N
Nashvegas
Guest
Have you seen someone do that? That's crazy.
Oddest, Funniest, or Worst thing you've seen in a USTA match?
- Thread starter EasleyTennis
- Start date
OrangePower
Legend
Nope! Agreed that would be crazy, albeit by the book (ball is considered good unless called out).
Then again, if my opponent were to be hit by a ball from another court, I would immediately assume a let, whether he actually called for one or not.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
It would never occur to me to do anything other than replay the point. Your opponent probably thought it was obvious and perhaps interpreted your demand to hear him call a let as a control/power thing.
Would you bother calling a let for:
- someone walking by your court spills a bucket of balls that scatter on to your court
- a serve which clearly hit the net, bounces 3' into the air and lands squarely in the middle of the service box
To me, these are obvious examples where no let call is needed: it's understood.
How about next time just say "Please call a let next time so there's no confusion."?
About asking for the score: did he do this throughout the match or only after the uncalled let incident? If he did it only after the incident, maybe it was to try and get back at you.
Nope...pretty much every point his team was returning, from our first service game on...
1) Yes...but that's because it would most likely be a hindrance to me. But if all the balls were on my opponent's side of the net, it's up to him, and I would expect them to actually call it. It's not up to me to decide whether they were hindered or not. I don't need them to use the word "let", but I expect them to stop play. In the original incident, my opponent didn't stop play when the hindrance occurred, as the rules require...and that was the core of my beef with him.
2) Yes.
I pretty much call all out balls with an audible or visual signal, regardless of degree of "out-ness", and I expect my opponents to do the same.
winchestervatennis
Hall of Fame
Asking him to call a let next time is prolly the best way to go about this, but I'd suspect the same power/control issues would arise.
tennis_ocd
Hall of Fame
lol. Watched my daughter's college match several weeks ago where she got hit by ball from outside court and stopped play. Opposing girl saw what happened and claimed the point because she didn't call out LET. I really don't get into the matches but was irked that my daughter didn't call the coaches over and make the opposing girl publicly state her position to all.
tennis_ocd
Hall of Fame
I think it's incredibly bogus to watch someone get hit by a ball or watch a hidden ball come onto the court and not immediately stop play. No point is worth watching someone step on an unseen ball. Never.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Agree 100%. Safety is more important than winning a tennis point.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Yeah, that's lame. Maybe it's how the coach taught them. In volleyball, you are taught never to call your own touch no matter how obvious. However in rec play, we all call our touches because that's just how we play. If the two groups never meet, no problem. The conflict starts when one team calls their touches and the other doesn't.
winchestervatennis
Hall of Fame
Seems to bother you more than the players
Simon_the_furry
Hall of Fame
I'll admit that I do stuff like that for competitive matches (and I personally don't see much wrong with it in a competitive match), but if it's just a friendly hitting session I agree with being irked 100%.
tennis_ocd
Hall of Fame
I've yet to see any player enjoy stepping on unseen balls or moving around ones on court.
If you notice, tourneys even employee kids to keep the court free.
Competitive or fun; there's special thoughts for a guy who doesn't warn another of pending danger.
Last edited:
OK...I was going to let this slide, but you're impugning my character here:
1) Remember, the intruding ball was a slow bouncer, not a line-drive, and not likely a ball someone would trip over, as it was bouncing and in motion. I did not see the opponent get contacted ("hit") by the ball...I only became aware of this after the point was over
2) I did see the ball enter the opponents side of the court, but I was not hindered by it, so I or my partner did not call a let. It is not my responsibility to determine if my opponent was hindered. In fact, it could have resulted in my loss of point if the opponent felt that he was not hindered. (FAC 2016, Rule 26, Case 2)
Case 2: A player claims to have stopped play because the player thought that the
opponent(s) was being hindered. Is this a hindrance?
Decision: No, the player loses the point.
3) After the ball entered the opponents side of the court, and certainly after he was contacted by the ball, the opponent had an opportunity to call a let but did not. He did not even ask to replay the point after the point was over. He simply lined up as if we were going to replay the point, and then objected when my partner and I lined up as if we had won the point.
How am I in the wrong for asking and expecting my opponent to actually ask for a replay of the point, which is his right and responsibility?
That's all I'm gonna say about this. Feel free to distort away...
