puppybutts
Hall of Fame
Proper etiquette, finding great hitting partners, dealing with bad ones, logistics, etc.
What advice would you give to someone entering their first league match?
- Thread starter puppybutts
- Start date
vex
Legend
Low key it does drive me CRAZY how many people footfault… but yeah, calling it is…
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Relax! My first league match, I started hyperventilating because I was so amped up.
Give your opponent the benefit of the doubt: if that ball *could* have been in, call it in. Don't stare at the supposed landing spot for 10 seconds and then get your your magnifying glass trying to see whether the ball fuzz actually touched the outer 1/16th of the line.
We're all [most of us, anyway] doing this for *recreational* purposes so the basic idea is to enjoy the experience, not stress over it.
I find that almost all of my opponents are cool and just by being considerate, you'll make a lot of acquaintances, meet a lot of potential hitting partners, and expand your tennis and social circle.
Give your opponent the benefit of the doubt: if that ball *could* have been in, call it in. Don't stare at the supposed landing spot for 10 seconds and then get your your magnifying glass trying to see whether the ball fuzz actually touched the outer 1/16th of the line.
We're all [most of us, anyway] doing this for *recreational* purposes so the basic idea is to enjoy the experience, not stress over it.
I find that almost all of my opponents are cool and just by being considerate, you'll make a lot of acquaintances, meet a lot of potential hitting partners, and expand your tennis and social circle.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
Treat it like every other match you play. It is a rec match and no one else cares about it - just like every social match you play. Then, you will play ‘normally’ and give your team the best chance to win.
Only advice is to be prepared for tighter line calling and don’t let it bother you as it might be deliberate gamesmanship being done by ‘cheaters’ to affect you mentally.
Only advice is to be prepared for tighter line calling and don’t let it bother you as it might be deliberate gamesmanship being done by ‘cheaters’ to affect you mentally.
FuzzyYellowBalls
Legend
Mongolmike
Hall of Fame
Try to play your normal game.
Be friendly but fair.
Know that league play isnt really that big a deal. Sure, you want to win, your team wants to win, but it's JUST a tennis match.
You've played tennis matches before. This isn't that big a deal.
As for etiquette things....
-Be on time. If your captain wants you there 20 minutes early, try to be there 20 minutes early.
The worst is players who show up for a 7pm match rushing in at 6:58pm still in street clothes.
Don't be that person.
-Be ready to go onto your court, sometimes a few minutes early, sometimes very, very late.
If you are on time, pay attention to the court flow. If it looks like a court might open up soon (check the court score cards, which should generally be updated), and you are the next court to go out, do your bathroom, or your stretches, or your knee brace, fill your water, etc. Be ready to head out when your court is open.
Also be aware that it is unfortunately not unusual for the late matches, matches that start at 9pm etc., are running late from previous matches having also run long. 1/2 hour or an hour after your scheduled start happens. Be aware of this if you are an early match. Your dawdling or chit chat can push back later matches.
-Try to be a decent warm up person. The brief warm-up time is not the time to display your powerful fh, or you work on your drop shot. It is a brief time for both players to loosen up a little. For many, it is not enough time to warm up, so don't waste it. Of course it takes two. Many people play mind games in warm up. They suck as humans imo.
-During play, be fair but firm. Make your calls promptly and fairly. If you are not sure, then give them the point. Pretty simple.
-Know how the tie break works, for the set, and the match.
If you aren't sure, ask your captain BEFORE THE DAY OF THE MATCH to 'splain it to you. Do not hit up your captain to explain it as you are heading out to your court. Trust me. The captain's job is to worry about a lot of items you might not be aware of so you don't have to. Don't bother the captain with questions you could've asked the day or week before.
-Save the socializing for after the match and off the court. Ask about their job, kids, pets, racquet choice, shoe choice, etc. after the match. And if your opponent is chatting you up on change of side, be polite but brief, and simply say "Should we head back out?" is a safe way to indicate that now is not the time to be social. Again, there may be matches to come after yours. Be respectful of this fact.
That said, if possible, when you head out to the court, and if the option is there, set your bag and water on opposite side of court from opponent. This helps limit chit chat on change overs. If you are side by side it is too easy to be friendly and naturally start talking. 2-3 minutes chit chat every changeover adds up.
-If there is a dispute on your court, try to reason it out between the 2 (4?) of you. If after a brief discussion and you both really don't know what to do, ask whichever captain is closest to your court. You can generally trust the captains to tell you an honest answer.
-That said, you should know most of the rules. Things you can do in social play may not be ok in league.
