Line call etiquitte

[optic yellow]

What is the right way to treat a situation where someone hits back a ball that was out but they call it out more or less as they're hitting it? I see from this Australian website:

c. Any “out”, “let” or “fault” call must be made immediately (ie. made before either an opponent has hit the return or the return has gone out of play); otherwise the ball continues in play. “Calls” must be verbal and clearly audible to the opponent, followed by a signal if necessary. “Lets” may be called by any of the participating players.

Is this common consensus?

(please ignore my embarrassing spelling error in the title )

 

[3loudboys]

If it’s out it’s out I guess. Agree it’s early to be calling it but query if you think there was a mistake.

 

[optic yellow]

If it’s out it’s out I guess. Agree it’s early to be calling it but query if you think there was a mistake.

It's early to be calling it?

 

[3loudboys]

It's early to be calling it?

My bad - the call timing can vary in different situations.

 

[optic yellow]

My bad - the call timing can vary in different situations.

I am asking about the case where I see the ball hit out as I'm swinging so I call it as I see it but don't have time to avoid connecting the swing.

 

[3loudboys]

I am asking about the case where I see the ball hit out as I'm swinging so I call it as I see it but don't have time to avoid connecting the swing.

Perfectly reasonable to me - happens all the time in matches I play in. Especially when it’s close you have to play in case it catches the line.

 

[zaph]

As long as it has bounced you're golden, doesn't matter if you hit it after the bounce, it is out.

 

[Dragy]

I am asking about the case where I see the ball hit out as I'm swinging so I call it as I see it but don't have time to avoid connecting the swing.

Just call it reasonably soon and don't wait to look how your shot landed. I do it a lot - play nevertheless, on the rise, and call it the instance I judge it as out.

On clay courts, I even take a tad more time to find the mark. If it's out, it's out.

My general position is if I judged it out confidently, I stand with it. If my opponent is adamant it was in, well, let's replay, or maybe I state once more I'm 100% sure and see if he concedes. If not - move on. I see no etiquette here, just being fair and self-respective.

What I find funny is opponent looking at me after a on-the-line shot and asking "Out?" I say "it's your call" then comes "I'm not sure, let's replay the point"
Cmon, if you are not sure, and there's no out mark, that means you didn't see the ball land out, which makes it good. Why shall we replay but here comes etiquette, I won't push hard usually

 

[bitcoinoperated]

This is fine and often happens on serves

What you can't do (imo) is meaningfully hit it, wait until you see if your shot was a good one or not and then decide to call it out. You need to stop playing after hitting it.

 

[optic yellow]

Perfectly reasonable to me - happens all the time in matches I play in. Especially when it’s close you have to play in case it catches the line.

Oh good point I did not think of this. Makes perfect sense when you keep that in mind. The guy I was playing with thought he got the point but I managed to negotiate to let and then he airmailed his return on the following serve which I correctly (but quietly) interpreted as a "ball don't lie" moment.

As long as it has bounced you're golden, doesn't matter if you hit it after the bounce, it is out.

Right it is not like tapping a ball you can see is going long out of the air.

no etiquette here, just being fair and self-respective.

 

[Dragy]

This is fine and often happens on serves

What you can't do (imo) is meaningfully hit it, wait until you see if your shot was a good one or not and then decide to call it out. You need to stop playing after hitting it.

There's that way of cheating particularly on first serves, where returner blasts the return on serves landing long, and if he gets a winner past the server who stopped playing/couldn't reach it, he never calls it out

 

[zaph]

There's that way of cheating particularly on first serves, where returner blasts the return on serves landing long, and if he gets a winner past the server who stopped playing/couldn't reach it, he never calls it out

Knew someone who did that and it was incredibly annoying. You generally know when you have hit the serve long, so are not expecting to play the point.

 

[fuzz nation]

Knew someone who did that and it was incredibly annoying. You generally know when you have hit the serve long, so are not expecting to play the point.

That sucks...

 

[optic yellow]

Knew someone who did that and it was incredibly annoying. You generally know when you have hit the serve long, so are not expecting to play the point.

Can you not call your own serve out?

 

[zaph]

Can you not call your own serve out?

Not sure of the rules on that, it would open a can of worms. After all a player could call their own serve out if their opponent hits a great return which is a clean winner.

 

[3loudboys]

I don’t think you can call your own serve out. It’s the returners call their side of the net.

 

[Connor35]

Can you not call your own serve out?

You can only call a 2nd serve out.
You may not call your own first serve out.

 

[SV10is]

What is the right way to treat a situation where someone hits back a ball that was out but they call it out more or less as they're hitting it?

It is fairly common. What you cannot do is call it so late your own shot had time to bounce on the other side. Ultimately, you're looking to stop playing as soon as you realize the ball was out.

Line calls are matters of sportsmanship without linesmen and umpires: you have to be fair and your opponent has to be understanding.

 

[Dragy]

Can you not call your own serve out?