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
If you only saw the ball after the point was over, no one can criticize you for not saying anything. However...
this contradicts what you said in "1)": in #1 you said you didn't see the ball; in #2 you said you did see it. Or am I not interpreting what you wrote correctly?
This is where our actions would have differed: if I saw a ball come on the court and it came to rest near the fence, I might not say anything because there's no more chance of them stepping on that ball than any other ball that's resting near the fence. But if it was anywhere near the playing area [including the out court where they might step when going for a lob or a wide shot], I would likely say something because I don't want them to step on the ball and get injured.
Yes, some opponents might get irked because they think I'm doing to get an advantage. I'm not, but I can't prove that. My thinking is "how would I feel if I didn't call it and they did step on it and got injured?". I'd feel like an idiot, that's how. In that case, I'm willing to look foolish or like I'm engaging in gamesmanship to avoid that scenario.
Counter-argument isn't necessarily distortion. It's just a difference of opinion.
As to your question, he assumed it would be a replay because it was obvious to him. It was not obvious to you so you assumed no replay. The question isn't who is right or wrong: it's that the two of you have different expectations of what is "obvious". You explained you would call a let on virtually everything [even if someone spilled a bucket of balls on your court] whereas most people, I'm guessing, would consider certain things obvious and not bother to call them.
The rules say he was supposed to call a let. But many of us do not follow every rule 100%. I know I don't.
OrangePower
Legend
If I see a ball come into my opponent's court where there is any chance he may end up stepping on it, I'm going to immediately stop play. IMO doing anything else is just irresponsible.
Think of it from the other perspective. Let's say you are at net and a ball rolls into the court behind you. You don't see it but your opponent does. It's not bothering him, so he does not call a let. He lobs, you backpedal, step on the ball, and get injured. As you are being carried off the court you ask your opponent if he saw it, he says "yeah, but it wasn't bothering me". How would you feel about the situation?
Think of it from the other perspective. Let's say you are at net and a ball rolls into the court behind you. You don't see it but your opponent does. It's not bothering him, so he does not call a let. He lobs, you backpedal, step on the ball, and get injured. As you are being carried off the court you ask your opponent if he saw it, he says "yeah, but it wasn't bothering me". How would you feel about the situation?
Sparta-cus
New User
Minion
Hall of Fame
Not a USTA match, but pretty entertaining nonetheless. Long story short: I ran and slipped, face first into the corner of some stairs - luckily my left eye socket cushioned the fall - hospital visit, 13 stitches, eye patch etc.. Our neighbours had a tennis court, and we played there often. So, once i was able to take off the patch, and sort of open my left eye, i went and played. I hit an approach, and rushed the net (in sort of a serpentine fashion, as things were a bit blurry), my friend hit a cracking FH, yep, right into my left eye. Stitches tore loose, blood everywhere, shirt covered in blood, etc...back to square one. Was my own fault, being half blind rushing the net though
Took months for my vision to restore. For years after that, you couldn't get me close to the net, even if you paid me.
Took months for my vision to restore. For years after that, you couldn't get me close to the net, even if you paid me.winchestervatennis
Hall of Fame
Not a USTA match, but pretty entertaining nonetheless. Long story short: I ran and slipped, face first into the corner of some stairs - luckily my left eye socket cushioned the fall - hospital visit, 13 stitches, eye patch etc.. Our neighbours had a tennis court, and we played there often. So, once i was able to take off the patch, and sort of open my left eye, i went and played. I hit an approach, and rushed the net (in sort of a serpentine fashion, as things were a bit blurry), my friend hit a cracking FH, yep, right into my left eye. Stitches tore loose, blood everywhere, shirt covered in blood, etc...back to square one. Was my own fault, being half blind rushing the net though
I'm not sure this qualifies since it sounds like you didn't technically "see" it.
Just kidding. I took a ball in the eye once as a junior - not nearly as serious as yours. It did blur my vision for a day or so but not long term effects thankfully.
tennis_ocd
Hall of Fame
An unseen low bouncing ball, or one rolling on a court, is every bit as likely to get stepped on as one sitting still. In fact, if seen, in motion, and played around, it's probably even more likely to end up under foot. It's just totally unnecessary for a tennis point. No distortion just a difference in opinion.
(If an opposing team clearly sees a ball and chooses to start point or play around I'll keep quiet. Although rare, I have seen some players require every ball at net be picked up.)
