How to retaliate within the rules

[aurelius]

First I’ve only had pleasant experiences so far in USTA but reading this board has prompted a question, what are the best ways to retaliate against someone that are within the rules?

An example would be: your opponent blasts a ball clearly well long that you catch at shoulder height while you’re standing at or behind the baseline. The opponent automatically claims the point and acts like a jerk. This is their right within the rules but the underlying substance of it is that it’s an act of dubious sportsmanship.

How can you retaliate within the rules? This means you can’t throw your racket at them or out-and-out cheat by hooking on line calls.

To get this started. One intriguing way suggested by a post on this board, would be to send the next 3 balls (either your serve or his) as homerun shots over his head and well out of the park (potentially into some trees). As long as you don’t announce your intention beforehand, your “intention” is an arguable grey area and you could claim they were poor shots from being so mad about the previous point. It’s obviously poor sportsmanship but that cancels out with the opponent’s previous act of poor sportsmanship.

It seems to be within the rules as long as you suffer your penalty in terms of lost points – e.g. if you’re serving you’d lose one full point and be at one fault into the next point when you ran out of balls and asked the opponent to please collect them from his side. What happens if you hit them all into the wood and they were well lost? Does the home team have to continue providing fresh balls for the match? He might be pissed but what can he do? As long as you accept the points lost, it seems like you’re within the rules.

Any other favorite retaliatory tactics that are within the rules?

 

[woodrow1029]

Ok, so we all know that players get irritated with umpires when they either do something stupid or something that they don't understand.

This thread is the reason why sometimes officials get irritated with players for the same reasons.

 

[gmatheis]

First I’ve only had pleasant experiences so far in USTA but reading this board has prompted a question, what are the best ways to retaliate against someone that are within the rules?

An example would be: your opponent blasts a ball clearly well long that you catch at shoulder height while you’re standing at or behind the baseline. The opponent automatically claims the point and acts like a jerk. This is their right within the rules but the underlying substance of it is that it’s an act of dubious sportsmanship.

How can you retaliate within the rules? This means you can’t throw your racket at them or out-and-out cheat by hooking on line calls.

To get this started. One intriguing way suggested by a post on this board, would be to send the next 3 balls (either your serve or his) as homerun shots over his head and well out of the park (potentially into some trees). As long as you don’t announce your intention beforehand, your “intention” is an arguable grey area and you could claim they were poor shots from being so mad about the previous point. It’s obviously poor sportsmanship but that cancels out with the opponent’s previous act of poor sportsmanship.

It seems to be within the rules as long as you suffer your penalty in terms of lost points – e.g. if you’re serving you’d lose one full point and be at one fault into the next point when you ran out of balls and asked the opponent to please collect them from his side. What happens if you hit them all into the wood and they were well lost? Does the home team have to continue providing fresh balls for the match? He might be pissed but what can he do? As long as you accept the points lost, it seems like you’re within the rules.

Any other favorite retaliatory tactics that are within the rules?

Actually the act of catching the ball that is still in play in the dubious sportsmanship.
If the rules say not to do it, why do you feel that you have the right to do it?

 

[goober]

Actually the act of catching the ball that is still in play in the dubious sportsmanship.
If the rules say not to do it, why do you feel that you have the right to do it?

I have to agree. If it is an official match, do not catch the ball. Plenty of people will call you on that- plenty.

 

[Wuppy]

slash tires after match? USTA doesn't regulate what happens then.

 

[DANMAN]

If someone hooks me obviously on a big point or if someone hooks me several times, I go head hunting, especially in doubles when the hooker is at the net and I'm returning. It only takes one big cut to show them within the rules that you won't tolerate their actions. Also, when playing dubs and the receiver's partner stands on or dances around the middle line, I blast a first serve at them. I take the point if I hit them no questions asked.

 

[floridatennisdude]

Any other favorite retaliatory tactics that are within the rules?

I can become terribly inaccurate when sending balls to the opposing server who is ready to get the next point started.

 

[r2473]

Any other favorite retaliatory tactics that are within the rules?

Sleep with your opponents wife.

