What's the ruling on this situation?

[Cindysphinx]

I was playing a 4.0 match in a noisy bubble with a motorcycle convention (of all things!) going on outside. Couldn't hear a thing in that bubble.

My partner was serving. She missed her first serve into the net.

I went to clear the ball. As I walked toward my partner, I saw she was ready to serve. Surely she saw me walking toward her and facing her as I fumbled to get the ball under my skirt? Surely she heard me yelling for her to wait? Surely she saw me wave my arms? Nope. She fires off a blast that I was just able to dodge. Her serve went into the net.

I have no idea what our opponents were doing or saying during all of this because my back was to them.

What's the rule on this? Point to opponents?

Our opponents were very nice and saw me frantically trying to stop her from serving, so they gave her one serve. Still, I'd like to know the rule.

And I need to have a talk with this partner. Her service routine is that she pulls a ball out of her skirt and stands there with the ball and racket extended ready to toss/serve. So it is impossible to tell when she is actually going to toss the ball. Why people serve when their partners are clearly not ready is beyond me. Are they hoping to win the match all by themselves?

 

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

Point to the opponent regardless. Doesn't matter if you were sitting in your chair eating a banana, her serve initiates the point.

And you really need to talk to your partner about this, yes!!!!

 

[Cindysphinx]

Point to the opponent regardless. Doesn't matter if you were sitting in your chair eating a banana, her serve initiates the point.

And you really need to talk to your partner about this, yes!!!!

I think that is probably right, assuming my opponents were not also trying to get her attention to stop. That is the only thing that makes sense as to why they would offer another serve.

Is the rule any different if it is the receiver's partner who is waving her arms and trying to stop the play? I know we have talked about how there being no requirement that the receiver's partner (or server's partner) be ready. But is it a different situation if someone is actively trying to stop the point for some reason but the server simply doesn't see them?

 

[tennis4josh]

There is a difference between server's partner not ready and actively trying to stop the play. If the server serves when partner is adjusting strings, tying shoelaces, picking a ball etc then the play starts as soon as the serve is hit. But its a different story when she is trying to stop the play. The partner could be trying to stop the server because she saw a stray ball roll on the court behind the receiver or for any other reason.
-Josh

 

[blakesq]

in doubles, the team is considered as one player. If one is ready, and the other one is not, then its the team's duty to either wait, or continue. if they continue play, they cannot later call a let because one of them were not ready.


so, if the server fails to check to make sure his partner is ready, and still serves, a let cannot be called. its up to the server to make sure his team is ready.

 

[spot]

Ironically, I think technically if the serve was in the opponents could have called a hindrance on you and claimed the point. I think that by serving the ball your partner indicated that your team was ready but by waving your arms, yelling, and whatever else the other team could have a very legitimate hindrance claim.

 

[jc4.0]

180 degree flip

Well looks like you change your story, when the main character is you.
You say that we should just go by the rules and not question our opponents or partners when they make a legal call, whether we like it or not – yet in this case – you have reversed your oft-stated policy.

When server and receiver are ready to play, it doesn’t matter what their partners are doing - adjusting sunglasses, blowing their nose – whatever. Even though several people have pointed this out to you – you’re still saying you’re “going to have a talk” with this person who serves too quickly, in your opinion. yet nothing she did was against the code.

I personally agree that you should have a talk with her, in a friendly and diplomatic way - but if you do - that means doing a 180 on your stated policy that we shouldn’t “confront” each other and should just ignore behavior on court that we feel is wrong, regardless of the situation; as long as they are following the official rules. In other words, do as I say, not as I do.

I also think that your flailing about on court before your partner serves should be considered a hinderance, considering that your partner was ready to serve regardless of your inattention to the situation. Not sure if there is a rule about that – but there should be. Just let her serve - and take it up with her at a later time. Be sure to tell her you like her outfit, as well.

 

[blakesq]

you and Cindy need to get a room, because you are obviously madly in love with her.

Well looks like you change your story, when the main character is you.
You say that we should just go by the rules and not question our opponents or partners when they make a legal call, whether we like it or not – yet in this case – you have reversed your oft-stated policy.

When server and receiver are ready to play, it doesn’t matter what their partners are doing - adjusting sunglasses, blowing their nose – whatever. Even though several people have pointed this out to you – you’re still saying you’re “going to have a talk” with this person who serves too quickly, in your opinion. yet nothing she did was against the code.

