Getting Hit in the Face
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heninfan99
Talk Tennis Guru
nose once OUCH.
Mongolmike
Hall of Fame
Zero. But, I have been tagged in the family jewels twice.... I think I rather get hit in the face.
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
never in the face. i usually keep my racquet in front of or close to front of my face.
jewels for sure.
back of the head, definitely.
jewels for sure.
back of the head, definitely.
spaceman_spiff
Hall of Fame
Zero for me as well, but I did get hit in the head the other day.
My partner floated a ball and my opponent went after it. When I took a split step to get ready, I put my feet too far in front of me and was falling away from the ball a bit (a bad habit from years of being a soccer goalkeeper). When the ball came at me, I couldn't duck or pull my head to the side because of my balance. All I could do was turn it so that I got hit on the side of the head instead of straight in the face.
To be fair to my opponent, he wasn't aiming at me. He was stretched, so he couldn't fully control his shot.
My partner floated a ball and my opponent went after it. When I took a split step to get ready, I put my feet too far in front of me and was falling away from the ball a bit (a bad habit from years of being a soccer goalkeeper). When the ball came at me, I couldn't duck or pull my head to the side because of my balance. All I could do was turn it so that I got hit on the side of the head instead of straight in the face.
To be fair to my opponent, he wasn't aiming at me. He was stretched, so he couldn't fully control his shot.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
once,,,LOL. it was in the warmup,, Serving. I had my eye on the serve going up to hit it when from the other side,,,this Crazy idiot hit his serve like a crazy man he is and hit me with it on the fly. on the eye too.
tennis tom
Legend
Worst was on the first point of a match, ball glanced off my racket into my eye, put ice on it but finished match. Went to the eye doc afterwards, no permanent damage. Learned a lesson, be awake from the first shot--they're going for ya'--consider it my fault, I should have been more awake and it did glance off my racket. But now, I don't go hard at the net man off the first shot of a match, don't need to knock somebody's eye-ball out--it's only tennis.
OrangePower
Legend
Just once.
I was at net, my partner put up a really weak lob, I didn't back up fast enough, and the opponent hit the overhead right at my head. I managed to turn my head sideways so that it wasn't a direct hit but the ball hit my forehead at an angle. No damage done but I was pretty pissed at the opponent since it was a gimme and he had many winning options other than headhunting. There was no bad blood in the match up to that point so no idea why he would pull such a jerk move.
Having said that, I've probably been hit on the back of the head by my partners' serves at least 5 times, so...
Opponents - 1
Partners - 5
therecanbeonlyone
Semi-Pro
I have taken one hit to the face while at net. It was a loooong time ago and I recall it was off the return of my partner's pathetically weak 2nd serve. I still should have been able to block it, but didn't.
Never took a direct shot to the face from a groundstroke or volley while at net...
Ball hit me in face from a bad ricochet from my own racket bc I wasn't holding it right....sure.
Took a few that's knocked off my glasses from bad bounces off the net...
Def took some hard shots to the back of the head....
Knock on wood, never in the jewels.....I can only imagine the pain....
Ball hit me in face from a bad ricochet from my own racket bc I wasn't holding it right....sure.
Took a few that's knocked off my glasses from bad bounces off the net...
Def took some hard shots to the back of the head....
Knock on wood, never in the jewels.....I can only imagine the pain....
JoelSandwich
Hall of Fame
Back of the head like three times, in the face once and in the you know what... twice
I haven't gotten hit in a long time though.
I haven't gotten hit in a long time though.
I'm talking about standing at the net after a point ends minding your own business when someone hits a ball at you when you were not looking and not expecting it and hitting you in the face. Let me also add, not also saying "look out."
beernutz
Hall of Fame
Still zero. What kind of morons do you play with?
breezybee
New User
That exact thing happened to me a few years ago during a tennis clinic. Point was over and I was up at the net. Opponent net player had his back to me then suddenly spins around and fires a ball as hard as he can off his racquet, across the net, directly into my face. He wasn't trying to hit me but was angry at losing the point and taking out his frustration. He was known for a quick temper on the court. Thankfully it caught me in the jaw as my head was slightly turned. Hurt, but no permanent damage. I should mention that I was about 8 inches shorter and 70 pounds lighter than him. I walked off the court to get some ice and told the tennis instructor I wouldn't ever play with the guy again.
