak serve.

 

[Sreeram]

I have a partner in doubles who has very fast first serve but a simple put in 2nd serve. One of our frequent opponent tries to hit his weak serve straight into me at net. My volleys are not great either so i always miss them badly but never got hurt with it. After missing few volley's i decided to stand close to service line and move in if the receiver plays a drop shot and stay there if he hits at me.

 

[ryan sc]

You play to win the game...... You don't just play to play......You play to win
Herman Edwards

 

[blakesq]

nicely said slapchop. Walking off and quiting is the way a child plays.

How about instead of walking off like a biatch you back up from the net and play the game. I have played doubles with a weak partner that serves where the opponent can return from inside the base line and I back the hell up cause I know it is going to come at me. If I try to get up there to get one I take the chance of getting nailed. The guy could have been annoyed the first time but after that he should have adjusted his game.

He should be more pissed at his partner for his weak serve.

 

[mucat]

How about instead of walking off like a biatch you back up from the net and play the game. I have played doubles with a weak partner that serves where the opponent can return from inside the base line and I back the hell up cause I know it is going to come at me. If I try to get up there to get one I take the chance of getting nailed. The guy could have been annoyed the first time but after that he should have adjusted his game.

He should be more pissed at his partner for his weak serve.

Exactly! If you can't take the heat, stay out of the way.

 

[Off The Wall]

How about instead of walking off like a biatch you back up from the net and play the game. I have played doubles with a weak partner that serves where the opponent can return from inside the base line and I back the hell up cause I know it is going to come at me. If I try to get up there to get one I take the chance of getting nailed. The guy could have been annoyed the first time but after that he should have adjusted his game.

He should be more pissed at his partner for his weak serve.

It's pointless to get mad at your partner. He's doing the best that he can. Just like you are with those returns drilled right at you.

Simplify those volleys. Turn your strings to face the ball; then put the strings in front of its path. Any more than that and you'll botch it.

 

[blakesq]

It's worse than pointless, it can make both you AND your partner play worse. I know, I can fall into this mistake if my partner is not playing well.

It's pointless to get mad at your partner. He's doing the best that he can. Just like you are with those returns drilled right at you.

Simplify those volleys. Turn your strings to face the ball; then put the strings in front of its path. Any more than that and you'll botch it.

 

[mucat]

It's worse than pointless, it can make both you AND your partner play worse. I know, I can fall into this mistake if my partner is not playing well.

Double is a funny game. Sometimes when your partner is not playing well, you just have to hold your part until your partner get hot again, it also goes the other way too. It is so difficult to win a game when only half of the team is playing well. But then it is so awesome when both players are firing at the same time.

 

[rkelley]

IMO the answer is neither player is really wrong for their response.

Sharapova has nothing to feel bad about. She's trying to win a tennis match and her shot was completely legal and ethical. If Serena doesn't want to get hit, then get quicker or get out of the way.

Serena, OTOH, doesn't have to like getting hit. I can't blame her for a glance and maybe a mouthed epithet. Heat of the moment - let it slide. As long as that's as far as it goes and she doesn't actually start yelling epithets, or threatening to kill Sharapova, and then maybe defend her actions in a press conference after the match (all hypothetical of course), then I'm personally cool with it.

YMMV.

Rich

 

[Bacterio]

I'm not even sure I understand the question being asked, wrong in what sense? If you're talking about wrong in terms of etiquette then of course Sharapova is wrong. They're unwritten rules for a reason because obviously there's no official rule against going after your opponent. They have the skill to put away an easy ball like that into the open court. Oddly enough if this had happened within the last year and a half or so, I'd say that Sharapova didn't have the skill to hit a clean winner. Ever since her shoulder surgery she goes out of her way to avoid hitting overheads and goes with the drive volley instead.

At the rec level if you went in the general direction of your opponent you can't really be faulted because chances are that going into the open court could very well result in you hitting the ball wide. The problem with the scenario in the vid isn't so much that she went at Serena but more so the manner in which she did. She hit her her center mass pretty much, which puts no doubt that she was trying to hit her as opposed to going at her feet where you could at least argue that she was just going for the higher percentage winning shot so as not to risk missing if she tried going into the open court.

The video is also a terrible example for the intents and purposes of the thread. In doubles you rarely have as much open court as you do in singles and few rec players can hit extreme angles to the point where any sitter or popup can be hit for a clean winner. In doubles at the rec level your best option is to go at the feet of the netman or in their general direction because you cut down their reaction time and are less likely to see the ball come back.

 

[Manus Domini]

I'm not even sure I understand the question being asked, wrong in what sense? If you're talking about wrong in terms of etiquette then of course Sharapova is wrong. They're unwritten rules for a reason because obviously there's no official rule against going after your opponent. They have the skill to put away an easy ball like that into the open court. Oddly enough if this had happened within the last year and a half or so, I'd say that Sharapova didn't have the skill to hit a clean winner. Ever since her shoulder surgery she goes out of her way to avoid hitting overheads and goes with the drive volley instead.