 

[Taxvictim]

I disagree with your premise. I wouldn't call it on you if you obviously reached out to catch a ball in play, but I would enforce the rule if it looked like maybe you could not have got out of the way of the ball.

There might be other times to strictly apply the rules to a deserving opponent. Here are a few ideas.

1. If he serves without calling out the score, don't play the serve and tell him he forgot to call out the score as required by the rules. He still gets a first serve, I suppose, but make him start over.

2. Start watching for foot faults, and call them if they happen. (Chances are they will happen, from what I've observed.) First time it's just a warning. He may complain you can't tell from your side of the court, but tell him it was blatant enough to see, and now you have given him your warning.

3. Enforce the changeovers to 90 seconds if he tries to linger for water or whatever. (120 seconds between sets.)

It's more important to have fun. Jerks are all around, but eventually you find the right folks for your tennis games.

 

[spot]

If you get pissed off because someone took the point when you caught the ball then your opponents should be looking for ways to retaliate because you are the one using poor sportsmanship.

 

[North]

Why not just play by the rules? I have noticed some players view playing by the rules as retaliatory gamesmanship.

 

[Cindysphinx]

Any other favorite retaliatory tactics that are within the rules?

Yeah. Winning.

Seriously, there are things you can do to keep an opponent in line, although I wouldn't call them "retaliatory."

Like, if your opponent is quick-serving you, you can hold your racket up and take care not to play any serves before you were ready.

If your opponents are stalling in a timed match, you can say, "Time's up."

If your opponents are stingy with giving you a first serve when there is a delay between first and second, you can take note of their practices and be equally stingy.

If your opponent is making movement solely to distract during your serve, you can bounce and toss as long as it takes for them to knock it off.

If an opponent is talking while you are hitting, you can ask them politely to stop and then claim hindrance if it continues.

 

[woodrow1029]

Sleep with your opponents wife.

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there!

 

[jdubbs]

I got frustrated a few weeks ago with my opponents blatantly bad line calls.

I'd been giving him all topspin and sidespin serves all day, but uncorked a huge flat serve that went right to the body. It landed in, and it surprised him so much he tried to catch it on the bounce for some reason, bending his finger back badly.

He was hurt, I got on a roll, and won the set and the match.
Revenge is sweet.

 

[sureshs]

Sleep with your opponents wife.

Depends if it is worth it.

 

[anontennis]

I'm a bit confused. Is there ever a situation where catching a ball in play is appropriate, official match or otherwise? Unless you are playing without barriers behind you, I would find an opponent catching balls odd, to say the least.

Now, if there was a legitimate issue with sportsmanship, I would personally prefer to win without stooping to that level.

 

[r2473]

I'm a bit confused. Is there ever a situation where catching a ball in play is appropriate, official match or otherwise?

We do it all the time in social matches. It just speeds up play and saves everyone the pain of having to track down the ball.

I'd never do it in an official match though. Unless I knew my opponent was OK with it.

 

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

lol, i've seen players in open tournaments catch balls, sometimes with a 'I'm gonna catch this, ok?" call as the ball is in flight. I have done it myself. Sort of thing you only do if you are 4 feet behind the baseline and the thing is chest height or higher.

it IS against the rules, of course, but what sort of person would claim the point in those circumstances? Oh, right, a 3.5 with a Wilson 10 pack full of pro staffs, of course, silly me, carry on...

 

[aurelius]

lol, i've seen players in open tournaments catch balls, sometimes with a 'I'm gonna catch this, ok?" call as the ball is in flight. I have done it myself. Sort of thing you only do if you are 4 feet behind the baseline and the thing is chest height or higher.

it IS against the rules, of course, but what sort of person would claim the point in those circumstances? Oh, right, a 3.5 with a Wilson 10 pack full of pro staffs, of course, silly me, carry on...

Catching the ball was only one example of a "technical rule violation" (there could be other similar examples) but it would be a poor show if someone called you on it. I'm talking about what Timbo mentions, you're at or behind the baseline, it's coming chest height or higher and clearly you could get out the way. We don't play with ballboys, why would I need to let it "bounce" to see it out and hunt it down?