Mongolmike
Hall of Fame
Been doing a drill class lately just to get another night of hits in, and there is a member like that. Totally childish and ridiculous, for a drill class of all things. Cursing, whacking his racquet against the backstop, swatting a ball out of his way with no regard to direction when he misses and is po'd. Cannot imagine how explosive he would be in a match.
Couple weeks ago we were in a drill class with the court divider curtains pulled between courts (but there was a gap in the middle adjacent to the net). He was p issed, swatted a ball in anger and the ball flew thru the gap in the curtain and struck a lady two courts over. He didn't acknowledge it, didn't apologize, didn't even look at her, just continued to grumble to himself. The lady just stood there looking our way like "Where did THAT come from?"
At that point I thought the instructor should've pull him aside and demand he cool off or leave the group. He didn't.
OrangePower
Legend
I don't curse or take my anger out on others, but I sure do abuse the balls!
I stand on the baseline and smack it at the back fence. My goal is to one day actually drill a ball through the fence - I have managed to get a few wedged in there pretty good, but have never made it all the way through. It's good to have goals in tennis.
kingcheetah
Hall of Fame
Face none that I can remember, at least once in the neck, a handful between shoulder and hip... none below the belt
jersey34tennis
Professional
feeding windshield wiper drills . poorly angled cart led to jewel shot and the other ball clipped me in the face as i was dropping. a big laugh, supressed vomiting, back to work
Big_Dangerous
Talk Tennis Guru
I got hit in the face with one of Sureshs's balls, but good thing I'm immortal, as a lesser man would have instantly been killed!
i gather from what people have said so far that people don't hit balls at unsuspecting people standing near the net following a point. In 25 years of playing I've never done it nor have I ever seen anybody do it. From this I conclude that the person who did it to me did it intentionally. The question I now have is what, if anything I should do about it. I've got to play with this person for the next 8 months.
The only time I do this (or it happens to me) is when a serve is returned out of reflex, but usually people are paying attention. If someone was rage-hitting balls and couldnt keep from hitting them at people, I wouldnt play with them. With this said, i've never hit anyone in the face, or was hit in the face this way.
OrangePower
Legend
Well, I do hit balls to the net person in dubs, to get the balls to the serving team.
There have been a few occasions where I thought the net person was paying attention and I hit the ball to him, but turns out he was not really paying attention and the ball inadvertently hit him.
Of course these are not hard hit balls, and even then I'd apologize (and usually I will shout "ball coming" if the net guy turns around while the ball is on the way to him).
How hard was the ball hit at you? You sure they weren't just trying to pass the ball to you?
That is the situation. The ball was not hit particularly hard but after all, when it hit its you unexpectedly, one is shocked. Still, I have never hit a ball at someone where I knew the weren't expecting it. Why would you? You could hit someone. Even if it were not done intentionally, it shows an utter disregard for the person you are hitting it at.
Letter of the law says that you shouldnt "return" balls that are clearly out, even if your intent is to return the ball to the server or their partner, as a favor and not a practice return. So, I guess you're right.
However, time to "victim blame" here. "Feeding" balls to your opponent so people have to shag less is a pretty common practice. If you manage to get his in your face with a feed it would have to be a pure accident. To be hit with a feed in general is pretty rare. I think you should just pay attention more.
Matthew Lee
Professional
Not really but I've hit someone in the face before...
So tell us why you hit someone in the face when they were unaware of the ball being hit in their direction. Why would you do that?
MrRandom247
Semi-Pro
Head - once or twice, can't really remember. I always wear a hat which can absorb the blow.
******* - twice at net at a beginner - learnt to volley asap
Stepped on a lobbed ball just as it bounced.
******* - twice at net at a beginner - learnt to volley asap
Stepped on a lobbed ball just as it bounced.
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MrRandom247
Semi-Pro
I'm more of an opponent or partner destroyer.
Hit my League doubles partner the Father with 1st serve in his back - he wasn't pleased at all.
