Local League Coordinator declares that players may not call foot faults

[JavierLW]

I was at our yearly captain's meeting tonight, and one of the coordinators made a statement that she supposably talked to some official and according to him only an official can call a foot fault, so we cant call it on another player.

Her excuse for this was basically that players dont know what a foot fault is, and even claimed that even she didnt know what one was until she talked to an official a few weeks ago.

This is in direct contradiction to "The Code" (the whole point of The Code is unwritten rules for unofficiated matches) which states:

24. Foot Faults. A player may warn an opponent that the opponent has
committed a flagrant foot fault. If the foot faulting continues, the player may
attempt to locate an official. If no official is available, the player may call flagrant
foot faults. Compliance with the foot fault rule is very much a function
of a player’s personal honor system. The plea that a Server should not be
penalized because the Server only just touched the line and did not rush the
net is not acceptable. Habitual foot faulting, whether intentional or careless,
is just as surely cheating as is making a deliberate bad line call.

Im not saying that Im one to go bananas calling foot faults on people, but there are a few guys out there that are obvious and it gives them a huge advantage. (for example the guy in doubles who takes a huge extra step before he meets the ball and gets to the net instantly)

I say if I find someone doing this I can still call it, what do you think? (after a fair warning of course which I feel is best done during the warmup) I dont think the local league can really make a ruling or a statement that contradicts anything in the official rules or "The Code".

I know this is a pretty minor thing that seldom comes up, but it's just frustrating that they tend to do things like this because it makes us more uneasy in the future when they make other rulings.

(it also says to me that they dont care as much what goes on in a non-officiated local league match, but somehow when it gets to the championships it's important enought that all the sudden foot faulting isnt allowed)

Does anyone have any other examples of local leagues doing things that contradict the rules of tennis or "The Code"?

 

[raiden031]

As a result of the foot fault discussions on this board, I began paying attention to my opponents feet sometimes and noticed probably around 50% of my opponents will touch the line when serving. So its so prevalent yet rarely enforced. WIth that being said, I don't think the benefit someone gets from serving with their foot over the line is enough for me to go against the grain and enforce foot faults. Now if they were going a foot or two over, then I'd say something.

And I wouldn't warn someone about foot-faulting during the warmup because there are no rules during warmups. Someone may get annoyed with you for being picky about the way they warm up.

 

[tennis-n-sc]

I've played lots of people that foot fault and I ahve never thought any of them gained an advantage from the footfault. That's not saying it shouldn't be pointed out, although I never do. And I don't think an opponent has ever called me for a foot fault although I'm sure I have. It could be that the league coordinator recognizes that players are spending more time calling footfaults than playing tennis. Don't know. I'm wondering why someone hasn't asked the LLC for the reasoning behind the decision.

The rule is a little vaugue and left to subjective interpretation. And foot faulting occurs all the time at championship play. It's not like you have a full compliment of officials surrounding your court. But there are officials available to call upon if there are problems.

 

[JLyon]

well I know that at our State Championships there will not even be officials roving so the flagant foot faults will continue. I am not going to watch somebody's feet when I have to worry about a 100 mph serve coming at me.

 

[JavierLW]

well I know that at our State Championships there will not even be officials roving so the flagant foot faults will continue. I am not going to watch somebody's feet when I have to worry about a 100 mph serve coming at me.

Again Im only concerned about the rare flagrent case of someone foot faulting. Usually it's in doubles, and usually it's someone who slides way over the line so he can get to the net faster.

Id say in my whole experience with USTA league, and probally including social tennis as well, I only know of two people that it's so obvious that they are gaining a huge advantage from it. In both cases they even know that they are doing it.

If Im the receiver Im not going to call it either, which rules it out in singles. (I dont think it's even possible to know if you are watching the ball) But if Im at the net in doubles I can call it. (although like I said there would only be the very rare case where it would be a big deal and most of the rest of the time it's a hassle)

As far as the warmup, if someone is to call a foot fault on someone, that is still a good time to warn them that they are doing it and you will call it during the match. They can take it however they want. (in the case of the guy who just happens to be touching the line, he probally can just move back two inches and he wont do it anymore)

That's just to avoid the extreme that some people take it, which is to not call it for much of the match until you get to some critical point in the match where you all the sudden start calling it. That's just wrong in my opinion.