At the rec level if you went in the general direction of your opponent you can't really be faulted because chances are that going into the open court could very well result in you hitting the ball wide. The problem with the scenario in the vid isn't so much that she went at Serena but more so the manner in which she did. She hit her her center mass pretty much, which puts no doubt that she was trying to hit her as opposed to going at her feet where you could at least argue that she was just going for the higher percentage winning shot so as not to risk missing if she tried going into the open court.

The video is also a terrible example for the intents and purposes of the thread. In doubles you rarely have as much open court as you do in singles and few rec players can hit extreme angles to the point where any sitter or popup can be hit for a clean winner. In doubles at the rec level your best option is to go at the feet of the netman or in their general direction because you cut down their reaction time and are less likely to see the ball come back.

Serena ran into the open court, how would Sharapova know Serena was there?

 

[LeeD]

Seems to me, Maria was looking UP at the ball, did not look down to spot Serena, and S ran right into the path of the ball. Fatso got tagged, too bad. She should have given up after floating that sitter.

 

[maverick66]

Seems to me, Maria was looking UP at the ball, did not look down to spot Serena, and S ran right into the path of the ball. Fatso got tagged, too bad. She should have given up after floating that sitter.

Well I disagree with your use of fatso.

But ya Serena ran to the middle and Sharapova hit the ball dead center of the court. Not really a peg move as much as a hit the overhead dead center of the court.


Also how about a vote to replcae tennis balls which are to hard and hurt with foam balls. I see kids use them when they are taught and they dont hurt when hit. Some of you softies might be able to play tennis again without the fear of death from a tennis ball.

 

[LeeD]

Being a skinny fart, I like Serena's body. "more cushion for the ........"
Ever play night tennis? Lights force you to concentrate hard on overheads, to the distraction of not being able to locate your opponent when the ball is blinking between different sets of lights.
You know my vid? That was my first day since 1995 of playing tennis at night. And my -1.25 glasses were in my van, 10 blocks away.....as were my ankle brace and cell phone....:shock:

 

[Avles]

It is also perfectly legal to elect to not stop play due to a stray "let" ball that might be behind your opponent's feet -- without their knowledge. Do you go ahead and do that? Simply because it raises your chances of winning? Without regards to the fact that they might break an ankle?

That's different. A stray ball is a random happening. It's not random chance that the netman in this case is at net. He's choosing to be there for tactical reasons. Maybe he's assuming that his opponent will concede this advantage because of concern for his welfare. Maybe he's not worried about getting hit. But if he doesn't want to get hit, he can (and should) back up or take cover.

 

[thebuffman]

Maria was looking UP at the ball, did not look down to spot Serena,

But ya Serena ran to the middle and Sharapova hit the ball dead center of the court. Not really a peg move as much as a hit the overhead dead center of the court.

come on guys, that was straight up a peg move. there is no way she didn't see serena come back into the court. she went right at her probably at her feet. she knew it and serena knew it. for serena to get upset though is beyond me.

 

[Hominator]

So you pegged bad net players in doubles?

I dont see the issue here. They could back up and play two back or move out of the way. So I see nothing wrong with how you played. If you get a sitter and they wanna stay there hit them so hard it says Penn on their ass.

+1.

This one match in college, my partner and I figured out pretty quickly who the weak net man was (who was also a hot-head) and we decided to drill every single shot at him, directly at his right hip. We're talking full rips at the ball. We hit him probably about 5 times and almost came to blows. Our sole strategy was to drill him every time. To his credit, he hit some tough volleys, but in the end, he was too proud to back up and play two-back. Looking back, it was probably the most fun match I ever played.

 

[thebuffman]

+1.

This one match in college, my partner and I figured out pretty quickly who the weak net man was (who was also a hot-head) and we decided to drill every single shot at him, directly at his right hip. We're talking full rips at the ball. We hit him probably about 5 times and almost came to blows. Our sole strategy was to drill him every time. To his credit, he hit some tough volleys, but in the end, he was too proud to back up and play two-back. Looking back, it was probably the most fun match I ever played.

HA! DUDE! i would pay to see that! wow. i think this is what is lacking in amateur sports today. we don't discover the weakness and exploit it. we look to place the ball or put it on the hole or keep it away or whatever. but in professional sports, the minute your weakness is discovered, expect for it to get tested. if a boxer has a habit of dropping his guard everytime he throws his left hook, guess what gets exploited. in basketball the lakers' front court was immensely stronger than most of the opposition last year so guess where the ball ended up most of the time....in the paint. they won the championship from a dominant front court. in the nfl if you have a weak secondary guess what a qb like payton manning will do, air that mofo out! and send your sorry safeties and corners scurrying to chase down wide outs from behind.

on the tennis court though, we don't often do this. we don't discover the opponents weakness. we treat everyone as if they are great volleyers or great baseliners or great all court players. never testing their mettle. what if though it is determined that the dude aggressively sitting up on the net has weak volley skills? what is the correct response? how do you exploit this weakness? by trying to pass him? NOT

 

[thebuffman]

something else you said hominator that stuck out to me. i remember watching the bryans play at indian wells 2011 and they played 2 back on 2nd serves. i was dumbfounded, unable to figure out why they were doing that. then the commentator helped me out when he mentioned that the opposition was attacking the 2nd serve so well that it forced the bryans to go 2 back on 2nd serves. i employed this same strategy last night at practice. on my partner's 2nd serve i was at the baseline. this helped me tremendously because it allowed me to keep the ball in front of me. i was not afraid of a drop shot because i paid closer attention to the mechanics of the opposition. if i saw them setting up for a finesse shot, i was into the court immediately.