Higher up players seem to understand this but most of the aspiring umpire, rule-sticklers seem to be lower level players new to the game. I'm not talking about close-out balls, catching it while you're within the court, etc., let all those land to be sure.

But I've caught the ball before when it's clearly flying out to save a trip down the court and no-one has minded. Others have done the same. Everyone I've played with seems reasonable, however, it seems not everyone on this board has that experience. Some responses make it sound like you'd claim the point against me for that which I agree is right by the letter of the rulebook but, in effect, is in poor form.

 

[aurelius]

Sleep with your opponents wife.

Good one! I'm sure her tennis instructor is already on that.

 

[spot]

I've never seen an open level player catch a ball in an official match. I've never seen a player above the 3.5 level catch a ball in an official match. There have been matches where we play somewhere that makes it almost impossible to retreive balls that go over the fence where I have told opponents that it is perfectly OK to catch balls but I still can't recall them ever doing it.

 

[Alchemy-Z]

Don't knock balls out of the fence on purpose this happened to me makes you look like a tool.

rules are rules just follow them.

I have a team mate who hits the oddest spin you have ever seen it kinda moon balls looks like its always going out and then just drops right on the base line. if someone were to catch his shot they would have truely cheated him out of a good point.

 

[gmatheis]

Catching the ball was only one example of a "technical rule violation" (there could be other similar examples) but it would be a poor show if someone called you on it. I'm talking about what Timbo mentions, you're at or behind the baseline, it's coming chest height or higher and clearly you could get out the way. We don't play with ballboys, why would I need to let it "bounce" to see it out and hunt it down?

Higher up players seem to understand this but most of the aspiring umpire, rule-sticklers seem to be lower level players new to the game. I'm not talking about close-out balls, catching it while you're within the court, etc., let all those land to be sure.

But I've caught the ball before when it's clearly flying out to save a trip down the court and no-one has minded. Others have done the same. Everyone I've played with seems reasonable, however, it seems not everyone on this board has that experience. Some responses make it sound like you'd claim the point against me for that which I agree is right by the letter of the rulebook but, in effect, is in poor form.

I wouldn't claim the point unless #1 you had been a jerk, or #2 you had made bad line calls already. I might however ask you not to catch balls before they are dead.

Also, as someone has mentioned the only people I ever see catch balls that are headed out are lower level players, the higher level players tend to follow the rules more ... not less.

 

[NE1for10is?]

This thread is based on a false premise. The OP seems to believe that poor sportmanship requires an equal amount of poor sportmanship in retaliation. Two wrongs don't make a right.

When considering something like this just think: WTFWFD?

(WTF would Federer do?)

 

[goober]

When considering something like this just think: WTFWFD?

(WTF would Federer do?)

Make snide, backhanded comments at the press conference?

 

[TimothyO]

An example would be: your opponent blasts a ball clearly well long that you catch at shoulder height while you’re standing at or behind the baseline. The opponent automatically claims the point and acts like a jerk. This is their right within the rules but the underlying substance of it is that it’s an act of dubious sportsmanship.

Lots of players accidentally overreact to a hard struck ball "obviously going out" and try to return it. Any player with decent experience has done that. By stopping a ball "obviously going out" you've interfered with play and rightly lost the point. How does your opponent know whether or not you simply screwed up and got caught napping? As far as he knows YOU'RE cheating by "claiming" to have stopped the ball since it was "obviously going out" when you've really just overreacted to the shot and touched the ball.

And if your opponent hits with lots of spin then shots "obviously going out" can often dive in at the last moment. It's unfair to stop the ball and declare that it's out when that can't yet be determined accurately. That's blatant cheating and will only lead to arguments. Thus the very reasonable rule.

It's also bad sportsmanship to complain about rules being enforced.

 

[J_R_B]

I got in the habit of never catching balls. It's just easier that way. As far as retaliatory poor sportsmanship, that's just stupid and not what the game is supposed to be. Why would someone waste their time and effort on that. Just never play with the guy again.