And again dont get me wrong. Ive actually never called a foot fault ever. Ive mentioned it to my team (about the two guys mentioned above) but it's pretty much up to them how they want to handle it. (they happened to not of called it and they won anyway) I understand there is a tradeoff because you lose focus on the real match which is why in most cases you wont do it.

But it still irks me that the LLC would make a statement that's against the rules in "The Code".

 

[JLyon]

Javier,

Obviously your LLC needs to read her Friend at the court and whomever the official is should be stripped of his credentials and retake the officials test,

 

[Fedace]

I completely agree with NO Foot fault rule, unless the guy is actually starting with foot on or inside the baseline. Believe it or not, i actually had a guy with a big serve who started out with left foot inside the baseline, gul of that guy. But otherwise, i say no foot fault rule RULES. I always just call foot faults on the guy who calls it on me as a retaliation anyway. Call it back on them, that will stop it real quick.

 

[penpal]

Sounds like your league coordinator is opting for the path of least resistance. She has probably realized that a significant portion of her time is spent dealing with foot fault complaints and has decided on this tack, rather than following the code.

In some ways it's hard to blame her, considering she probably is spending several unpaid hours each season discussing the finer points of foot faulting with various players. However, she might have considered setting up a rules clinic and going over foot faults and some of the other rules that are commonly abused. Then, later on when someone calls her about an opponents flagrant foot faults she could simply tell them that they should have attended the rules clinic (I'm assuming here that most players wouldn't bother to attend ).

 

[Islandtennis]

Penpal, I agree that she is probably doing it to create less bickering. While that is commendable, she really can't put in a rule that contradicts a USTA rule (which is what the code is part of). Similarly the section cannot contradict the USTA; the state cannot contradict the section or USTA; and the local can't contradict state, section or national.

It does sound like she heard part of a statement and not all of it. It should have been, "In an officiated match, only an official can call a footfault."

 

[bleach]

In some ways it's hard to blame her, considering she probably is spending several unpaid hours each season ....

Think again! LLCs can make pretty good money for the time they put in.

 

[penpal]

Think again! LLCs can make pretty good money for the time they put in.

I'm not sure what you consider "pretty good money," but I certainly would not consider the money they are paid in our area good by any standard. I don't know of any LLCs who are the primary bread winners in their household.

Perhaps the pay structure is different in various parts of the country.

 

[tennis-n-sc]

Think again! LLCs can make pretty good money for the time they put in.

Ours aren't paid anything.

 

[bleach]

The LLC in our area makes around $20K... that's not bad for a "very" part time job.

I saw a job classfied for the Atlanta area LLC, it was a full-time position, that included a staff. I would have to assume it pays a lot more than we do.

How much to you pay for your leagues? That's where the LLC gets his money.

 

[tennis-n-sc]

The LLC in our area makes around $20K... that's not bad for a "very" part time job.

I saw a job classfied for the Atlanta area LLC, it was a full-time position, that included a staff. I would have to assume it pays a lot more than we do.

How much to you pay for your leagues? That's where the LLC gets his money.

Not here. Every dollar taken in is accounted for in an annual budget report to all members that attend the annual meeting in January or February. Atanta is also the headquarters for the Southern Section, whose staff is paid. Is it possible you have the two confused?

 

[bleach]

Not here. Every dollar taken in is accounted for in an annual budget report to all members that attend the annual meeting in January or February. Atanta is also the headquarters for the Southern Section, whose staff is paid. Is it possible you have the two confused?

The ad was a couple of months ago and I don't have it anymore but , it was for the USTA Local League Coordinator.

 

[marcl65]

The LLC in our area makes around $20K... that's not bad for a "very" part time job.

How much to you pay for your leagues? That's where the LLC gets his money.

That seems awfully high. Sounds more like an Area Coordinator. IIRC, my LLC gets a stipend of $800 per year which, in my opinion, isn't anywhere near enough.

Here, we pay $20 to play on a team per season. And if I figure right, you'd need over 300 players per season just to make the LLc's $20K salary, then you have to pay the Area Coordinators, staff, et al. I just can't see the USTA forking over that kind of paper for a LLC. Your LLCs must do a lot more than mine.

 

[XkwizitOvrhed]

First off I'd like to tell you all I'm new on this forum and this is my first official post (after spending over 6 months lurking). Let's hope my stay here is productive, informative and worth my time!

That said, I'd like to know what exactly is the penalty for flagrant foot faults in an unofficiated match like USTA league?