 

[maverick66]

come on guys, that was straight up a peg move. there is no way she didn't see serena come back into the court. she went right at her probably at her feet. she knew it and serena knew it. for serena to get upset though is beyond me.

Serena was mad about getting hit but seriously shriekapova did not aim for her at all. You go running to the dead center of the court when someone has an overhead they gotta reach back to get odds are its coming right at you.

HA! DUDE! i would pay to see that! wow. i think this is what is lacking in amateur sports today. we don't discover the weakness and exploit it. we look to place the ball or put it on the hole or keep it away or whatever.

In tennis especially people are really soft. It is the sport that people play to be gentlemen not fierce competitors. Its just they way it goes. You got men playing that really have no business calling themselves men. Its what happens when you have a sport that has zero contact in it and a history of uppity country club players. Its the elitist sport that is above all that stuff other sports do.

 

[thebuffman]

It is the sport that people play to be gentlemen not fierce competitors.

you know i never even thought about that. i was looking at it from completely different glasses.

 

[sureshs]

In tennis especially people are really soft. It is the sport that people play to be gentlemen not fierce competitors. Its just they way it goes. You got men playing that really have no business calling themselves men. Its what happens when you have a sport that has zero contact in it and a history of uppity country club players. Its the elitist sport that is above all that stuff other sports do.

That is right and it should be kept that way. No point letting the unwashed (m)asses play the game.

 

[WildVolley]

For me, it really depends on the situation. If we are winning and outclass our opponents, I won't go after the person at net, and I feel strange about going after the woman at net in mixed doubles, even if it is competitive. I never have purposefully aimed an overhead at a person, though I've accidentally hit people many times. Also, I will target feet if I'm doing well.

Against better teams it is always dangerous to head hunt as they will return the favor. People get hit in aggressive doubles, but actually targeting someone is usually something I avoid.

 

[Hominator]

HA! DUDE! i would pay to see that! wow. i think this is what is lacking in amateur sports today. we don't discover the weakness and exploit it. we look to place the ball or put it on the hole or keep it away or whatever. but in professional sports, the minute your weakness is discovered, expect for it to get tested. if a boxer has a habit of dropping his guard everytime he throws his left hook, guess what gets exploited. in basketball the lakers' front court was immensely stronger than most of the opposition last year so guess where the ball ended up most of the time....in the paint. they won the championship from a dominant front court. in the nfl if you have a weak secondary guess what a qb like payton manning will do, air that mofo out! and send your sorry safeties and corners scurrying to chase down wide outs from behind.

on the tennis court though, we don't often do this. we don't discover the opponents weakness. we treat everyone as if they are great volleyers or great baseliners or great all court players. never testing their mettle. what if though it is determined that the dude aggressively sitting up on the net has weak volley skills? what is the correct response? how do you exploit this weakness? by trying to pass him? NOT

Plus, it's just a tennis ball. Does it really hurt? It's not like getting beamed by a Randy Johnson fastball or anything...

 

[NLBwell]

+1.

This one match in college, my partner and I figured out pretty quickly who the weak net man was (who was also a hot-head) and we decided to drill every single shot at him, directly at his right hip. We're talking full rips at the ball. We hit him probably about 5 times and almost came to blows. Our sole strategy was to drill him every time. To his credit, he hit some tough volleys, but in the end, he was too proud to back up and play two-back. Looking back, it was probably the most fun match I ever played.

The only time I ever got angry about getting hit was when I was playing against a couple of top juniors in Texas and my partner had a weak serve. I didn't say anything during the match, but I told them afterwards that it was bad sportsmanship to hit the ball in a way that the ball had no chance of going into the court and so they had no chance of winning the point unless they succeeded in hitting the opponent. That seemed quite excessive to me.

You weren't if Friendswood were you?

If I stand in while someone is hitting an overhead, then it's fine with me for them to go at me. At least there is a chance that I might be able to get a racket on it and stay in the point. If I get popped, then that's just the way it is.

 

[maverick66]

The only time I ever got angry about getting hit was when I was playing against a couple of top juniors in Texas and my partner had a weak serve. I didn't say anything during the match, but I told them afterwards that it was bad sportsmanship to hit the ball in a way that the ball had no chance of going into the court and so they had no chance of winning the point unless they succeeded in hitting the opponent. That seemed quite excessive to me.

So they were giving away points and you complained?

Why not just duck and laugh your ass off at stupid jrs who were losing points because they are trying to be tough guys?

 

[blakesq]

exactly, if the ball had no chance of staying in, just duck. sheesh, this is not rocket science.

So they were giving away points and you complained?

Why not just duck and laugh your ass off at stupid jrs who were losing points because they are trying to be tough guys?