Big one is catching or stopping balls that are flying out of your court. In social we all catch the ball so we don't have to chase it, or to prevent it from goung into another court of play. Not so in league. You must let the ball bounce. Failure to do this IS the opponents point. Even if you are standing behind the baseline and the ball is buzzing at you head high...let it go. If you catch it or stop it, it IS the opponents point. Period. No argument.
-Call the score during your serve and update the scorecard on change overs. This will save A LOT of disputes!
-Be careful with things like over the net or talking when ball is heading towards opponent. Again, little things ok in social are NOT ok in league. Know the rules so you don't break them, and so you aren't being ignorantly taken advantage of.
My experience is most people in league are normal, nice people. 90%+ imo. There are jerks, and cheats, and passive aggressives, and hot heads....hopefully you aren't one of them, but know you will eventually run into them. Comes with the territory.
Play hard, play fair, be on time, don't waste time, know the rules. Good luck!
Be friendly but fair.
Know that league play isnt really that big a deal. Sure, you want to win, your team wants to win, but it's JUST a tennis match.
You've played tennis matches before. This isn't that big a deal.
As for etiquette things....
-Be on time. If your captain wants you there 20 minutes early, try to be there 20 minutes early.
The worst is players who show up for a 7pm match rushing in at 6:58pm still in street clothes.
Don't be that person.
-Be ready to go onto your court, sometimes a few minutes early, sometimes very, very late.
If you are on time, pay attention to the court flow. If it looks like a court might open up soon (check the court score cards, which should generally be updated), and you are the next court to go out, do your bathroom, or your stretches, or your knee brace, fill your water, etc. Be ready to head out when your court is open.
Also be aware that it is unfortunately not unusual for the late matches, matches that start at 9pm etc., are running late from previous matches having also run long. 1/2 hour or an hour after your scheduled start happens. Be aware of this if you are an early match. Your dawdling or chit chat can push back later matches.
-Try to be a decent warm up person. The brief warm-up time is not the time to display your powerful fh, or you work on your drop shot. It is a brief time for both players to loosen up a little. For many, it is not enough time to warm up, so don't waste it. Of course it takes two. Many people play mind games in warm up. They suck as humans imo.
-During play, be fair but firm. Make your calls promptly and fairly. If you are not sure, then give them the point. Pretty simple.
-Know how the tie break works, for the set, and the match.
If you aren't sure, ask your captain BEFORE THE DAY OF THE MATCH to 'splain it to you. Do not hit up your captain to explain it as you are heading out to your court. Trust me. The captain's job is to worry about a lot of items you might not be aware of so you don't have to. Don't bother the captain with questions you could've asked the day or week before.
-Save the socializing for after the match and off the court. Ask about their job, kids, pets, racquet choice, shoe choice, etc. after the match. And if your opponent is chatting you up on change of side, be polite but brief, and simply say "Should we head back out?" is a safe way to indicate that now is not the time to be social. Again, there may be matches to come after yours. Be respectful of this fact.
That said, if possible, when you head out to the court, and if the option is there, set your bag and water on opposite side of court from opponent. This helps limit chit chat on change overs. If you are side by side it is too easy to be friendly and naturally start talking. 2-3 minutes chit chat every changeover adds up.
-If there is a dispute on your court, try to reason it out between the 2 (4?) of you. If after a brief discussion and you both really don't know what to do, ask whichever captain is closest to your court. You can generally trust the captains to tell you an honest answer.
-That said, you should know most of the rules. Things you can do in social play may not be ok in league.
Big one is catching or stopping balls that are flying out of your court. In social we all catch the ball so we don't have to chase it, or to prevent it from goung into another court of play. Not so in league. You must let the ball bounce. Failure to do this IS the opponents point. Even if you are standing behind the baseline and the ball is buzzing at you head high...let it go. If you catch it or stop it, it IS the opponents point. Period. No argument.
-Call the score during your serve and update the scorecard on change overs. This will save A LOT of disputes!
-Be careful with things like over the net or talking when ball is heading towards opponent. Again, little things ok in social are NOT ok in league. Know the rules so you don't break them, and so you aren't being ignorantly taken advantage of.
My experience is most people in league are normal, nice people. 90%+ imo. There are jerks, and cheats, and passive aggressives, and hot heads....hopefully you aren't one of them, but know you will eventually run into them. Comes with the territory.