This actually happened to me about 6 months ago in a doubles match. Our opponent refused to return my partner's serve, claiming she foot faulted. So I told my partner to back off the baseline about 6 inches and start over. She did fine until the last game she served, whereupon our opponent again refused to return my partner's serve, claiming flagrant foot faults and warning that the next time it happened they were taking the point.

My understanding is that no fault, point or game can be "taken" as a punishment for FFF in USTA league play.

 

[spot]

The rule is that if someone is footfaulting so fragrantly as to be seen across the court then at first you have to warn the opponent. Then you have to "try and locate an official" though at most league matches that isn't really an option. After that you are perfectly entitled to call flagrant footfaults and any points as a result of the calls are yours.

 

[Geezer Guy]

First off I'd like to tell you all I'm new on this forum and this is my first official post (after spending over 6 months lurking). Let's hope my stay here is productive, informative and worth my time!

That said, I'd like to know what exactly is the penalty for flagrant foot faults in an unofficiated match like USTA league?

This actually happened to me about 6 months ago in a doubles match. Our opponent refused to return my partner's serve, claiming she foot faulted. So I told my partner to back off the baseline about 6 inches and start over. She did fine until the last game she served, whereupon our opponent again refused to return my partner's serve, claiming flagrant foot faults and warning that the next time it happened they were taking the point.

My understanding is that no fault, point or game can be "taken" as a punishment for FFF in USTA league play.

A Foot Fault on a serve is the same as missing the serve.
FF on a first serve, you get a second serve.
FF on a second serve, you lose the point.

 

[sureshs]

The rule is that if someone is footfaulting so fragrantly as to be seen across the court then at first you have to warn the opponent. Then you have to "try and locate an official" though at most league matches that isn't really an option. After that you are perfectly entitled to call flagrant footfaults and any points as a result of the calls are yours.

Confused here ... The literal wording is:

Foot Faults. A player may warn an opponent that the opponent has
committed a flagrant foot fault. If the foot faulting continues, the player may
attempt to locate an official. If no official is available, the player may call flagrant foot faults.

It uses "may" for the warning and locating of an official. That means it is not required and the player may call a flagrant foot fault rightaway?

 

[XkwizitOvrhed]

Ah, thanks guys!

So after the first warning from our opponent, our opponent then could have called FFF and declared my partner's first serve a fault and then if she did it again a double fault, resulting in our opponent's point.

One more question: is the opponent who calls FFF required to refuse to return the serve or does it matter if the opponent returns the serve (either in or out) when he/she calls FFF?

As I wrote earlier, our opponent refused to return my partner's serve both times, warned her of FFF but then allowed her to start over with her 1st serve.

 

[tennis-n-sc]

Confused here ... The literal wording is:

Foot Faults. A player may warn an opponent that the opponent has
committed a flagrant foot fault. If the foot faulting continues, the player may
attempt to locate an official. If no official is available, the player may call flagrant foot faults.

It uses "may" for the warning and locating of an official. That means it is not required and the player may call a flagrant foot fault rightaway?

I think all the "mays" creates a problem as well as the word flagrant. What is "flagrant?" And then, throw in the "continues." Just what constitutes continuing? Must it be consecutively?

I simply have never had a problem with it. Maybe I am just so slow I don't pick it up, but when I am returning serve, my eye is on the ball, no the server's feet. Now if the server ran up to the service line and whacked one, I might pick that up and ask him not to do that anymore, especially continously. I think this whole thing in league play is much ado about nothing, IMO.

 

[marcl65]

I don't care if someone crosses over the baseline by inches, I wouldn't be able to tell.

The only flagrant violation I've witnessed was a guy that was almost two steps inside the baseline before he struck the ball. I didn't call him on it because it actually hurt him more than helped him - my returns usually caught him in no man's land.

 

[tennis-n-sc]

I don't care if someone crosses over the baseline by inches, I wouldn't be able to tell.

The only flagrant violation I've witnessed was a guy that was almost two steps inside the baseline before he struck the ball. I didn't call him on it because it actually hurt him more than helped him - my returns usually caught him in no man's land.

That's the best thing to with a "flagrant" foot fault. Good Job.

 

[kingdaddy41788]

Unless they're making an official available, that's absurd. And the difference it makes is pretty huge - especially if the person serving is short.

 

[kingdaddy41788]

Confused here ... The literal wording is:

Foot Faults. A player may warn an opponent that the opponent has
committed a flagrant foot fault. If the foot faulting continues, the player may
attempt to locate an official. If no official is available, the player may call flagrant foot faults.