Well you can as long as it stays 100% friendly. I did several times. But for more competitive situation I taught myself to play point out even if I thing my serve was fault… and it happens a lot, particularly with dipping kick serves. Still get caught off-guard every now and then, and, well, eat it

 

[SV10is]

I don’t think you can call your own serve out. It’s the returners call their side of the net.

Each player is responsible for making line calls on their own side. You can always submit to them your serve was out and they can agree or not. Also, since shots are considered to be inside the lines if you're not absolutely certain they're out and serves can come in quite fast, your claim might resolve that uncertainty for them.

It's all a matter of sportsmanship and courtesy. If you're not in a tournament and people seem to be cheating, you can just stop playing with them.

Well you can as long as it stays 100% friendly. I did several times. But for more competitive situation I taught myself to play point out even if I thing my serve was fault… and it happens a lot, particularly with dipping kick serves. Still get caught off-guard every now and then, and, well, eat it

That would be how fair players handle those kinds of situations. Most balls are either clearly in or clearly out, so it's unlikely that a bad line call will cost you all that much anyway.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Can you not call your own serve out?

No. That's the returner's call. Just like a double bounce is his call. Just like whether the ball hit his body is his call. Things that happen on his side of the net are his calls.

There is one exception: you can call your own 2nd serve out.

The bottom line is that you can't make a call that's to your advantage but you can make a call that's to your opponent's advantage [the example I gave].

Of course, if your opponent asks you to make a call because he couldn't see it, then feel free.

I have called my own first serve out after the returner erred on the return [again, it's to my opponent's advantage]. He didn't have to accept my call but of course he did.

 

[optic yellow]

Okay so basically you can call it out to give them a benefit but not if it gives you any sort of benefit. I had a situation like this today where I foot faulted and decided I would call it on myself if I won the point but say nothing and move on if my opponent did.

 

[Dragy]

Okay so basically you can call it out to give them a benefit but not if it gives you any sort of benefit. I had a situation like this today where I foot faulted and decided I would call it on myself if I won the point but say nothing and move on if my opponent did.

Self-calling FF is just next level, my respect bro

 

[myke232]

Totally fine. Totally normal.

 

[Torque]

I have had serves called out after I had walked back to get the returns that were out, and I was getting ready for the next point. One was USTA and the other a local friendly. Neither returner or their partners called the serve, until after my walk-about. I should have requested a first serve- by rule maybe I could have(?) . I was fuming after each situation.

 

[Morch Us]

call it out more or less as they're hitting it

I see from this Australian website:.....
....."ie. made before either an opponent has hit the return or the return has gone out of play"....

If you are making the call, the "opponent" here means your opponent.

So "call it out more or less as they're hitting it" is well within the accepted parameters. It is in-fact a good habit to get ready to hit he ball assuming it is IN, TILL you see it clearly out, and by this time it may be actually too late to stop your swing. Also calling too early (before the ball bounces) is considered close to cheating.

 

[Morch Us]

Reasonable.

The only time it is considered unsportsmanlike like is when you clearly know it is out long before, and clearly trying out a shot which you would not have if it is IN, and thereby causing the ball to spray somewhere intentionally. An example would be a sitter ball landing outside the sideline very slowly (so that you have enough time logically to know it is out well before your stroke), and then you increase the shot speed and placement, attempt a roger federer winner and the ball goes all the way across to 3 courts.

On 80% or more of the shots, you will have enough time to know it is out, and either stop the shot, or adjust the shot so that you hit it back nice and easy right back to the opponent. But there will be a small percentage of shots, where you just don't have time to stop or adjust the shot, and you will continue with the normal shot as it is IN, and call it right at the time or just after.

I am asking about the case where I see the ball hit out as I'm swinging so I call it as I see it but don't have time to avoid connecting the swing.

 

[SV10is]

Reasonable.

The only time it is considered unsportsmanlike like is when you clearly know it is out long before, and clearly trying out a shot which you would not have if it is IN, and thereby causing the ball to spray somewhere intentionally. An example would be a sitter ball landing outside the sideline very slowly (so that you have enough time logically to know it is out well before your stroke), and then you increase the shot speed and placement, attempt a roger federer winner and the ball goes all the way across to 3 courts.

On 80% or more of the shots, you will have enough time to know it is out, and either stop the shot, or adjust the shot so that you hit it back nice and easy right back to the opponent. But there will be a small percentage of shots, where you just don't have time to stop or adjust the shot, and you will continue with the normal shot as it is IN, and call it right at the time or just after.

The trick is to make you interrupt other matches on purpose to make sure a large number of people hate you.

 

[Jonesy]

I just stay quiet and ignore the ball. If the opponent asks i lift my finger. No one has time to start a screaming contest these days. Every court should have an electronic call in my opinion.

 

[Jay_The_Nomad]

I just stay quiet and ignore the ball. If the opponent asks i lift my finger. No one has time to start a screaming contest these days. Every court should have an electronic call in my opinion.

You probably play with regulars or people with a sense of decency.

