Were we in the wrong?

[tdhawks]

I played in a tournament this past weekend, and after the match ended, was reamed by a father of 16 year old girl playing on the court next to us. This was a small tournament, nothing big as far as qualifying and so forth.

Our match was a semifinal match, which went to 3 tiebreakers, and lasted over 3 hours in some nice 90 degree weather in the middle of the day.

When we finished, we both sat on the chairs and were chatting quietly while we were putting our stuff away and discussing how the match could have gone either way. We sat there no more than 3 minutes, trying to get the energy to walk off.

The father, outside the fence, came up to us and told us we had no manners at all and need to shut the .?#$ up and get off the court. Told us we were distracting the girls and needed to learn court etiquette and leave at once.

Where we in the wrong here or was this just one of "those" parents?

 

[InspectorRacquet]

Sounds like a certain someone was one of 'those' parents. Any tennis player should have the concentration to ignore any quiet chatting, as I'm sure your chat was no louder than the chatter of any passersby.

 

[jk175d]

I played in a tournament this past weekend, and after the match ended, was reamed by a father of 16 year old girl playing on the court next to us. This was a small tournament, nothing big as far as qualifying and so forth.

Our match was a semifinal match, which went to 3 tiebreakers, and lasted over 3 hours in some nice 90 degree weather in the middle of the day.

When we finished, we both sat on the chairs and were chatting quietly while we were putting our stuff away and discussing how the match could have gone either way. We sat there no more than 3 minutes, trying to get the energy to walk off.

The father, outside the fence, came up to us and told us we had no manners at all and need to shut the .?#$ up and get off the court. Told us we were distracting the girls and needed to learn court etiquette and leave at once.

Where we in the wrong here or was this just one of "those" parents?

unless you were talking louder than you think you were the guy was clearly just a #@$^.

 

[bcart1991]

I just might have felt the urgent need to ruin his day.

 

[Alchemy-Z]

I'm sure his tirade wasn't distracting at all to his probably embarrassed girl. :roll:

don't worry about it.

 

[JLyon]

you guys were fine, the dad is just an overbearing ***, who will probably have his daughter hating tennis before she turns 18.

 

[tdhawks]

I just might have felt the urgent need to ruin his day.

Don't think it didn't cross my mind.

Funny thing was, they finished their match as we were exiting.

 

[J_R_B]

I played in a tournament this past weekend, and after the match ended, was reamed by a father of 16 year old girl playing on the court next to us. This was a small tournament, nothing big as far as qualifying and so forth.

Our match was a semifinal match, which went to 3 tiebreakers, and lasted over 3 hours in some nice 90 degree weather in the middle of the day.

When we finished, we both sat on the chairs and were chatting quietly while we were putting our stuff away and discussing how the match could have gone either way. We sat there no more than 3 minutes, trying to get the energy to walk off.

The father, outside the fence, came up to us and told us we had no manners at all and need to shut the .?#$ up and get off the court. Told us we were distracting the girls and needed to learn court etiquette and leave at once.

Where we in the wrong here or was this just one of "those" parents?

From your description, obviously, he seems to be in the wrong, but yours is not an unbiased viewpoint, either.

 

[zcarzach]

Tell Dad he needs to mind his own business, and get some manners of his own, because his rant was clearly more distracting than your brief conversation. Idiots like like that inspire to unleash my inner Les Grossman. The phrase "scorched earth" and a mention that he might think about taking three steps back and doing something to his own face would have worked just fine.

 

[jk175d]

Tell Dad he needs to mind his own business, and get some manners of his own, because his rant was clearly more distracting than your brief conversation. Idiots like like that inspire to unleash my inner Les Grossman. The phrase "scorched earth" and a mention that he might think about taking three steps back and doing something to his own face would have worked just fine.

lol, I read inner Les Grossman and first thought you were talking about Les Nessman. Didn't know anyone HAD an inner Les Nessman

 

[floridatennisdude]

I played in a tournament this past weekend, and after the match ended, was reamed by a father of 16 year old girl playing on the court next to us. This was a small tournament, nothing big as far as qualifying and so forth.

