Is it fair to call a foot-fault without prior warning?

[illkhiboy]

I had a match last night where my opponent was flagrantly foot-faulting. To my discredit, I didn't call him out on it until 4-4, Ad-In (we were playing a pro-set). The serve was not hit very hard, and I casually blocked the ball on the other side of the court and called a foot-fault.

While I had an inkling that he was foot-faulting throughout the match, this was the first time that I actually stared at his feet, and noticed that he had both feet planted well inside the baseline as he connected with the ball. Considering that he was serving and volleying on nearly every serve, I thought it was putting me at a distinct disadvantage.

What followed was not pretty. He lost his cool; initially he argued it was his word against mine and then followed up that with a litany of excuses/complaints: that I should have warned him earlier and that since everyone in the tournament was foot-faulting I didn't have a right to call him out on it.

I thought the only valid complain was that I didn't warn him earlier. Now I think that a warning would have been polite, but his argument was that the ITF rules warranted a warning before a call (do they?), and that having failed to follow the correct procedure I should lose the point(!).

Eventually, after about 15 minutes of arguments, the tournament organizing committee decided that, (a) a line-judge would adjudicate foot-faults for the rest of the match for both players and (b) my opponent would be awarded the point.

So my question is whether this judgement was fair. I would really appreciate if someone could help answer this query.

Many thanks.

 

[gmatheis]

Sounds like the right call to me.

 

[spot]

Your opponent is correct. The rule is that you first must warn about footfaulting. Then you must try and find an official to call footfaults for you. Only after this may you call footfaults yourself.

Actually- as I say that I know that these are the rules in the US and they may vary where you live. But at least as far as the USTA is concerned then you weren't allowed to call a footfault without warning first exactly to avoid the situation you were in.

 

[jk175d]

I had a match last night where my opponent was flagrantly foot-faulting. To my discredit, I didn't call him out on it until 4-4, Ad-In (we were playing a pro-set). The serve was not hit very hard, and I casually blocked the ball on the other side of the court and called a foot-fault.

While I had an inkling that he was foot-faulting throughout the match, this was the first time that I actually stared at his feet, and noticed that he had both feet planted well inside the baseline as he connected with the ball. Considering that he was serving and volleying on nearly every serve, I thought it was putting me at a distinct disadvantage.

What followed was not pretty. He lost his cool; initially he argued it was his word against mine and then followed up that with a litany of excuses/complaints: that I should have warned him earlier and that since everyone in the tournament was foot-faulting I didn't have a right to call him out on it.

I thought the only valid complain was that I didn't warn him earlier. Now I think that a warning would have been polite, but his argument was that the ITF rules warranted a warning before a call (do they?), and that having failed to follow the correct procedure I should lose the point(!).

Eventually, after about 15 minutes of arguments, the tournament organizing committee decided that, (a) a line-judge would adjudicate foot-faults for the rest of the match for both players and (b) my opponent would be awarded the point.

So my question is whether this judgement was fair. I would really appreciate if someone could help answer this query.

Many thanks.

so did the line judge call any foot faults on him after that? If not did you notice any impact on the guy's serve now that he was mindfully making an adjustment?

 

[Bartelby]

This is the correct answer for the US of A.

Your opponent is correct. The rule is that you first must warn about footfaulting. Then you must try and find an official to call footfaults for you. Only after this may you call footfaults yourself.

Actually- as I say that I know that these are the rules in the US and they may vary where you live. But at least as far as the USTA is concerned then you weren't allowed to call a footfault without warning first exactly to avoid the situation you were in.

 

[tennis_ocd]

his argument was that the ITF rules warranted a warning before a call (do they?), and that having failed to follow the correct procedure I should lose the point(!)

Love it! Most players would've been righteously upset and accepted another first serve. He goats and takes the game.

I'm also curious as to how it affected the next couple of his service games. If only reading ttw I'd think a toe on the line is difference between Isner-like serves vs. a rec 3.0.

 

[shazbot]

Unless the guy is serve and volleying majority of the time, I am not calling foot faults. Why? Because I don't care and most people are not doing it to gain an advantage.

You said the guy just plopped in a serve? So I'm guessing he served cream puffs the whole match?

