Hit a friend in the groin, 2nd time in a year

[blakesq]

So we’re playing doubles yesterday, and I was at the baseline, my friend was on the opposite side of the net, I got a ball I could attack and went at his body, and unfortunately the ball went right in the groin, and he went down for about five minutes. The bad thing was, about a year ago the same thing happened with the same friend. Of course I felt terrible and apologized profusely. I still feel bad about it today. Am I overreacting? Am I under reacting? This is 4.0 level tennis, if it matters.

When I am at net and people hit the ball super hard at me, if I do not think I can handle it, I will turn around or Duck under the net, or otherwise try to protect myself.

 

[Cashman]

It’s unfortunate but nobody’s fault. Anecdotally it seems to happen a bit at the level you mention - I reckon it’s because you have a lot of players who hit hard but inconsistently.

If you find yourself hitting opponents a lot, it may be because you’re watching them too much during your preparation. Keep your eyes off them and focus on the gap you’re aiming for.

 

[golden chicken]

You hit him in the groin from the baseline?! Not your fault. Net to net? I might feel guilty about that one for 5 minutes.

 

[Dartagnan64]

Don't feel guilty. He's more than able to protect himself if you are the baseline.

 

[1stVolley]

If I was your shrink I'd say you had a subconscious urge to be a urologist. Fortunately I'm not a shrink.

 

[Moveforwardalways]

From the baseline? How hard you could you have possibly hit it?

 

[BenC]

buy him a protective cup

 

[Ronaldo]

buy him a protective cup

Then buy this hat, you deserve it!

 

[NLBwell]

How do you know he's still your friend?

 

[Ronaldo]

How do you know he's still your friend?

With friends like youknowwho.............................................

 

[zaskar1]

So we’re playing doubles yesterday, and I was at the baseline, my friend was on the opposite side of the net, I got a ball I could attack and went at his body, and unfortunately the ball went right in the groin, and he went down for about five minutes. The bad thing was, about a year ago the same thing happened with the same friend. Of course I felt terrible and apologized profusely. I still feel bad about it today. Am I overreacting? Am I under reacting? This is 4.0 level tennis, if it matters.

When I am at net and people hit the ball super hard at me, if I do not think I can handle it, I will turn around or Duck under the net, or otherwise try to protect myself.

blakesq
if its friendly doubles, and you werent aiming for his groin, i would say its a "lucky" shot. since its your friend, of course you feel bad.
usually in friendly games, you wont go after your friends, but accidents have happened.
johnny mac said "if you havent been tatooed, you havent played doubles"
z

 

[sureshs]

I think we need some geometric/trigonometric analysis on this.

I cannot easily see how a ball hit hard from the baseline (which means it will dip only a little in flight) can cross the baseline and hit the groin of a guy who was hurt hard presumably because he was standing close to the net.

Such shots, unlike overheads, will also be usually hit flat or slightly low to high, which means the chance of hitting the upper body is higher than hitting the groin..

How tall is this guy? How high is his groin compared to the net height of 36 inches? How far back was he standing?

 

[tennis tom]

Ice it and call his wife to apologize.

 

[Ronaldo]

Ice it and call his wife to apologize.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1288327403023015938

 

[blakesq]

hmmm, its possible i took a few steps inside the baseline to attack the ball, if that makes a difference.

I think we need some geometric/trigonometric analysis on this.

I cannot easily see how a ball hit hard from the baseline (which means it will dip only a little in flight) can cross the baseline and hit the groin of a guy who was hurt hard presumably because he was standing close to the net.

Such shots, unlike overheads, will also be usually hit flat or slightly low to high, which means the chance of hitting the upper body is higher than hitting the groin..

How tall is this guy? How high is his groin compared to the net height of 36 inches? How far back was he standing?

 

[Ronaldo]

hmmm, its possible i took a few steps inside the baseline to attack the ball, if that makes a difference.

Sinker

 

[tonylg]

hmmm, its possible i took a few steps inside the baseline to attack the ball, if that makes a difference.

It's almost always the fault of the person who gets hit. He could have taken evasive action, even if it was to just turn his back.

 

[Cindysphinx]

Men seem very fragile.

 

[blakesq]

Says the girl who has never been hit in the b*##s.

Men seem very fragile.

 

[Dartagnan64]

Says the girl who has never been hit in the b*##s.

yeah, ladies have some extra padding to protect their important organs. God put our most prized organ on the freaking outside. Frailty by design.