It uses "may" for the warning and locating of an official. That means it is not required and the player may call a flagrant foot fault rightaway?

I think all the "mays" creates a problem as well as the word flagrant. What is "flagrant?" And then, throw in the "continues." Just what constitutes continuing? Must it be consecutively?

I simply have never had a problem with it. Maybe I am just so slow I don't pick it up, but when I am returning serve, my eye is on the ball, no the server's feet. Now if the server ran up to the service line and whacked one, I might pick that up and ask him not to do that anymore, especially continously. I think this whole thing in league play is much ado about nothing, IMO.

It clearly says if no official is available, so the player may NOT call foot faults unless an official is not available.

 

[bleach]

That seems awfully high. Sounds more like an Area Coordinator. IIRC, my LLC gets a stipend of $800 per year which, in my opinion, isn't anywhere near enough.

Here, we pay $20 to play on a team per season. And if I figure right, you'd need over 300 players per season just to make the LLc's $20K salary, then you have to pay the Area Coordinators, staff, et al. I just can't see the USTA forking over that kind of paper for a LLC. Your LLCs must do a lot more than mine.

In our Spring season (adult and seniors) which is still going on, we had close to 1000 paying players (some on multiple teams of course). Our Fall is about the same, Mixed and Combo add up to another 1000. So we should have close to 3000 paid league players per year. I've heard that our LLC gets $7-$9 of our fee, thus ~$21000.

Our league is different than most. All our matches are played at the local city facility. All our teams are independants. The LLC schedules all the matches for us. I assume it's one heck of a job, but it comes in waves with lots of down time.

 

[tennis-n-sc]

In our Spring season (adult and seniors) which is still going on, we had close to 1000 paying players (some on multiple teams of course). Our Fall is about the same, Mixed and Combo add up to another 1000. So we should have close to 3000 paid league players per year. I've heard that our LLC gets $7-$9 of our fee, thus ~$21000.

Our league is different than most. All our matches are played at the local city facility. All our teams are independants. The LLC schedules all the matches for us. I assume it's one heck of a job, but it comes in waves with lots of down time.

Is this USTA?

 

[tennis-n-sc]

It clearly says if no official is available, so the player may NOT call foot faults unless an official is not available.

Huh???? That is clearly too many "nots".

 

[XkwizitOvrhed]

This is what I will do if it ever happens to me in USTA league play:

Oh and it will have to be glaringly obvious first:

Warn the opponent the first time it happens, saying the protocol is to have an official come to the court but since USTA league matches have no officials, I'll say the next time it happens I will refuse to return my opponent's serve and declare it a fault. If it happens again on the 2nd serve, I will refuse to return my opponent's serve again and declare a double fault and claim the point. If it continues to happen on say, just the first or second serve, I will continue to refuse to return my opponent's serve and declare a fault each and every time.

That said, I agree that this entire foot faulting issue is a very slippery slope that most of us rarely if ever find ourselves on.
Also, it's damn hard to tell if the server either crossed or touched the line prior to contacting the ball, especially if you're not looking down the baseline because you're across the court awaiting serve.

 

[bleach]

Is this USTA?

Yes

From what I gather from some of you, we must have a pretty good league.

 

[JavierLW]

This is what I will do if it ever happens to me in USTA league play:

Oh and it will have to be glaringly obvious first:

Warn the opponent the first time it happens, saying the protocol is to have an official come to the court but since USTA league matches have no officials, I'll say the next time it happens I will refuse to return my opponent's serve and declare it a fault. If it happens again on the 2nd serve, I will refuse to return my opponent's serve again and declare a double fault and claim the point. If it continues to happen on say, just the first or second serve, I will continue to refuse to return my opponent's serve and declare a fault each and every time.

That said, I agree that this entire foot faulting issue is a very slippery slope that most of us rarely if ever find ourselves on.
Also, it's damn hard to tell if the server either crossed or touched the line prior to contacting the ball, especially if you're not looking down the baseline because you're across the court awaiting serve.

Right this point has been made already. It's very unlikely you are going to call a foot fault in singles or if you are the returner in doubles.

But if you are playing doubles your partner can call it, he doesnt have to worry about returning the ball at least for that shot. (but still I would say it would have to be blatantly obvious)

It's a much bigger deal in doubles because an extra step (not inches) can get him that much closer to the net which is a huge deal.