Hit his teenage Son weeks later with a big smash into his back at net - he was really angry. I apologized & offered him a Coke afterwards but he refused. Oh well.
Me making friends at my new club on Open Day.
A Winner...
Hit my League doubles partner the Father with 1st serve in his back - he wasn't pleased at all.
Hit his teenage Son weeks later with a big smash into his back at net - he was really angry. I apologized & offered him a Coke afterwards but he refused. Oh well.
Me making friends at my new club on Open Day.
A Winner...
MathGeek
Hall of Fame
Never. But been hit in lower more sensitive areas a few times.
I tend to keep my racquet high, pay a lot of attention, and also move my head very quickly and reactively when something is heading toward my face. Moving areas closer to my center of mass is much harder.
We've done a bit of research on eye protection. The prescription sunglasses I wear with Wayfarer frames and thick polycarbonate lenses are excellent eye protection not just in tennis, but in many activities. The way I wear a baseball cap pulled down to touch the glasses also provides added eye protection. An incoming ball is going to be slowed down quite a bit. I also have a pair of clear prescription lenses in Wayfarer frames when I need good coverage but I am not in a sunny location.
When cycling, either the helmet or sometimes the ball cap under the helmet in combination with the sunglasses does a good job protecting the eyes from branches and briers and so on.
At the shooting range, there is often flying brass and also the chance of flying debris. You should see careless ladies doing the hot brass in the bra dance. In addition to a hat and eye protection, some consideration of the collar area is important
In Ultimate, the main risks are defenders hands and fingers. Another advantage of the shades in Ultimate is that the opposition cannot read your eyes.
In fishing, the big eye danger is hooks from other careless anglers (or yourself if you are really uncoordinated). Polarized shades give the added advantage of better vision into the water and less glare.
We have safety goggles for our laboratory work and the shooting range. But with the protection of the Wayfarers with thick polycarbonate lenses and a ball cap, I only really need them when using the welding torch or there is a risk of fragments coming in from the sides which is relatively rare. But most folks would be well served by something protecting their eyes other than just their racquet and reflexes.
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bktennis78
New User
Never in the face. That is the result of keeping an eye on the ball
any chance you've taken it in the eye?
Matthew Lee
Professional
._. Why would anyone hit someone when they're not looking...plain ******...
They made the mistake of not keeping their racket up when going to volley...
MrRandom247
Semi-Pro
Oh, I did a bad framed forehand return & got popped in my nose.
Felt pretty silly. Was a bit sore & odd feeling, but just shrugged it off & played the next point.
Felt pretty silly. Was a bit sore & odd feeling, but just shrugged it off & played the next point.
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A
AllCourtHeathen
Guest
Never, I watch the ball, and my opponents and where I imagine they are going to have to move/hit to, plus I am told I have fast reflexes.
Had some matrix like dodges though lol. It's only a fuzzy yellow ball though. Not like it is a paintball. Now they hurt up close.
Had some matrix like dodges though lol. It's only a fuzzy yellow ball though. Not like it is a paintball. Now they hurt up close.
I don't think I have been hit in the face, other than maybe a ball glancing off my racket. I've been nailed everywhere else in doubles though. Long ago we moved to our present location for a job change in the summer, I was a 5.0 playing tournaments and on a 5.0 team going to nationals, and did not have practice partners. So I had my 2.5ish wife feeding me balls. I had her at the net throwing balls alternating to my forehand and backhand. I hit her dead square in the eye with a blazing forehand. Oh man, that was terrible! I felt so bad, and I was scared that I blinded her. Luckily she just had a black eye, but that story gets told regularly.
v-verb
Hall of Fame
I know that well. Had a smash bounce up and "just the tip". Hurt like hell for days
Mongolmike
Hall of Fame
lol... yup. Once it was a full on bean bag shot... which makes you nauseous and just takes the wind out of you.
The second time was a tip shot... which really fricken' hurt. I actually checked twice! to make sure the little fella wasn't torn off of his roots... between laughing at getting a nut shot, and bent over holding the crown jewels in pain, and seeing my buddy ( a teaching pro - thanks Nick ya bast ard) torn between laughing and feeling bad about it... that one brought a tear to my eye. Good times...
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