Lost a match point in the worst way

[jdubbs]

Yesterday...Up 7-5, 5-4, 40-30.

Serve probably the best serve of the match, out wide to his weaker side, his backhand, with really great pace. I put everything I had on this serve.

He stabs at it with his BH, it goes straight up, way, way, way up. And its heading out, but somehow...someway...it comes back and lands right on the outer part of the baseline.

I'm shocked, but recover enough to hit a weak overhead, which he hits to the corner, and puts away. I end up losing the game, losing the set, and then time ran out on our court.

That was pretty infuriating. Of course, I am a mental midget, so it affected me in losing the set, and I have to do a better job finishing matches. But that one was tough!

 

[jswinf]

Too bad. Maybe next time you shouldn't hit such a good serve.

 

[jdubbs]

Too bad. Maybe next time you shouldn't hit such a good serve.

Well, since I had gotten so many free points off of it, it seemed to be working. But I guess I could have thrown something off-pace.

 

[Bionic slice]

ive been there...it sucks... you crush a serve...and whats worse is they just get a racket on it and hit some 1 in a million shot or miss hit winner.
Another worse thing, is you win 1st set and crushing in second and your opponent finds his groove, and goes for broke and goes on a tear and takes a 2nd set that was yours.

 

[Kalin]

As a wise man once said (well, it was about golf, but also very applicable to tennis) - it is a game of your skill against the other guy's luck.

 

[Ironwood]

I have never been more than a decent club player, and years ago playing in the quarters of the club end of summer mens singles I had match point on my serve in the third set against the #2 seed. He bunted back my 1st mid court and I sprinted to power away the short ball for the big finish. He caught the ball around his waist standing just behind the baseline. It would have hit him had he not reached out but otherwise would have landed 12/15 feet long. It was my stupidity. I approached the net to shake hands and he went into dramatics how could I take that as my shot would have been 15 feet out. After some discussion I agreed to play a let. I lost the point and he recovered to take the match. I remember talking to the club pro later that day looking for some sympathy that that should have been my match but got none, just some remark... would it really have been that far out! So sh..t happens, but 15 years later I still remember the outcome.

 

[jdubbs]

I have never been more than a decent club player, and years ago playing in the quarters of the club end of summer mens singles I had match point on my serve in the third set against the #2 seed. He bunted back my 1st mid court and I sprinted to power away the short ball for the big finish. He caught the ball around his waist standing just behind the baseline. It would have hit him had he not reached out but otherwise would have landed 12/15 feet long. It was my stupidity. I approached the net to shake hands and he went into dramatics how could I take that as my shot would have been 15 feet out. After some discussion I agreed to play a let. I lost the point and he recovered to take the match. I remember talking to the club pro later that day looking for some sympathy that that should have been my match but got none, just some remark... would it really have been that far out! So sh..t happens, but 15 years later I still remember the outcome.

I think if he actively caught the ball, then its his point. I know what the technical rules say, but that's just an unwritten rule of sportsmanship.
I think you did the right thing, actually I wouldn't have even played a let. But that's just me. Hope this helps you get past this.

 

[darrinbaker00]

Yesterday...Up 7-5, 5-4, 40-30.

Serve probably the best serve of the match, out wide to his weaker side, his backhand, with really great pace. I put everything I had on this serve.

He stabs at it with his BH, it goes straight up, way, way, way up. And its heading out, but somehow...someway...it comes back and lands right on the outer part of the baseline.

I'm shocked, but recover enough to hit a weak overhead, which he hits to the corner, and puts away. I end up losing the game, losing the set, and then time ran out on our court.

That was pretty infuriating. Of course, I am a mental midget, so it affected me in losing the set, and I have to do a better job finishing matches. But that one was tough!

I experienced something similar. I was serving at 6-2, 5-2, 40-15. My opponent, who was left-handed, had one foot in the doubles alley to receive serve; he all but yelled out "I dare you to go up the T. I double-dog dare you!" Of course, I took the dare and happened to hit the best T-Bone I ever hit in my life. As I was jogging towards the net to shake hands, I see this long arm with a racquet attached to it reach out and blast a return past me on my backhand side. I looked at him, looked at where he hit the ball, looked back at him, and shook my head. Needless to say, I was toast after that. I lost that set 7-5 and lost the third set 6-3.

 

[Long Face]

Too bad. Maybe next time you shouldn't hit such a good serve.

Well, it is like running a casino. Sometimes some guy could win a lot of money in one hand, but the odds are always with you.

Keep serving big!

 

[CurrenFan]

Don't feel bad.