 

[tennis-n-sc]

Yes

From what I gather from some of you, we must have a pretty good league.

Not as good as ours. We don't pay our LLC.

I believe you are in the Atlanta area? I used to live and play in Macon and have played the Atlanta teams at sectionals. They are always great players.

 

[bleach]

Not as good as ours. We don't pay our LLC.

I believe you are in the Atlanta area? I used to live and play in Macon and have played the Atlanta teams at sectionals. They are always great players.

No, I'm in Northern Alabama (Huntsville). Our LLC does a lot for us. All our matches are scheduled, rainouts re-scheduled automatically. We do pay $23 for each league registration... but that isn't bad for 12-16 matches.

 

[JavierLW]

No, I'm in Northern Alabama (Huntsville). Our LLC does a lot for us. All our matches are scheduled, rainouts re-scheduled automatically. We do pay $23 for each league registration... but that isn't bad for 12-16 matches.

What level are you bleach?

 

[baseliner]

Reminds me of a tourney I played as a junior. I called a foot fault on my opponent. He patiently told me foot faults were never called in junior tourneys. He being the higher seeded player, I deferred to him. My next service game I served from the service line. He asked what I was doing. Serving I said. He said I had to go to the baseline. I said I was merely foot faulting and he ahd already established that was ok! Awkward, but I made my point.

 

[JavierLW]

Reminds me of a tourney I played as a junior. I called a foot fault on my opponent. He patiently told me foot faults were never called in junior tourneys. He being the higher seeded player, I deferred to him. My next service game I served from the service line. He asked what I was doing. Serving I said. He said I had to go to the baseline. I said I was merely foot faulting and he ahd already established that was ok! Awkward, but I made my point.

That was pretty much my same thought when our LLC said that foot faults couldnt be called.

 

[bleach]

What level are you bleach?

I'm a 4.0, have worked up from 3.0

 

[JavierLW]

I'm a 4.0, have worked up from 3.0

Sounds good. I have a friend who just moved to Huntsville a few weeks ago who has a 4.0 rating.

 

[bleach]

Sounds good. I have a friend who just moved to Huntsville a few weeks ago who has a 4.0 rating.

If he's looking for a team for the Fall season, send me a private email. I've been having a hard time filling my team.

 

[amarone]

That seems awfully high. Sounds more like an Area Coordinator. IIRC, my LLC gets a stipend of $800 per year which, in my opinion, isn't anywhere near enough.

Here, we pay $20 to play on a team per season. And if I figure right, you'd need over 300 players per season just to make the LLc's $20K salary, then you have to pay the Area Coordinators, staff, et al. I just can't see the USTA forking over that kind of paper for a LLC. Your LLCs must do a lot more than mine.

bleach is correct. The USTA Atlanta LLC is a full-time paid position, and a new LLC was hired 6 - 9 months ago, although the salary was not advertised. There are also several staff members in USTA Atlanta. There again, we do have something like 30,000 members. The web site claims over 40,000 adult league participants, whatever that means (do you count four times if you play two adult and two mixed seasons?).

We are just about to start the summer season. I checked the men's 3.5s and there are 120 teams and 1,524 players. The LLC deserves a full salary!

 

[mat2020]

I was at our yearly captain's meeting tonight, and one of the coordinators made a statement that she supposably talked to some official and according to him only an official can call a foot fault, so we cant call it on another player.

Her excuse for this was basically that players dont know what a foot fault is, and even claimed that even she didnt know what one was until she talked to an official a few weeks ago.

This is in direct contradiction to "The Code" (the whole point of The Code is unwritten rules for unofficiated matches) which states:

24. Foot Faults. A player may warn an opponent that the opponent has
committed a flagrant foot fault. If the foot faulting continues, the player may
attempt to locate an official. If no official is available, the player may call flagrant
foot faults. Compliance with the foot fault rule is very much a function
of a player’s personal honor system. The plea that a Server should not be
penalized because the Server only just touched the line and did not rush the
net is not acceptable. Habitual foot faulting, whether intentional or careless,
is just as surely cheating as is making a deliberate bad line call.

Im not saying that Im one to go bananas calling foot faults on people, but there are a few guys out there that are obvious and it gives them a huge advantage. (for example the guy in doubles who takes a huge extra step before he meets the ball and gets to the net instantly)

I say if I find someone doing this I can still call it, what do you think? (after a fair warning of course which I feel is best done during the warmup) I dont think the local league can really make a ruling or a statement that contradicts anything in the official rules or "The Code".