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Not a USTA match, but pretty entertaining nonetheless. Long story short: I ran and slipped, face first into the corner of some stairs - luckily my left eye socket cushioned the fall - hospital visit, 13 stitches, eye patch etc.. Our neighbours had a tennis court, and we played there often. So, once i was able to take off the patch, and sort of open my left eye, i went and played. I hit an approach, and rushed the net (in sort of a serpentine fashion, as things were a bit blurry), my friend hit a cracking FH, yep, right into my left eye. Stitches tore loose, blood everywhere, shirt covered in blood, etc...back to square one. Was my own fault, being half blind rushing the net though
Uh, you don't wear goggles now when playing [racquetball players do, some BB players, etc.]?
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
According to the ER nurse I spoke to, here are the following options in order of most preferred to least preferred:
- 2 people: one doing chest compressions + one doing MTM [they use a bellows-type device]
- 1 person doing chest compressions
- 1 person doing MTM
- nothing
Her statement echoed my original thought: the change in guidelines was due to people being freaked out over having to do MTM and potentially catching some communicable disease so they avoided rendering any aid whatsoever. Since compressions are more valuable than MTM, they compromised and introduced the new guidelines [ie "hands-on" CPR].
Professionals like the nurse I spoke to do both which implies there is value in MTM; otherwise, why would they waste their time?
Of course, in an ER there are usually at least 2 people. In an "on the street" scenario, there may not be.
Minion
Hall of Fame
Hahaha, no, that incident happened when I was about 13, 14 years old, so I'm over it by now
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Hahaha, no, that incident happened when I was about 13, 14 years old, so I'm over it by now
I hope you're fully recovered!
Minion
Hall of Fame
Yes, luckily the human body is amazing at recovering from trauma, especially when you're young
Playing in a pennant match a few years ago - I was suffering from a mild pinched nerve in my back that was in the healing stage. At the start of the match I could hardly run or pick the ball up!
As the Match went on it warmed up considerably and I started playing much better!
At match point to myself my opponent hits the ball well long.
I go to retrieve the ball from the back fence,then I turn around to shake my opponents hand.
As I approach the net I see his racquet on the grass over the fence.
His girlfriend then comes and picks it up and as I leave the court she apologises to me - I thought it was just funny.
It didn't end at that though - he did not stay for the doubles match which resulted in two of our other players missing out on a match. We still lost the match though.
As the Match went on it warmed up considerably and I started playing much better!
At match point to myself my opponent hits the ball well long.
I go to retrieve the ball from the back fence,then I turn around to shake my opponents hand.
As I approach the net I see his racquet on the grass over the fence.
His girlfriend then comes and picks it up and as I leave the court she apologises to me - I thought it was just funny.
It didn't end at that though - he did not stay for the doubles match which resulted in two of our other players missing out on a match. We still lost the match though.
ZirkusAffe
Semi-Pro
Italian guy?? worked for a company that said 'ooosa' for U S A.. love it if English is not the first spoken lang of your captain , tragic if American born and educated.Our opposing captain last night pronounced USTA as 'ooosta'.
pyk64
New User
So not at USTA match, but I was playing a USTA doubles practice match with my friend. As I pushed off to return a serve I felt like someone had shot me or clubbed me with a baseball bat on my left calf. After getting situated and trying to stand up, I inquired or my friend, "so what do you think? Achilles or torn calf?" His reply was classic, "heck if I know, I'm just a shoulder surgeon!"
Moveforwardalways
Hall of Fame
My high school team ran similar bets. Coaches never knew, so they could deny knowledge... but they knew. Goal #1 was intimidate the opponent. You can't play doubles if you are scared. And if you can't hit a solid second serve, your partner is going to hate you, either that or move to two back.
Damn.
Ahhh, the ATL. Doesn't get better than ALTA. Heard it's a great way to meet women.
dizzlmcwizzl
Hall of Fame
I usually just read posts, but I had to log in to respond. Two incidents stand out in my "career" ....
First) 5 Years ago at sectionals we were playing the team from West Virginia. At one point my partner hits a ball long (maybe 3 feet). The opponent on the baseline stops the ball with his racket. We claim the point ... to which they yell at us that if we are going to play with the rule books in our pockets, they are just going to leave ... which they 5 minutes later when we explained that they were not allowed to yell at us as we were hitting overheads.