Just let it go, who really cares lol. This isn't some ATP event.

 

[beernutz]

I had a match last night where my opponent was flagrantly foot-faulting. To my discredit, I didn't call him out on it until 4-4, Ad-In (we were playing a pro-set). The serve was not hit very hard, and I casually blocked the ball on the other side of the court and called a foot-fault.

While I had an inkling that he was foot-faulting throughout the match, this was the first time that I actually stared at his feet, and noticed that he had both feet planted well inside the baseline as he connected with the ball. Considering that he was serving and volleying on nearly every serve, I thought it was putting me at a distinct disadvantage.

What followed was not pretty. He lost his cool; initially he argued it was his word against mine and then followed up that with a litany of excuses/complaints: that I should have warned him earlier and that since everyone in the tournament was foot-faulting I didn't have a right to call him out on it.

I thought the only valid complain was that I didn't warn him earlier. Now I think that a warning would have been polite, but his argument was that the ITF rules warranted a warning before a call (do they?), and that having failed to follow the correct procedure I should lose the point(!).

Eventually, after about 15 minutes of arguments, the tournament organizing committee decided that, (a) a line-judge would adjudicate foot-faults for the rest of the match for both players and (b) my opponent would be awarded the point.

So my question is whether this judgement was fair. I would really appreciate if someone could help answer this query.

Many thanks.

I just read the ITF rules http://www.itftennis.com/media/136148/136148.pdf and don't see anything about giving a warning before calling a foot fault. See #18 Foot Faults on page 8 and #19 on Service Faults on that same page.

I know giving a warning is required in USTA play but like others have said that may be a USA-only rule.

[Disclaimer: I've played tennis 40+ years and USTA league for almost 10 and have never called a foot fault or even given a warning.]

 

[Gut4Tennis]

I had a match last night where my opponent was flagrantly foot-faulting. To my discredit, I didn't call him out on it until 4-4, Ad-In (we were playing a pro-set). The serve was not hit very hard, and I casually blocked the ball on the other side of the court and called a foot-fault.

While I had an inkling that he was foot-faulting throughout the match, this was the first time that I actually stared at his feet, and noticed that he had both feet planted well inside the baseline as he connected with the ball. Considering that he was serving and volleying on nearly every serve, I thought it was putting me at a distinct disadvantage.

What followed was not pretty. He lost his cool; initially he argued it was his word against mine and then followed up that with a litany of excuses/complaints: that I should have warned him earlier and that since everyone in the tournament was foot-faulting I didn't have a right to call him out on it.

I thought the only valid complain was that I didn't warn him earlier. Now I think that a warning would have been polite, but his argument was that the ITF rules warranted a warning before a call (do they?), and that having failed to follow the correct procedure I should lose the point(!).

Eventually, after about 15 minutes of arguments, the tournament organizing committee decided that, (a) a line-judge would adjudicate foot-faults for the rest of the match for both players and (b) my opponent would be awarded the point.

So my question is whether this judgement was fair. I would really appreciate if someone could help answer this query.

Many thanks.

Say this on the change over

"Hey ( insert name) ... I noticed you footfaulting last service game. I'm going to give you a warning here. I didn't want to give you a warning while you were in the middle of serving as that might of really frazzled you. So you're officially warned now, and If I notice another one I'll call a foot fault. ok thank you. "

 

[HRB]

When I play a chronic foot faulter (we have about three in our ladder) I use this rule. If they are a D-Bag who makes bad calls and has a bad attitude, after I let a few calls go, on the next bad call I say something to the effect of "OK..you can keep making BS calls, but for your information you foot fault on EVERY SERVE, and for now on I'm calling them"...then I watch as their serving game crumbles since for some reason these idiots can't keep their foot from going over the damn line! LOL

If they are fair players, good attitude...I let it go...foot faulting usually goes along with bad serve technique...so I crush the return and usually win....and their faulting has no effect.

Think about it...it's pretty easy not to foot fault, so those chronic violators usually suck.

 

[hrstrat57]

Here we go woo hoo!

(just thought I'd give it a bump)

 

[illkhiboy]

Thanks much for the response, everyone. I am sorry I am responding late - I had completely forgotten that I had posted about the issue over here.

so did the line judge call any foot faults on him after that? If not did you notice any impact on the guy's serve now that he was mindfully making an adjustment?