I know this is a pretty minor thing that seldom comes up, but it's just frustrating that they tend to do things like this because it makes us more uneasy in the future when they make other rulings.

(it also says to me that they dont care as much what goes on in a non-officiated local league match, but somehow when it gets to the championships it's important enought that all the sudden foot faulting isnt allowed)

Does anyone have any other examples of local leagues doing things that contradict the rules of tennis or "The Code"?

hello ! i recently have been experiencing the same problem, with regard to the subject of "...supposedly, not being able to call a foot fault on an opponent...", in an ADULT USTA LEAGUE match. i played in a match, about a few weeks before the forced stop in play because of the COVID-19 virus. An opponent was doing foot faults, only on the serve that was for the deuce court, in a doubles match. the opponent was standing on the small line that is perpendicular to the baseline. The opponent was "all over" the small line, and even on the wrong side of the small line, some of the times. i politely told the opponent (multiple times) that he was doing foot faults all the time. i also explained to the opponent the correct way to stand, and how and why he was doing foot faults. it was a local USTA LEAGUE match, obviously, without roving officials. his illegal shots (the serves to the deuce court) continue for the first set. i finally decided to call a
foot fault, early in the second set. the whole match ended up stopping for at least 30 + minutes. The local league coordinator was called. i do not believe that she knows the rules. She told us that the rule that is part of the FRIEND AT COURT, and in the POWELL CODE OF CONDUCT, does not apply. she eventually sent to us more reference material about the rule. her reference material was pure garbage ! the local league coordinator gave to me two options: either play, or lose by a forced retirement ! your problem happened in the year of 2007. the problem continues into the year 2020 ! thank you.

 

[mat2020]

I was at our yearly captain's meeting tonight, and one of the coordinators made a statement that she supposably talked to some official and according to him only an official can call a foot fault, so we cant call it on another player.

Her excuse for this was basically that players dont know what a foot fault is, and even claimed that even she didnt know what one was until she talked to an official a few weeks ago.

This is in direct contradiction to "The Code" (the whole point of The Code is unwritten rules for unofficiated matches) which states:

24. Foot Faults. A player may warn an opponent that the opponent has
committed a flagrant foot fault. If the foot faulting continues, the player may
attempt to locate an official. If no official is available, the player may call flagrant
foot faults. Compliance with the foot fault rule is very much a function
of a player’s personal honor system. The plea that a Server should not be
penalized because the Server only just touched the line and did not rush the
net is not acceptable. Habitual foot faulting, whether intentional or careless,
is just as surely cheating as is making a deliberate bad line call.

Im not saying that Im one to go bananas calling foot faults on people, but there are a few guys out there that are obvious and it gives them a huge advantage. (for example the guy in doubles who takes a huge extra step before he meets the ball and gets to the net instantly)

I say if I find someone doing this I can still call it, what do you think? (after a fair warning of course which I feel is best done during the warmup) I dont think the local league can really make a ruling or a statement that contradicts anything in the official rules or "The Code".

I know this is a pretty minor thing that seldom comes up, but it's just frustrating that they tend to do things like this because it makes us more uneasy in the future when they make other rulings.

(it also says to me that they dont care as much what goes on in a non-officiated local league match, but somehow when it gets to the championships it's important enought that all the sudden foot faulting isnt allowed)

Does anyone have any other examples of local leagues doing things that contradict the rules of tennis or "The Code"?

hello ! i recently have been experiencing the same problem, with regard to the subject of "...supposedly, not being able to call a foot fault on an opponent...", in an ADULT USTA LEAGUE match. i played in a match, about a few weeks before the forced stop in play because of the COVID-19 virus. An opponent was doing foot faults, only on the serve that was for the deuce court, in a doubles match. the opponent was standing on the small line that is perpendicular to the baseline. The opponent was "all over" the small line, and even on the wrong side of the small line, some of the times. i politely told the opponent (multiple times) that he was doing foot faults all the time. i also explained to the opponent the correct way to stand, and how and why he was doing foot faults. it was a local USTA LEAGUE match, obviously, without roving officials. his illegal shots (the serves to the deuce court) continue for the first set. i finally decided to call a
foot fault, early in the second set. the whole match ended up stopping for at least 30 + minutes. The local league coordinator was called. i do not believe that she knows the rules. She told us that the rule that is part of the FRIEND AT COURT, and in the POWELL CODE OF CONDUCT, does not apply. she eventually sent to us more reference material about the rule. her reference material was pure garbage ! the local league coordinator gave to me two options: either play, or lose by a forced retirement ! your problem happened in the