I had not one, but two, almost identical game-winning aces this week, both landed about a ball-width inside of the center line in the service court (it's not a close call down the line, where mistakes can easily happen - I saw 2-3" of space inside the line). In both cases, the opponents had a passive-aggressive discussion between themselves:

"I don't know, that kind of looked out, what do you think?"

"I'm not sure, but I think it was out, too."

"OK, that was out. Second serve."

I can't remember if I then double-faulted both points or just one and then lost the other, but the end result was that I too was a mental midget and hooking cost me two games as I then preceded to lose both games that I had legitimately won.

I didn't say anything, but next time that happens (new people in the league), I'm going to step right in and say "the official rule is that if you aren't completely certain, then your opponent gets the call. That's our point. And in any event, the shot was in by around four or five inches."

I'll give a person an occasional lapse in visual accuracy (everyone, myself included, makes mistakes), but twice in a row on game point when it wasn't even close is hooking.

 

[GatorTennis]

i find it very satisfying to argue with them and get worked up (because i focus more) and sling a second serve service winner

 

[Ronaldo]

Yesterday...Up 7-5, 5-4, 40-30.

Serve probably the best serve of the match, out wide to his weaker side, his backhand, with really great pace. I put everything I had on this serve.

He stabs at it with his BH, it goes straight up, way, way, way up. And its heading out, but somehow...someway...it comes back and lands right on the outer part of the baseline.

I'm shocked, but recover enough to hit a weak overhead, which he hits to the corner, and puts away. I end up losing the game, losing the set, and then time ran out on our court.

That was pretty infuriating. Of course, I am a mental midget, so it affected me in losing the set, and I have to do a better job finishing matches. But that one was tough!

Next time call it out. Anyone else would.

 

[LuckyR]

What he said...

 

[kanulondon]

Next time call it out. Anyone else would.

I must admit, in the heat of the moment I have called the ball out that may have caught an edge. It's weird as it's happened twice now and I just shouted OUT on both occasions. But I look back objectively, I would have called it in their favour as for me, I like giving the benefit of doubt to my opponent. It needs to be very clearly out.

OK, what I said doesn't really make sense as in tight situations (ie match points) I do not give benefit of doubt

Ignore my ramblings

 

[jdubbs]

I must admit, in the heat of the moment I have called the ball out that may have caught an edge. It's weird as it's happened twice now and I just shouted OUT on both occasions. But I look back objectively, I would have called it in their favour as for me, I like giving the benefit of doubt to my opponent. It needs to be very clearly out.

OK, what I said doesn't really make sense as in tight situations (ie match points) I do not give benefit of doubt

Ignore my ramblings

Well, this is a friend of mine and if you end up hooking each other you don't remain friends for very long. Plus, I don't need to cheat to win in any circumstance.

Come to think of it, he did call a second serve ace out that clearly caught the corner of the service box. But no matter, I still try to call a clean game.

 

[kanulondon]

I've been playing tennis 20 years and I've only done it twice. To be fair, the ball could have still been out. But in normal play, I give benefit of the doubt. But in the heat of the moment, I immediately called out as I *think* I was just worked up

Don't hold it against me

 

[jdubbs]

I've been playing tennis 20 years and I've only done it twice. To be fair, the ball could have still been out. But in normal play, I give benefit of the doubt. But in the heat of the moment, I immediately called out as I *think* I was just worked up

Don't hold it against me

I won't. Those in glass houses...

 

[Mr.Lob]

Crapp, Monfils and other pros choke all the time. Half the field in the WTA are mental midgets. Recognize what's going on in your mind and body, and have a plan to deal with it.

 

[coloskier]

In a tournament match I was playing 3 weeks ago, I was down 9-5 in a third set 10 point tiebreaker. He double faulted twice, I hit two service winners to tie it a 9, he won the next point, and I hit two aces to go up 11-10. He hit a serve that I sliced back, it hit the top of the net and dribbled over for a netcord winner. GSM. He destroyed his racket, then we shook hands. It happens to everyone.

 

[Rjtennis]

As a wise man once said (well, it was about golf, but also very applicable to tennis) - it is a game of your skill against the other guy's luck.

That's a good one!

 

[Gut4Tennis]

75 57 would be a tie and spin of a racquet and 1 point play if time ran out before any of the 3rd set tiebreak could be played

75 46 would be a tie

75 67 you win

fess up, what was the exact final score??

 

[Gut4Tennis]

when I was 17 I was playing a for 7th-8th place for a sectional championship

I was down 0-6 0-5 15-40 and won 06 76 76

Imagine being that kid