Play hard, play fair, be on time, don't waste time, know the rules. Good luck!
vex
Legend
Ha! That’s a really good point. The absolute worst foot faulter I know hits a really weak serve.
and yell "c'mon" every time your opponent misses.
puppybutts
Hall of Fame
I'm glad to see how many people abide by "if it's close, call it in." I always do this...but sometimes my opponent will call their own shot/serve out and stop play : |. I guess that's better than playing with someone who yells about any out call I make lol
puppybutts
Hall of Fame
Tennis Aloha
Rookie
Bring beers with you to share with your teammates after the match. Always bring new balls with you. Take wins and losses with poise.
If your captain asks you to do something unethical, don't.
Have fun and keep the team's spirits high.
If your captain asks you to do something unethical, don't.
Have fun and keep the team's spirits high.
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vex
Legend
It might, but at least your partner will like you!is this official permission to be a pusher? cause according to a lot of threads on TTW that would automatically make me a jerk
Push from the baseline, attack at the net!
S
Slicehand
Guest
Dont take peds
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
Win the last point, don’t drink the last beer.
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As a coach I would say focus on what you are doing. I've had players come to me after their 1st league or tournament match and say 'my opponent did this, and did that, and did something else,...'. I always answer with, 'well, what did you do?' And they don't have a good answer. Hit the shots you can hit and don't just react to your opponent.
Bud
Bionic Poster
#1 thing for me entering league for the first time was knowing the rules. Of course I already knew most of them, but I had not been familiar with a couple of things like the Colman system for switching sides during a tiebreak, and some complicated rules in my area for how to end a timed match when you're running up on the time limit. When you're learning rules for the first time in the middle of a match it is distracting, and you're never sure if your opponent is making something up to take advantage of you.
Mongolmike
Hall of Fame
"past beer"
Did you mean don't drink a beer that is passed to you? or
It's a typo and you meant last beer? or
It's short or regional slang for "don't drink a Pabst beer"?
Cuz if it's the 3rd choice, yeah, l agree. Unless it's the 2nd choice, then hey, better than nothing. Unless it's the 1st choice, which means whoever passed it to you is your enemy and is trying to kill you. Probably.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
Typo - be a gentleman and don’t take the last beer. Attempt at humor to rhyme with ‘win the last point’.
Mongolmike
Hall of Fame
Moon Shooter
Hall of Fame
Other than when I serve I try not to think of anything other than my positioning, footwork, and reaction. Split step and get to the ball and move to the right spot. My stroke will be what it is I don't expect to improve it during the match. And anyway a huge part of me getting better strokes is getting in better position to hit the ball even when it is a ball I know I can get to. Better reaction/position and faster movement means better spacing, less lunging, and hitting approach shots and volleys when the ball is higher above the net.
I don't know if the above is good advice because I have always done it in any sort of even semi serious match. So I don't know if I would do better if I did something else. But by and large I do think I perform well during matches compared to how I do in practice.
I don't think of any of the stuff you mentioned.
I don't know if the above is good advice because I have always done it in any sort of even semi serious match. So I don't know if I would do better if I did something else. But by and large I do think I perform well during matches compared to how I do in practice.
I don't think of any of the stuff you mentioned.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
For the love of Batman, read the rules of the sport you are playing!!
Bagumbawalla
G.O.A.T.
I would think of a first tournament as if it were a first pancake.
Do not expect too much.
Treat it as a learning experience.
Learn from the experience.
Let us know what happened.
Do not expect too much.
Treat it as a learning experience.
Learn from the experience.
Let us know what happened.
FiddlerDog
Hall of Fame
1) Call all close balls in
2) If you're looking to meet new hitting partners, you're better off hitting big and losing, rather than winning by pushing.
Adult rec tennis players are generally clueless, hence no one respects a winning pusher/junker.
3) Offer a redo 1st serve if there is an interruption after opponents 1st serve fault
4) Play up. Always. You're better off losing at 4.0 than winning at 3.5.
Or going to idiotic 3.0 nationals for a bunt fest trophy
5) Enjoy yourself. Be friendly. Make new friends.
6) Most rec players are mental basketcases. Go down swinging. Use your strokes. Don't try to win the match. Just win points.
2) If you're looking to meet new hitting partners, you're better off hitting big and losing, rather than winning by pushing.
Adult rec tennis players are generally clueless, hence no one respects a winning pusher/junker.
3) Offer a redo 1st serve if there is an interruption after opponents 1st serve fault
4) Play up. Always. You're better off losing at 4.0 than winning at 3.5.
Or going to idiotic 3.0 nationals for a bunt fest trophy
5) Enjoy yourself. Be friendly. Make new friends.
6) Most rec players are mental basketcases. Go down swinging. Use your strokes. Don't try to win the match. Just win points.