 

[mat2020]

hello, again.
the last few words that i wrote were cut off. i wrote, "... your problem happened in the year of 2007. my problem happened a bit more than one month ago, in the year of 2020.

i have been a USTA LEAGUE team captain for at least 20 years. i have been a captain of two teams during one season, and sometimes a captain of three teams ! i never never ever ever heard of NOT BEING ABLE to call an obvious and flagrant foot fault, especially after following all the rules of the CODE OF CONDUCT: warning the opponent way more than once about the problem, even explaining to the opponent the rule. my situation involves an opponent who knows that he is getting away with doing "illegal shots". he also appears to be happy that he is able to get away with breaking the rules. it appears that nobody at the local level is able to stop him, unless roving officials are hired for each local league match.

 

[navigator]

I've never called a foot fault nor warned anyone of one, but I'm not at all opposed to either. I just don't think I've ever played in a match where the person foot faulting was gaining an advantage. Basically - and this can't be avoided - someone with a flagrant foot fault... probably has a really bad serve to begin with and, further, is probably just not a particularly good player. I have never seen anyone who regularly, noticeably foot faulted have a good serve. Maybe they're out there somewhere. Having said that, if someone is regularly, meaningfully foot faulting, it's annoying to watch - I mean, how difficult is it to keep your feet behind the line? - and should elicit a warning, etc.

 

[mat2020]

hello ! my situation involves an extremely capable 4.0+ man who has a competitive serve. he cheats by standing "way over the line", with respect to the short line that is perpendicular to the baseline. my opponent cheats, only when serving in the deuce court. he stands on the wrong side of the tiny line, hoping to hit the ball to the center serve line, possibly to a comparatively weaker backhand side, for a return of serve. he knows what he is doing. he was confident that i was not going to win in my complaint, about calling a foot fault against him, in a local USTA league match. it is really easy to see that the back foot of my opponent is on the wrong side of the line, while i am in the front court, waiting to judge the serve for my partner.

 

[sureshs]

hello ! i recently have been experiencing the same problem, with regard to the subject of "...supposedly, not being able to call a foot fault on an opponent...", in an ADULT USTA LEAGUE match. i played in a match, about a few weeks before the forced stop in play because of the COVID-19 virus. An opponent was doing foot faults, only on the serve that was for the deuce court, in a doubles match. the opponent was standing on the small line that is perpendicular to the baseline. The opponent was "all over" the small line, and even on the wrong side of the small line, some of the times. i politely told the opponent (multiple times) that he was doing foot faults all the time. i also explained to the opponent the correct way to stand, and how and why he was doing foot faults. it was a local USTA LEAGUE match, obviously, without roving officials. his illegal shots (the serves to the deuce court) continue for the first set. i finally decided to call a
foot fault, early in the second set. the whole match ended up stopping for at least 30 + minutes. The local league coordinator was called. i do not believe that she knows the rules. She told us that the rule that is part of the FRIEND AT COURT, and in the POWELL CODE OF CONDUCT, does not apply. she eventually sent to us more reference material about the rule. her reference material was pure garbage ! the local league coordinator gave to me two options: either play, or lose by a forced retirement ! your problem happened in the

Complain to the USTA. Local coordinators cannot make up their own rules.

 

[Topspin Shot]

Simple. First a warning, then if he steps a foot inside the court, any serve within a foot of the service line is out.

 

[esgee48]

The IQ/common sense bar for LLC does not seem to require that they understand/read the rules for playing the game. To become an official requires that the person understands the rules and work their way up the ranks. To become an LLC only requires you to have the time to be an LLC. If the LLC is this ignorant, then thank heavens they cannot officiate.

 

[sureshs]

The IQ/common sense bar for LLC does not seem to require that they understand/read the rules for playing the game. To become an official requires that the person understands the rules and work their way up the ranks. To become an LLC only requires you to have the time to be an LLC. If the LLC is this ignorant, then thank heavens they cannot officiate.

USTA umpires need to get lots of training and on-court experience. I have been asked to become one due to the shortage of umpires here, but I have declined so far. Seems all the older ones are retiring and younger people don't like the money and the time they have to spend on weekends for paltry financial gain.