Second) 8 years ago I am playing a singles match. I always used to hit a big serve on the first with about a 30% success rate. Any who, my opponent had the annoying habit of constantly returning out serves with a full swing. The ball would roll all over the place and I would have to clear it before the second serve. At first, I politely asked him to stop ... he refused saying he wanted the practice. I explained that this was against the code but he was adamant. I can become a real turd, and proceeded to do bad, bad things. I would hit his practice returns back and then insist he clear his side of the court. He got upset and called his captain, who told him to stop returning out serves.... he of course refused and continued to practice on my serve. Then I started doing quite a bit of trash talking ... each time letting him know that if he would stop I would stop ... he persisted, so I became a bigger pile. Finally serving up 30-love to win the match I hit a drop shot, which he got, only to allow me to line up a forehand to his chest. After clocking him good, I asked him if my ball was in, and if was that the reason why he did not return it ..... He swore in his native language, slammed his racket on the court and walked off. HIs captain apologized to me repeatedly, but really ... I should have apologized.
First) 5 Years ago at sectionals we were playing the team from West Virginia. At one point my partner hits a ball long (maybe 3 feet). The opponent on the baseline stops the ball with his racket. We claim the point ... to which they yell at us that if we are going to play with the rule books in our pockets, they are just going to leave ... which they 5 minutes later when we explained that they were not allowed to yell at us as we were hitting overheads.
Second) 8 years ago I am playing a singles match. I always used to hit a big serve on the first with about a 30% success rate. Any who, my opponent had the annoying habit of constantly returning out serves with a full swing. The ball would roll all over the place and I would have to clear it before the second serve. At first, I politely asked him to stop ... he refused saying he wanted the practice. I explained that this was against the code but he was adamant. I can become a real turd, and proceeded to do bad, bad things. I would hit his practice returns back and then insist he clear his side of the court. He got upset and called his captain, who told him to stop returning out serves.... he of course refused and continued to practice on my serve. Then I started doing quite a bit of trash talking ... each time letting him know that if he would stop I would stop ... he persisted, so I became a bigger pile. Finally serving up 30-love to win the match I hit a drop shot, which he got, only to allow me to line up a forehand to his chest. After clocking him good, I asked him if my ball was in, and if was that the reason why he did not return it ..... He swore in his native language, slammed his racket on the court and walked off. HIs captain apologized to me repeatedly, but really ... I should have apologized.
OrangePower
Legend
That one is hilarious!
What if your opponent starts returning your serves 'for practice', so then you start hitting the returns back 'for practice', then he starts returning your shot, and so on... next thing you know, you are playing out long rallies 'for practice'
tennis_ocd
Hall of Fame
A great response!
dizzlmcwizzl
Hall of Fame
That one is hilarious!
What if your opponent starts returning your serves 'for practice', so then you start hitting the returns back 'for practice', then he starts returning your shot, and so on... next thing you know, you are playing out long rallies 'for practice'
The only problem is that I am not good enough to hit it more than once or twice .... I don't have long rallys .... even in practice.
dizzlmcwizzl
Hall of Fame
This reminded me of another funny moment ... caught on tape. My buddy Sean and I were drilling. He was serving/volleying and I was returning. At one point I coughed up a mishit sitter which he proceeded to hit right at me. I jokingly told him I would get him back ... then three serves later I drilled him right in the back.
The video is of the initial shot which prompter my threat ... then fast forward through 3 serves ... and my revenge. There has been no editing other than to speed up the three uninteresting points in the middle.
My favorite part is apologizing for doing exactly what I told him I was going to do 2 minutes earlier. I smiled posting this.
The video is of the initial shot which prompter my threat ... then fast forward through 3 serves ... and my revenge. There has been no editing other than to speed up the three uninteresting points in the middle.
My favorite part is apologizing for doing exactly what I told him I was going to do 2 minutes earlier. I smiled posting this.
OrangePower
Legend
Looks like you were doing crosscourt drills for dubs, so smaller area to hit into and more likelihood of hitting the other guy
When you hit him though it looks like he had enough time to attempt a BH volley rather than turn his back... but hard to judge ball speed via video.
stapletonj
Hall of Fame
On behalf of all WV players, let me say they were the exception.
We know the rules better than that, and there is very little drama at our clubs, even amongst the women (sigh, yeah, I know, sexist)
We know the rules better than that, and there is very little drama at our clubs, even amongst the women (sigh, yeah, I know, sexist)
