Will line calling technology ameliorate hooking in USTA matches?

Aurellian

Semi-Pro
I have seen more of this than I have blatant cheating, but I have definitely seen both.

I also run I to the problem that a lot of middle aged and older guys at 3.5/4.0 aren't used to fast, spinny, serves:
Had a dubs line recently where one of the guys called 2 serves that were on or just inside the line out. Questionable but I'm used to that and gave him the benefit he just wasn't used to the pace. Then get to deuce (no ad scoring) and calls a ball out that was 2ft inside the line on a kick serve.



Agreed--if you are a big hitter and fast server your game is more impacted than a pusher type. I also think that big hitters are more likely to be basket cases and more prone to bad calls impacting their psyche.
 

chic

Hall of Fame
Agreed--if you are a big hitter and fast server your game is more impacted than a pusher type. I also think that big hitters are more likely to be basket cases and more prone to bad calls impacting their psyche.
Yeah I've never been a rager but have a history of basket-case-ism that I've only been getting past in the past 2-3 years.

But even a mentally solid big hitter it gets to you because you have to shore in your shots and serves which then pushes you into a less aggressive game.

I have a pretty strict 'if I'm not having fun no one gets to have fun' policy nowadays though.
Hook me like that the next game is all underhand serves and lobs (which I did in the aforementioned match, luckily my partner was down for my petty).
 

Creighton

Professional
You state it perfectly!!

Notice, what really concerns you isn't losing a point. It's not allowing someone to take advantage of you all that goes along with that. Being perceived as weak, having to bear an "injustice", etc.

Clearly while driving, nobody really cares about the loss of a few seconds by someone else "getting in front of them". And nobody really cares about the loss of the actual single point itself.

If we put it in "rhetoric" terms, we'd look at the 3 parts of rhetoric. Speaker, Audience and Argument. I focus on the argument. I don't really care how the audience perceives me. And the argument (loss of a single point), is irrelevant. I also don't concern myself with the illusion of perfect justice. I'm OK with there being injustice in the world, even if I'm the one whose being cheated. Especially if I'm being cheated out of something of almost no real value.

You’re not focusing on anything, you’re just victim blaming. It’s such a weird stance.

The loss of a point is the issue. You can’t just ignore that. Every stolen point requires two additional points to make up for it. That’s a significant penalty in tennis.
 

Aurellian

Semi-Pro
You’re not focusing on anything, you’re just victim blaming. It’s such a weird stance.

The loss of a point is the issue. You can’t just ignore that. Every stolen point requires two additional points to make up for it. That’s a significant penalty in tennis.
!
 
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Aurellian

Semi-Pro
Yeah I've never been a rager but have a history of basket-case-ism that I've only been getting past in the past 2-3 years.

But even a mentally solid big hitter it gets to you because you have to shore in your shots and serves which then pushes you into a less aggressive game.

I have a pretty strict 'if I'm not having fun no one gets to have fun' policy nowadays though.
Hook me like that the next game is all underhand serves and lobs (which I did in the aforementioned match, luckily my partner was down for my petty).
Yes, it makes you change your game and play down a level.
 

Creighton

Professional
What are you ranting about? I proposed a technical solution to a problem that plagues the game. It matters more to some than to others. If it doesn't matter to you then no need to comment. The notion of victimhood implies helplessness; that mantra is nowhere found in my post (or person.) Thank you very much.

What? I quoted another poster unless you two are the same person.
 

Chalkdust

Professional
If you dont trust your opponent to bring an honest line calling machine (like he reprogrammed it to give faulty scores that just barely favor him) how can you trust your opponent to call lines? I trust a machine more than a 40 year old dude with glasses 30 feet away from a ball.
To be clear, personally I would have no problem using a line calling device brought by an opponent.
I was describing why you cannot mandate that if one person brings it, they have the right to use it without needing the opponent to agree.

For example one might argue:
If an opponent is intentionally hooking on line calls, I can call him out on it, or at least know that he is a scumbag.
If the machine is making calls unfavorable to me (perhaps opponent set it up such that the court is 'larger' on one side vs the other, and flips it around on change of ends), then this is much more insidious.
 

Aurellian

Semi-Pro
To be clear, personally I would have no problem using a line calling device brought by an opponent.
I was describing why you cannot mandate that if one person brings it, they have the right to use it without needing the opponent to agree.

For example one might argue:
If an opponent is intentionally hooking on line calls, I can call him out on it, or at least know that he is a scumbag.
If the machine is making calls unfavorable to me (perhaps opponent set it up such that the court is 'larger' on one side vs the other, and flips it around on change of ends), then this is much more insidious.
Your proposition is nuts: someone is going to program hawkyeye to cheat for them...and it's going to do it at the best time for the master cheater....really...are you serious?
 

chic

Hall of Fame
Your proposition is nuts: someone is going to program hawkyeye to cheat for them...and it's going to do it at the best time for the master cheater....really...are you serious?
Im pro machines being match allowed. But you're being disingenuous here.

All these systems are going to (probably) be calibrated to the lines of the court since most courts have some slants, imperfect net posts, thicker or thinner lines, etc.