 

[tennis tom]

Ivan Lendl : "I didn't invite him to the net."​

 

[beltsman]

Men seem very fragile.

Imagine your ovaries hanging outside your body and getting whacked!

 

[Jono123]

So we’re playing doubles yesterday, and I was at the baseline, my friend was on the opposite side of the net, I got a ball I could attack and went at his body, and unfortunately the ball went right in the groin, and he went down for about five minutes. The bad thing was, about a year ago the same thing happened with the same friend. Of course I felt terrible and apologized profusely. I still feel bad about it today. Am I overreacting? Am I under reacting? This is 4.0 level tennis, if it matters.

When I am at net and people hit the ball super hard at me, if I do not think I can handle it, I will turn around or Duck under the net, or otherwise try to protect myself.

Just dont add insult to injury by saying 'how remarkable it was hitting such a small target'....

 

[sureshs]

Imagine your ovaries hanging outside your body and getting whacked!

But women have other things hanging out, no?

 

[sureshs]

hmmm, its possible i took a few steps inside the baseline to attack the ball, if that makes a difference.

It makes a big difference geometrically.

 

[Cawlin]

Meh, it's an unfortunate situation, but part of the game.

In tennis, it's legit to hit "at the body", and obviously headhunting is probably not all that cool, but if the guy couldn't get out of the way or get his racquet on a ball hit from behind the service line, that player probably has to reconsider whether or not he's standing where he ought to be.

If you have to play worried that hitting a person at the net is not cool, then the opponents will rightly use this to their advantage. I see it in mixed ALL THE TIME!!! ALL THE TIME. The female may hang right on top of the net and if the male opponent in particular hits one even close to her, she acts all scared and maybe a little butthurt about it, maybe her male partner will say something like: "Hey, go easy with the headhunting, I know you probably didn't mean to do it, but seriously, this isn't Wimbledon." That is a calculated, planned situation right there...

 

[Traffic]

If you are an experienced doubles player, you should know when to stand your ground and when to protect yourself. All your "friend" had to do was turn his hips if he can't get his racquet "there".

Just yesterday, I had an opponent attack a weak second serve from my partner. I had no time to try to return the ball. I just stuck my racquet out and try to hide as much of me behind it as possible.

 

[Steady Eddy]

Ice it and call his wife to apologize.

Who knows? She might have been pleased?

 

[tomato123]

my apologies for making light of a very serious injury, but if anyone is old enough to remember this...

 

[zaskar1]

tomato123
i think its funny!
z

 

[Ronaldo]

Accidentally hit a guy slow and low. He was sooooooooooooo angry he tried to hit me when I was outside the doubles alley. Memorable

 

[Ronaldo]

tomato123
i think its funny!
z

 

[dak95_00]

So we’re playing doubles yesterday, and I was at the baseline, my friend was on the opposite side of the net, I got a ball I could attack and went at his body, and unfortunately the ball went right in the groin, and he went down for about five minutes. The bad thing was, about a year ago the same thing happened with the same friend. Of course I felt terrible and apologized profusely. I still feel bad about it today. Am I overreacting? Am I under reacting? This is 4.0 level tennis, if it matters.

When I am at net and people hit the ball super hard at me, if I do not think I can handle it, I will turn around or Duck under the net, or otherwise try to protect myself.

As a kid we used to play backyard baseball. Around the time Pat Benatar's song Hit Me With Your Best Shot was popular on the radio, it never failed. Whoever was singing that song got hit with the other's best shot in the jewels.

 

[Ronaldo]

As a kid we used to play backyard baseball. Around the time Pat Benatar's song Hit Me With Your Best Shot was popular on the radio, it never failed. Whoever was singing that song got hit with the other's best shot in the jewels.

https://www.reddit.com/r/sports/comments/idpfzt

 

[dak95_00]

https://www.reddit.com/r/sports/comments/idpfzt

Saw this the other day....
Listen to the commentary...

https://www.reddit.com/r/phillies/comments/ig083c

 

[Bagumbawalla]

In one of my first tournament matches, the opponent's wife showed up just as I was serving. He looked over and saw her waving to him- took his eyes off the ball. Next thing you know he was writhing in pain, rolling on the court- ball to the groin.

 

[SinneGOAT]

https://www.reddit.com/r/sports/comments/idpfzt

I didn’t even watch it but reading it I got an actual tear in my eye. The horror...

 

[ptuanminh]

3rd time's a charm?

 

[Larry Duff]

PCB read this

 

[Ronaldo]

3rd time's a charm?

Third time, a Eunuch