Yeah he was called twice during the remainder of the match, which included two service games from him. I think that, though he adjusted well, it robbed of him of half a second or so in getting to the net, which allowed me to dip my returns at his feet.

Unless the guy is serve and volleying majority of the time, I am not calling foot faults. Why? Because I don't care and most people are not doing it to gain an advantage.

You said the guy just plopped in a serve? So I'm guessing he served cream puffs the whole match?

Just let it go, who really cares lol. This isn't some ATP event.

I don't think I have ever made this an issue before, though I am sure I have competed in provincial level tournaments against guys who are minor foot-faulters.

However, this was different because I was playing an old-school serve and volleyer on notoriously fast courts with bad bounces to boot. When I say they are fast, think Paris Indoor from the early 90s and then speed it up by 1.5. We are getting synthetic courts installed later this year, for which I am extremely grateful.

Plus, as I mentioned, this guy would routinely have both his feet inside the court when serving - which was confirmed by video evidence that a friend was collecting well before the incident occurred.

And his serve is not all that slow. The serve that I called was a kicker that I spotted early - he would alternate between kick first serves and flat serves. I would think his flat serves would be 105mph; give or take a few.

 

[illkhiboy]

Say this on the change over

"Hey ( insert name) ... I noticed you footfaulting last service game. I'm going to give you a warning here. I didn't want to give you a warning while you were in the middle of serving as that might of really frazzled you. So you're officially warned now, and If I notice another one I'll call a foot fault. ok thank you. "

Yes, I should have done that. Or I could have raised the issue before the match as my opponent repeatedly pointed out after the match. I didn't think he was entitled to that courtesy, but it would have been nice of me.

So the next match, when I happened to play his cousin, who is occasionally known to foot-fault on a big point, I casually brought up the issue only for him to throw a fit. There was a bit of crowd gathered to watch the match, and the pre-game wrangling between us left a bad taste in the atmosphere.

When I play a chronic foot faulter (we have about three in our ladder) I use this rule. If they are a D-Bag who makes bad calls and has a bad attitude, after I let a few calls go, on the next bad call I say something to the effect of "OK..you can keep making BS calls, but for your information you foot fault on EVERY SERVE, and for now on I'm calling them"...then I watch as their serving game crumbles since for some reason these idiots can't keep their foot from going over the damn line! LOL

If they are fair players, good attitude...I let it go...foot faulting usually goes along with bad serve technique...so I crush the return and usually win....and their faulting has no effect.

Think about it...it's pretty easy not to foot fault, so those chronic violators usually suck.

Yes they do normally suck, but this guy's serve and volley game is pretty decent - though his groundies suck.

I just read the ITF rules http://www.itftennis.com/media/136148/136148.pdf and don't see anything about giving a warning before calling a foot fault. See #18 Foot Faults on page 8 and #19 on Service Faults on that same page.

I know giving a warning is required in USTA play but like others have said that may be a USA-only rule.

[Disclaimer: I've played tennis 40+ years and USTA league for almost 10 and have never called a foot fault or even given a warning.]

Thanks for the link to the document. It doesn't say anything about giving a warning but then it doesn't say that the receiver is entitled to calling foot-faults either. In fact, I was going through a different ITF document a couple days back that said that foot faults should be called by a referee.

 

[asimple]

Yes, I should have done that. Or I could have raised the issue before the match as my opponent repeatedly pointed out after the match. I didn't think he was entitled to that courtesy, but it would have been nice of me.

You seem to be under the impression that you were right, but clearly you weren't as your opponent was rewarded the point. In a tournament the proper response to conflict is to get a line judge not accuse your opponent of something on a key point.

I think maybe your opponent was entitled to the "courtesy" of you following the rules and not wasting his time.

 

[TennisCJC]

Unless the guy is serve and volleying majority of the time, I am not calling foot faults. Why? Because I don't care and most people are not doing it to gain an advantage.

You said the guy just plopped in a serve? So I'm guessing he served cream puffs the whole match?

Just let it go, who really cares lol. This isn't some ATP event.