I personally agree that you should have a talk with her, in a friendly and diplomatic way - but if you do - that means doing a 180 on your stated policy that we shouldn’t “confront” each other and should just ignore behavior on court that we feel is wrong, regardless of the situation; as long as they are following the official rules. In other words, do as I say, not as I do.

I also think that your flailing about on court before your partner serves should be considered a hinderance, considering that your partner was ready to serve regardless of your inattention to the situation. Not sure if there is a rule about that – but there should be. Just let her serve - and take it up with her at a later time. Be sure to tell her you like her outfit, as well.

 

[johndagolfer]

you and Cindy need to get a room, because you are obviously madly in love with her.

Lol Blake, I was about to say something about a married couple

 

[jc4.0]

Lol Blake, I was about to say something about a married couple

well I have heard that opposites attract - but in this case, the opposite is true. Plus, I am not a lesbian. Not sure about Cin-Prin.

 

[Nor'easter]

I think JC and Cindy should just agree that they disagree no matter what the situation is on or off court.

 

[dcdoorknob]

I'll take passive-aggressive internet pettiness for 1000, Alex.

 

[Cindysphinx]

Ironically, I think technically if the serve was in the opponents could have called a hindrance on you and claimed the point. I think that by serving the ball your partner indicated that your team was ready but by waving your arms, yelling, and whatever else the other team could have a very legitimate hindrance claim.

Yeah, I thought about that too.

Then again, the second serve hit the net, so the "hindrance" theory is kind of moot.

It was a totally weird match because of all the noise, though. You really use your hearing a lot more during matches than you might think. Because of the motorcycles everywhere, you couldn't hear out calls, for instance.

At another point in the match, I was serving. I thought for sure my first serve was long. As the returner was returning, I glanced at her partner to see if she was calling it out. Her method of calling balls out was -- I am not making this up -- to raise her thumb off of her racket. That's it, a thumb.

I saw her raise her thumb, hesitated, then decided I had better play the ball just in case I had misread a thumb twitch for a thumb call. I missed the approach volley into the net. I looked at her and mouthed/screamed, "Did you call that out?" She mouthed/screamed, "Um, yeah, well, sort of. I did call it long, but then I saw everyone was going to play so I figured I'd just let it go. Take one." [This exchange has been condensed for your reading enjoyment, because there was a lot of "Huh?" and "What did you say?" interspersed throughout.]

So I mouthed/screamed, "Shouldn't it be a first serve on account of the delay?" She agreed, and we played on without incident.

It was weird not being able to communicate because of all the noise. The odd thing was that we only had one scoring mix-up, which we easily resolved once we all huddled at the net and could hear one another. You'd think there would have been a ton of scoring issues with the players unable to hear one another.

 

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

hey, Jc4.0, why so much hate? What has everyone's favourite 3.5 ever done to you???

 

[Steady Eddy]

Just be glad the serve didn't hit you. Tennis, esp doubles, reminds me alot of driving, of all things. Somebody might look right at you, but not see you, so don't assume anything. What's going on in their head? I'm afraid I'll never understand.

 

[Taxvictim]

It's getting weird in here.

As for the OP, what you described is called a "double fault." I have no idea why they gave your partner another serve unless they thought their own actions had hindered the server during the last part of her service motion. Still, in friendly tennis I could see them giving a let.

 

[sureshs]

I was playing a 4.0 match in a noisy bubble with a motorcycle convention (of all things!) going on outside.

Were there plenty of manly "motorcycle chicks"?

 

[Cindysphinx]

Nah, we couldn't see the motorcycles. Every year, there is some huge motorcycle event (called "Rolling Thunder"?). I guess they were rolling through that part of town during our match. One at a time, apparently . . .

 

[jc4.0]

There is always noise where I play, because it's outside. Sirens, cranes, sand-blasting painters, flocks of parrots, etc. Plus three of our courts border on the "water plant" which has daily noise of its own depending on time of day. Our clay courts are also constantly being maintained by heavy equipment causing noise and choking dust; 12 of them are clay.

When it gets too loud, we resort to hand signals. It's annoying, but do-able. And you know what? It teaches you better concentration.

 

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

Were there plenty of manly "motorcycle chicks"?

At 'Rolling Thunder'? Does Sarah Palin count? :???: