Foot Fault Rampant

RogerRacket111

Semi-Pro
As I have played USTA I have noticed that a lot of people foot fault. Its really to tough to catch it when you play singles but in doubles the guy at the net should be able to call it. What do you guys think?

I know your going to come of as a jerk but its a really big advantage to step even a half a step and serve. Why do so many people foot fault?
 

polski

Semi-Pro
http://www.usta.com/Improve-Your-Game/Rules/Rules-and-Line-Calls/Foot_Faulting/

From the horse's mouth:

Foot Faulting
Q. Can your opponent call foot fault on you when there is no referee?

A. The Code states that “compliance with the foot fault rule is very much a function of the player’s personal honor system.” If a player is committing flagrant foot faults, then an opponent CAN call him/her on it. But it is a pretty bold move to do so. He/she had better be certain that you have stepped on or over the line prior to contact before making this call.

For the record, habitual foot faulting is as bad as intentionally cheating on line calls. That said, I always urge players to focus on their side of the net, and executing their returns of serve, instead of worrying about whether an opponent has or has not stepped on or over the baseline during the serve.

Q. In a league match (no officials around), what happens when someone is told they are foot faulting, and they (a) disagree, or (b) say "sorry" but do it again. Who gets to decide if they should lose the point?

A. Ahhh… this seems to be a lingering issue…

If they are truly guilty of foot faulting, then they are cheating. If they disagree or continue doing it, then you have a challenging situation on your hands. I would advise you to avoid worrying about their side of the net and concentrate on what you need to do to win the next point.

There will always be players out there who cheat, sometimes- of course- unwittingly. It is your prerogative to handle yourself. If they CHOOSE to cheat, there is not much that you can do to get satisfaction. Maybe try extra hard to beat them.

Q. I would like to know the appropriate course of action to take when an opponent is grossly foot faulting consistently. I found myself in this situation recently, and was not sure how to handle the situation and stay within USTA guidelines.

A. Ask them politely to stop stepping over the line when they serve. You had BETTER be sure that you are in the right though. Remember, you are basically telling them that they are cheating- so be careful with how you handle this accusation.

Taking this a step further, I realize that a “foot fault” is not legal and that it should be considered a missed serve. However, as an opponent, does the foot fault have much effect on your own play? Not really. You might be better served to just concentrate on your side of the court.

Q. When I am serving I tend to foot fault. What should I do so I don't foot fault, but still have a good serve?

A. If/when you are called for foot fault during a match, do NOT change anything. Just simply back up a few inches.

During a match, it is best not to change your technique. Backing up a few inches will not compromise the power or placement of your serves.
 

tennisdad65

Hall of Fame
... Its really to tough to catch it when you play singles but in doubles the guy at the net should be able to call it. What do you guys think?

when someone is serving the opposing netman is normally at the service line, not at the net.. i.e. it is tough to see even in doubles.
 

r2473

G.O.A.T.
As I have played USTA I have noticed that a lot of people foot fault.

Pretty much everyone does.

So, keeping this in mind, I like to call foot-faults when my opponent serves an ace. Not only do I not lose that point, but it often gets me a few additional points (because he is so pissed off).

Sometimes he's so angry, he'll donate the entire match.

Try it. I'm sure this little trick will work for you too.

Now, concerning the subject of line calls...........
 
Pretty much everyone does.

So, keeping this in mind, I like to call foot-faults when my opponent serves an ace. Not only do I not lose that point, but it often gets me a few additional points (because he is so pissed off).

Sometimes he's so angry, he'll donate the entire match.

Try it. I'm sure this little trick will work for you too.

Now, concerning the subject of line calls...........

Wow! That's devious lol. I usually play jerks that would tell me to "YOU CAN'T SAY THAT" if I called that lol. Foot faulting never actually affects a point so I wish we didn't have to worry about it.
 

JoelDali

Talk Tennis Guru
At the playoffs last week roving USTA officials were calling footfaults all over the place. It was freakin' comical watching the NTRP hackers (that includes me) adjust their serves, being all self conscious and nervous with the officials watching.

Is it really that damn difficult to NOT foot fault?
 

tnnsman7

New User
Last year at the state tournament we played a team where one player would two foot/foot fault. The USTA official watched him do it 4 or 5 times before calling it. So evidently, even they are reluctant to call it some times.
 

RogerRacket111

Semi-Pro
when someone is serving the opposing netman is normally at the service line, not at the net.. i.e. it is tough to see even in doubles.

When your up front next to the net or at the serve line and don't have to watch every ball and return the ball its quite easy to watch the foot of the server. If you can't see it then its your bad.
 

tennisdad65

Hall of Fame
Pretty much everyone does.....

from my experience, about a third of the people (30-35%) foot fault. 5-10% are really bad (1-2 ft foot faults).

I have a classical style serve with lead foot 'supposedly planted' till contact. I still stand 5-6 inches behind the line, because I have a very closed stance, and my lead foot rotates along with torso rotation.

Also, I think a higher percentage of lower level players foot fault (3.5-4.5) , whereas very few of the 5.0 and 5.5's foot fault.
 
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RogerRacket111

Semi-Pro
It all occurred to me while I watching a USTA dbls match and noticed that our opponent was foot-faulting when I thought of complaining I noticed my team mates were doing the same.

I also wondered if I was doing the same and had to have have my friends check me out while I play and I wasn't.

I think its an unfair advantage and should be called especially the guys you really step in with their lead foot.
 
I'm not sure I've ever had the nerve to call one of my opponents for foot faulting. The only time I could think of doing it is if they have a powerful serve that's giving me problems AND their foot faulting is really obvious (eg. entire foot inside the court) AND the match actually matters for something. In that situation they would definitely be benefiting from being closer in and taking advantage of it by hitting big serves that have less of a chance of going into the net.

In general though, I usually don't mind it from most players -- and in fact I expect it to a certain degree. But with guys that have good serves, it seems rather unsportsmanlike if they continually cheat by moving more than an accidental amount inside the court.
 
Also, I think a higher percentage of lower level players foot fault (3.5-4.5) , whereas very few of the 5.0 and 5.5's foot fault.

That's almost certainly true, but it does happen some at the higher levels too. One of the best Open level players in Texas routinely foot faults with both feet when he serves. Not sure any of the roaming officials have the balls to call him on it though ;)
 

dizzlmcwizzl

Hall of Fame
One time about 5 years ago one of my team mates told me I was foot faulting, and I was conviced he was wrong .... Until other teamates chimed in and backed him up.

Since then I have tried to correct it. I have taped myself and asked people to watch for it from the sidelines. They all say I do not foot fault when I ask them, however I am still uncertain I have corrected it. You know, I am unsure if I do something different when I know I am being watched.
 

pmerk34

Legend
from my experience, about a third of the people (30-35%) foot fault. 5-10% are really bad (1-2 ft foot faults).

I have a classical style serve with lead foot 'supposedly planted' till contact. I still stand 5-6 inches behind the line, because I have a very closed stance, and my lead foot rotates along with torso rotation.

Also, I think a higher percentage of lower level players foot fault (3.5-4.5) , whereas very few of the 5.0 and 5.5's foot fault.

That's becuase 5.0's and above virtually all have had extensive professional instruction
 

tennytive

Hall of Fame
That's becuase 5.0's and above virtually all have had extensive professional instruction

When I was roving, I would see challenge ladder tournament players, especially in doubles foot faulting ad nauseam. However when I made my way over to their court, their feet magically stayed behind the line.

5.0, 5.5, it still happens. Even Serena foot faults. Although if you ask her she'll deny it.
 
As I have played USTA I have noticed that a lot of people foot fault. Its really to tough to catch it when you play singles but in doubles the guy at the net should be able to call it. What do you guys think?

I know your going to come of as a jerk but its a really big advantage to step even a half a step and serve. Why do so many people foot fault?
There's been so many threads on ff'ing, it's not worth starting a new one, so I'll add it on to this old one. I was practicing my serve yesterday and happened to look over at the coots playing dubs next to me and saw the guy take a FULL step in on his serve--I just laughed to myself. Granted he's short and could use every advantage to get his serve in and get into the net but really! This guy is above average in intelligence--I hope since he's a doctor--but really, a FULL step!

As to why it's so rampant--it's considered impolite at the club level to point it out--that's what happens when the inmates are running the asylum--unsupervised play, the downturn of civilization.
 

shamaho

Professional
At the playoffs last week roving USTA officials were calling footfaults all over the place. It was freakin' comical watching the NTRP hackers (that includes me) adjust their serves, being all self conscious and nervous with the officials watching.

Is it really that damn difficult to NOT foot fault?

ha! yes it's damm hard NOT to foot fault if your mechanics are very ingrained... my adjustment now involves starting the motion one foot away from the service line.... it really messes my spacial awareness :)
 

S&V-not_dead_yet

Talk Tennis Guru
There's been so many threads on ff'ing, it's not worth starting a new one, so I'll add it on to this old one. I was practicing my serve yesterday and happened to look over at the coots playing dubs next to me and saw the guy take a FULL step in on his serve--I just laughed to myself. Granted he's short and could use every advantage to get his serve in and get into the net but really! This guy is above average in intelligence--I hope since he's a doctor--but really, a FULL step!

As to why it's so rampant--it's considered impolite at the club level to point it out--that's what happens when the inmates are running the asylum--unsupervised play, the downturn of civilization.

3:15:

 

Bluefan75

Professional
I really hope the guy in the video's opponent walked up to the service line and threw a serve in to send the message...
 

zaskar1

Professional
As I have played USTA I have noticed that a lot of people foot fault. Its really to tough to catch it when you play singles but in doubles the guy at the net should be able to call it. What do you guys think?

I know your going to come of as a jerk but its a really big advantage to step even a half a step and serve. Why do so many people foot fault?

RR
you are not a jerk, knowingly footfaulting is a form of "cheating", like making bad line calls.
usta doesnt really let you call foot faults, you have to ask for, and get a linesperson
to call it. sometimes there are none available.
z
 

grhcan99

Semi-Pro
I am very conscious about foot fault when I'm serving so I'm very careful. But when my opponents foot fault I don't care :) At my level 4.0-4.5 I don't really believe it makes a difference.
 

GatorTennis

Rookie
  1. I believe you have to notify the opponents of foot faulting, and then you can start calling it.
  2. USTA officiated tournaments need to start calling it more so it can trickle down to league play back home.
  3. I see it happen far more at upper levels than lower ones.
  4. While against the rules, not a big advantage in most cases, unless you are playing at that higher level, where everyone does it anyway.
 

texacali

Rookie
Watched some of the 55+ 9.0 this weekend in Surprise, and one of the guys foot faulted every time he served. Heard someone in the stands ask if the opponents were ever going to call it. Never did.
 

R1FF

Professional
Call it.

I hate foot faulters. If they want the court dimensions changed in their favor, then I want all my balls that are out by inches to be called "in".
 

time_fly

Hall of Fame
I don't have a problem with people brushing the line with their toes sometimes because their footwork or toss is a little off. I do hate players whose entire serve is built around foot-faulting, such as people who step forward into the court as they swing.
 

zaskar1

Professional
if its social, you should mention it to them, but dont make a big deal of it. if its usta, you give them a warning, then ask for a linesperson. if none are available, i think you can file a grievance
in the sectionals where there are officials, "footfaults" will be called and point penalties appropriately assessed.
z
 
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