Our match was a semifinal match, which went to 3 tiebreakers, and lasted over 3 hours in some nice 90 degree weather in the middle of the day.

When we finished, we both sat on the chairs and were chatting quietly while we were putting our stuff away and discussing how the match could have gone either way. We sat there no more than 3 minutes, trying to get the energy to walk off.

The father, outside the fence, came up to us and told us we had no manners at all and need to shut the .?#$ up and get off the court. Told us we were distracting the girls and needed to learn court etiquette and leave at once.

Where we in the wrong here or was this just one of "those" parents?

His daughter must've been losing, huh?

Probably just looking for an excuse. Unless you guys played music and danced around, I'd just write the guy off as a dip$hit.

 

[zcarzach]

lol, I read inner Les Grossman and first thought you were talking about Les Nessman. Didn't know anyone HAD an inner Les Nessman

Nope, although I have been living on the air in Cincinatti...

 

[goober]

I played in a tournament this past weekend, and after the match ended, was reamed by a father of 16 year old girl playing on the court next to us. This was a small tournament, nothing big as far as qualifying and so forth.

Our match was a semifinal match, which went to 3 tiebreakers, and lasted over 3 hours in some nice 90 degree weather in the middle of the day.

When we finished, we both sat on the chairs and were chatting quietly while we were putting our stuff away and discussing how the match could have gone either way. We sat there no more than 3 minutes, trying to get the energy to walk off.

The father, outside the fence, came up to us and told us we had no manners at all and need to shut the .?#$ up and get off the court. Told us we were distracting the girls and needed to learn court etiquette and leave at once.

Where we in the wrong here or was this just one of "those" parents?

Hard to say without actually being there. You could have been talking louder than you perceived. However if nobody is waiting to get on your court I don't see what the problem is sitting there talking quietly for a few minutes. His reaction was over the top even if you were talking loudly. He could have just told you to keep it quiet.

 

[LuckyR]

Let me guess, his daughter was losing...

 

[beernutz]

After the assh0le said that to me, I would not have moved from that court unless physically someone moved me. Good luck with that.

 

[sureshs]

Let me guess, his daughter was losing...

And the father was losing in life

 

[tennis tom]

Generally in a tennis tournament after the match is over, the tournament director appreciates it if the players relinquish the court for the next match. But, you are allowed to collect your stuff, towel off, change into a dry shirt and slip on some comfortable shoes, sign some autographs, hit some balls into the stands, while exchanging some quiet chit-chat with opponents. In your case it sounds like it was an informal tournament, a long hard fought match on a very hot day. No one was lurking at the gate to get on your court or an official hurrying you on. Possession is 9/10ths of the law, whatever that means, so I'd say you can stay until hell freezes over if you're quiet about it. Many of the junior and college matches I've played next to seem to be quite vocal affairs these days. In your case, it sounds like the pot calling the kettle black, the papa disrupting his daughter's match with his tirade more than you two gents were. You don't know what a distraction is until you've played a tournament match with a Hare Krishna Giant Juggernaut parade going by with loud speakers blaring or some stoned hippy jumping out of nearby bushes with a guitar yelling "Fidel doesn't love me anymore!" at the top of their lungs.

 

[t135]

Guy was a jerk. Forget about it.

 

[GameSetMatchWin]

You were definitely not in the wrong. Did you ask the father where his court etiquette was?
I wonder if the girl his daughter was playing had grunted like azarenka or sharapova whether he would've told her that she had no manners and had to leave at once haha

 

[NLBwell]

Maybe the guy's daughter was losing and he was trying to cause a distraction to upset her opponent. Someone that jerky might actually try that.

 

[Rattler]

Ah tennis parents....

 

[Larrysümmers]

not sure. the other dude is innocent and was not in the wrong until proven guilty.

 

[a10best]

The loser Dad could have handled it in a different manner.

You were more mature than him since he lost it. Keep up the patient attitude.
I don't think he'd do that to a grown up (or myself)