 

[goober]

lol, i've seen players in open tournaments catch balls, sometimes with a 'I'm gonna catch this, ok?" call as the ball is in flight. I have done it myself. Sort of thing you only do if you are 4 feet behind the baseline and the thing is chest height or higher.

it IS against the rules, of course, but what sort of person would claim the point in those circumstances? Oh, right, a 3.5 with a Wilson 10 pack full of pro staffs, of course, silly me, carry on...

I have the opposite experience, I have never seen any player catch a ball in an official match that was 4.0 or higher and I have seen a TON of matches. The only time I have seen this done is in the 3.0-3.5 crowd.

 

[Larrysümmers]

once i was playing at a place with a low fence, they hit the ball high and we all know its going to clear the fence. so i ran up and kind of like how an out fielder would snag a home run back, i caught the ball. they called it their point, and i looked at them, my coach, there coach, and just started busted out laughing. their coach was cool and over ruled the call though, so we got that point. but since then i dont catch the balls.

 

[Herdsman76]

Before a recent tournament match my opponent and I found ourselves on the facility's stadium court. Although it was cool to play on the court, it was definitely a pain to play because we had low walls and no netting or fencing to stop balls from bouncing in the stands. Before the match started I asked my opponent that should the even come where we needed to catch the ball rather than chase it into the stands, would that be ok. Fortunately, he was cool with that, but it would have been nice to have more than 6 people watching us...

As for legal retaliation, I like to be subtle most of the time. Typically during a change over I make sure to leave the balls on the farthest corner of the court so they have a "long" walk to retrieve them to serve. Or if I just finished serving, the ball(s) I have are just dropped right over the net if I'm close. Otherwise they are tapped to the corner of the court. I usually get the "I'm right here" comment at least once during the match. I love that....

 

[decades]

what would people do without the USTA overlord? how could they ever manage on a tennis court.

 

[tennis tom]

I've played hundreds of matches and never seen a tournament player catch the ball as some here state is common practice. I NEVER do it even in practice out of respect for the game--those are the rules. Younger players doing this are developing bad habits that will bite them someday if they ever get far enough in the sport to play an officiated match. How much trouble is it to let the ball go to the back-stop, are you so out of shape you can't ambulate the few feet to get it? The way a real player would do it would be to get on top of the ball with great speed and agility to stop it AFTER it bounces. I bet the same people who think this is OK also think foot-faulting is OK. The whole premise of this post is back-asswards. Tennis doesn't have that many rules, why not just learn them and abide by them?--or just go skate-boarding. This post does reflect what is occurring in the surrounding kulture, the perp as victim.

 

[Orange]

I have a team mate who hits the oddest spin you have ever seen it kinda moon balls looks like its always going out and then just drops right on the base line. if someone were to catch his shot they would have truely cheated him out of a good point.

Actually, no--the rules provide that if someone catches the ball before it has bounced, it is his opponent's point.

A recent poster had a great line (referring to people catching balls that would obviously be out had they bounced): "It is too bad you caught that ball; it could have been out."

 

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

I have the opposite experience, I have never seen any player catch a ball in an official match that was 4.0 or higher and I have seen a TON of matches. The only time I have seen this done is in the 3.0-3.5 crowd.

well, I have played a TON of open matches, and while it might not happen every day, I have certainly seen plenty of people catch the ball in 'official matches'

I sometimes do it myself, just catch it on my racquet, nobody has ever tried to claim the point, lol!

for clarity, this refers only to balls sailing way long and caught well behind the baseline, never within the court boundaries.

by contrast, the 3.0 - 3.5 crowd do seem to be obsessed with rule minutiae that open players ignore.

perhaps it is a location specific thing? Maybe we are just a bunch of excessively casual people here in Australia!

As a coach, I do insist my juniors never catch a ball under any circumstances, it is good to know the rules and play by them, but I would have hoped that a level of pragmatic maturity might have asserted itself in the ranks of competitive adults...

as for retaliating to perceived poor sportsmanship, well, seriously? grow up, play fair, move on...

 

[polytheist]

One thing i haven't seen mentioned is that when balls go long, it's useful to the hitter to know just how far long it was, so they can adjust. Not fair to catch the ball and remove useful information.

 

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

well, i wouldn't catch it if it was under waist height and I was 6 feet behind the baseline, so that's a pretty big adjustment!