I am the opposite. I don't like to call a foot fault but I think letting a guy get say 1/2 his foot or more into the court gives him an advantage on the serve. I hit a couple of buckets of serves per week and work on keeping my feet off the line. So, I have warned people recently about foot faults. This has worked. I think I have only called it in doubles and it was years ago after a warning. I will not even bring it up if it is just a toe grazing the line but if they are stepping or sliding 6 inches or more into the court, I will warn them first and would call it if they continue to cheat.

 

[Zolar]

I am the opposite. I don't like to call a foot fault but I think letting a guy get say 1/2 his foot or more into the court gives him an advantage on the serve. I hit a couple of buckets of serves per week and work on keeping my feet off the line. So, I have warned people recently about foot faults. This has worked. I think I have only called it in doubles and it was years ago after a warning. I will not even bring it up if it is just a toe grazing the line but if they are stepping or sliding 6 inches or more into the court, I will warn them first and would call it if they continue to cheat.

I have almost given up on calling foot faults. I've had the blowups, and once when playing league doubles I told the servers partner, just as nicely as I could, that he might tell his partner (the server) that he was foot faulting and would he mind moving a couple of inches back, only to get this huge explosion telling me I was full of s**t. It was amazing!

I've also had players actually play better after bring warned. The only time I call foot faults now is when they are angling off serves for winners - and then only if they do it consistently. I think stepping into the court gives them enough of an advantage to get a winning angle, so something has to be said. Other than that, and I hate to say this, I just try not to look. It's easier that way. Would you rather be right or happy?

 

[sundaypunch]

I had a match last night where my opponent was flagrantly foot-faulting. To my discredit, I didn't call him out on it until 4-4, Ad-In (we were playing a pro-set). The serve was not hit very hard, and I casually blocked the ball on the other side of the court and called a foot-fault.

While I had an inkling that he was foot-faulting throughout the match, this was the first time that I actually stared at his feet, and noticed that he had both feet planted well inside the baseline as he connected with the ball. Considering that he was serving and volleying on nearly every serve, I thought it was putting me at a distinct disadvantage.

What followed was not pretty. He lost his cool; initially he argued it was his word against mine and then followed up that with a litany of excuses/complaints: that I should have warned him earlier and that since everyone in the tournament was foot-faulting I didn't have a right to call him out on it.

I thought the only valid complain was that I didn't warn him earlier. Now I think that a warning would have been polite, but his argument was that the ITF rules warranted a warning before a call (do they?), and that having failed to follow the correct procedure I should lose the point(!).

Eventually, after about 15 minutes of arguments, the tournament organizing committee decided that, (a) a line-judge would adjudicate foot-faults for the rest of the match for both players and (b) my opponent would be awarded the point.

So my question is whether this judgement was fair. I would really appreciate if someone could help answer this query.

Many thanks.

As others have pointed out, he was correct. You probably owe him an apology since you were the one that was ignorant of the rules.

 

[Cindysphinx]

I have almost given up on calling foot faults. I've had the blowups, and once when playing league doubles I told the servers partner, just as nicely as I could, that he might tell his partner (the server) that he was foot faulting and would he mind moving a couple of inches back, only to get this huge explosion telling me I was full of s**t. It was amazing!

I've also had players actually play better after bring warned. The only time I call foot faults now is when they are angling off serves for winners - and then only if they do it consistently. I think stepping into the court gives them enough of an advantage to get a winning angle, so something has to be said. Other than that, and I hate to say this, I just try not to look. It's easier that way. Would you rather be right or happy?

Please. Do not tell me my partner is FFing. Tell her. I am not going to fight your battle for you, particularly so when I don't have eyes in the back if my head.

 

[illkhiboy]

As others have pointed out, he was correct. You probably owe him an apology since you were the one that was ignorant of the rules.

I realize I should have warned him before calling a foot-fault, but this guy was no angel: he argued against having a line-judge; argued that he wasn't foot-faulting though he changed his tune when told that there was video footage of his flagrant foot-faults; argued that he should be handed a point he didn't earn; and that foot-faulting was not a big issue because this wasn't an ITF tournament (even though the entry form clearly stated that the event would be governed by ITF rules).