In my experience it is better to let people know it is out so there is no dispute later at 15/40

 

[optic yellow]

Self-calling FF is just next level, my respect bro

No fun winning a point I know I cheated on unless my opponent deserves it which this one did not.

If you are making the call, the "opponent" here means your opponent.

So "call it out more or less as they're hitting it" is well within the accepted parameters. It is in-fact a good habit to get ready to hit he ball assuming it is IN, TILL you see it clearly out, and by this time it may be actually too late to stop your swing. Also calling too early (before the ball bounces) is considered close to cheating.

Yeah I one time tapped a ball that was clearly sailing long out of the air so I didn't have to chase it down and it took like two minutes to argue my playing partner down to a let so after that I stopped doing anything at all about an out ball until after it landed. I kinda think in polite company tapping super obvious outs like that to save time should be allowed but alas.

 

[optic yellow]

Reasonable.

The only time it is considered unsportsmanlike like is when you clearly know it is out long before, and clearly trying out a shot which you would not have if it is IN, and thereby causing the ball to spray somewhere intentionally. An example would be a sitter ball landing outside the sideline very slowly (so that you have enough time logically to know it is out well before your stroke), and then you increase the shot speed and placement, attempt a roger federer winner and the ball goes all the way across to 3 courts.

On 80% or more of the shots, you will have enough time to know it is out, and either stop the shot, or adjust the shot so that you hit it back nice and easy right back to the opponent. But there will be a small percentage of shots, where you just don't have time to stop or adjust the shot, and you will continue with the normal shot as it is IN, and call it right at the time or just after.

This makes sense. It's weak if you're just trying to use it for a free play to borrow a football (American) term.

 

[Dragy]

No fun winning a point I know I cheated on unless my opponent deserves it which this one did not.


Yeah I one time tapped a ball that was clearly sailing long out of the air so I didn't have to chase it down and it took like two minutes to argue my playing partner down to a let so after that I stopped doing anything at all about an out ball until after it landed. I kinda think in polite company tapping super obvious outs like that to save time should be allowed but alas.

Recently saw Medvedev picking second ball out of his pocket and sending over the net for ball-boys to pick while the return was still in the air (going to land like 5 meter wide). No one cared, but formally it could be a lost point.

For your case, sure, if you stand with your feet behind the line. Unless your opponent claims he’s going to hit you as an intentional option for the shot then he might be legit to get the point

 

[optic yellow]

Recently saw Medvedev picking second ball out of his pocket and sending over the net for ball-boys to pick while the return was still in the air (going to land like 5 meter wide). No one cared, but formally it could be a lost point.

For your case, sure, if you stand with your feet behind the line. Unless your opponent claims he’s going to hit you as an intentional option for the shot then he might be legit to get the point

That is absolutely something Medvedev would do lol. It's why I can't help but to root for him.

 

[jimmy8]

yes, the australian website is correct. and if they call it out as they hit it, and it goes in, then sometimes i play it and tell them and we continue. But almost always they are right and it goes out.

 

[Morch Us]

Recently saw Medvedev picking second ball out of his pocket and sending over the net for ball-boys to pick while the return was still in the air (going to land like 5 meter wide).

No one cared, but formally it could be a lost point.

Why? Did Medvedev touched the ball before bounce? Nothing really wrong with stop playing the point according to rule-books, but the call is made still after the bounce.

When there are no line umpires, this is not a good habit, especially for close balls, since such habit DOES lead to cheating, since you already made up your mind long before the ball landed. If it was going to land 5 meters out arguably it is not in the same category. But still if you stop running for 5 meter outs, soon you will find yourself stop running for 1 meter outs... and before you know it... for 3 inches outs.

 

[Dragy]

Why? Did Medvedev touched the ball before bounce? Nothing really wrong with stop playing the point according to rule-books, but the call is made still after the bounce.

When there are no line umpires, this is not a good habit, especially for close balls, since such habit DOES lead to cheating, since you already made up your mind long before the ball landed. If it was going to land 5 meters out arguably it is not in the same category. But still if you stop running for 5 meter outs, soon you will find yourself stop running for 1 meter outs... and before you know it... for 3 inches outs.

Well maybe you are right. If the ball is out it’s out. Just a bit moot how you handle such situation, when the ball is still in play - no one supposed to act any hindrance or smth.

 

[TennisCJC]

As long as the call is made as you hit to ball or even a split second after contact, I think it is acceptable. Now, if they hit their shot, look up and see their shot might miss and then call it out; I might say something. I have only seen calls that late once or twice in roughly 45+ years of tennis. But, making the call "as" you hit is cool and I do it sometimes on balls that are near the baseline simply because the time from bounce to contact is so small.

 

[nyta2]

What is the right way to treat a situation where someone hits back a ball that was out but they call it out more or less as they're hitting it? I see from this Australian website:

Is this common consensus?

(please ignore my embarrassing spelling error in the title )

is the hit close to the bounce? if so, that's fine.