If only one person knows how to calibrate the system and can figure out how to spoof it so the lines are slightly off then they can gain the same advantages as they would by hooking close shots (assuming they hit conservatively by default)
 

Chalkdust

Professional
Your proposition is nuts: someone is going to program hawkyeye to cheat for them...and it's going to do it at the best time for the master cheater....really...are you serious?
Your lucid argument has convinced me, looking forward to hearing about your undoubtedly similarly successful interaction with USTA.
 

Aurellian

Semi-Pro
Im pro machines being match allowed. But you're being disingenuous here.

All these systems are going to (probably) be calibrated to the lines of the court since most courts have some slants, imperfect net posts, thicker or thinner lines, etc.

If only one person knows how to calibrate the system and can figure out how to spoof it so the lines are slightly off then they can gain the same advantages as they would by hooking close shots (assuming they hit conservatively by default)
How about learning some vodoo and casting a spell on your opponent to make any shots within four inches on the line go out! Back to reality, people do not want to cheat, people accept that there will be bad calls occasionally, what we seek to mitigate are the humans hooking each other by inadvertently giving themselves the benefit of the doubt in crucial moments.

Also if you were to "spoof the lines" by nefarious programming the handicap would be universally applied as players switch sides during a match!

How many people are that rotten and that technically capable?
 
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Aurellian

Semi-Pro
Your lucid argument has convinced me, looking forward to hearing about your undoubtedly similarly successful interaction with USTA.
Thanks, all you can use is logic. Some people don't have much of it, but I work with Engineers translating customer requirements to them so it's a skill that I have acquired. It's more about communicating the problem, identifying the solution, and not getting distracted by every little dependency unless its critical path.

I do agree that getting the USTA to buy in will be an important milestone!
 

chic

Hall of Fame
The idea that someone would and could manipulate these machines to cheat is ludicrous.
If players self calibrate it could be trivial depending how they process works.

The likelihood they would is probably low but I'm sure it would happen if only one guy knows how it works.
How about learning some vodoo and casting a spell on your opponent to make any shots within four inches on the line go out! Back to reality, people do not want to cheat, people accept that there will be bad calls occasionally, what we seek to mitigate are the humans hooking each other by inadvertently giving themselves the benefit of the doubt in crucial moments.

Also if you were to "spoof the lines" by nefarious programming the handicap would be universally applied as players switch sides during a match!

How many people are that rotten and that technically capable?
The technical capability would/could be low for a calibration spoof – there's no programming involved.
How doable it is just depends on what the system will have the user verify at setup.

It would affect both sides or at least both players when they switch, yes. That can be true of normal hooking too which is why most people who hook a lot and intentionally hit with big margin
 

penpal

Semi-Pro
My interest in the line-calling machines doesn't really have much to do with cheating. Like many have stated, I agree that most players don't intentionally make bad line calls, and the bad calls that are inevitably made don't typically impact the outcome of a match.

Still, I think line-calling machines can fundamentally improve the sport if for no other reason than it removes the psychological fatigue that comes with being required to make line calls and allows for better concentration/focus on the actual playing of the ball and less hyper attention to where the ball hits the ground with respect to a line. If I'm playing every ball unless/until I hear an audible signal of some sort, that frees me up mentally to focus completely on my planned shot. No more thought processes like, "He's coming in, I should go shallow cross. It's going to drop close, might be going out. Keep feet moving just in case. That was close, I think it might have been a little wide. I should just play it, too close to say for sure. Shallow cross." - all thoughts passing through my head in about a second of actual time.

With a line-calling machine those thoughts are reduced to, "He's coming in, I should go shallow cross. Shallow cross."

Not to mention, no more worrying about how this player or that will react to your calls, and how much confrontation will be required as a result.
 

Aurellian

Semi-Pro
If players self calibrate it could be trivial depending how they process works.

The likelihood they would is probably low but I'm sure it would happen if only one guy knows how it works.

The technical capability would/could be low for a calibration spoof – there's no programming involved.
How doable it is just depends on what the system will have the user verify at setup.

It would affect both sides or at least both players when they switch, yes. That can be true of normal hooking too which is why most people who hook a lot and intentionally hit with big margin
I am sorry but your posts are bordering on the absurd. Drop it. I don't doubt that all matter of nefariousness is technically possible. Capability, intent, and resources...sure....but, again, 99% of people are not seeking to spoof a line call machine for a USTA match.

The value add is unbiased line calling that allows all players to play freerer.
 

chic

Hall of Fame
My interest in the line-calling machines doesn't really have much to do with cheating. Like many have stated, I agree that most players don't intentionally make bad line calls, and the bad calls that are inevitably made don't typically impact the outcome of a match.

Still, I think line-calling machines can fundamentally improve the sport if for no other reason than it removes the psychological fatigue that comes with being required to make line calls and allows for better concentration/focus on the actual playing of the ball and less hyper attention to where the ball hits the ground with respect to a line. If I'm playing every ball unless/until I hear an audible signal of some sort, that frees me up mentally to focus completely on my planned shot. No more thought processes like, "He's coming in, I should go shallow cross. It's going to drop close, might be going out. Keep feet moving just in case. That was close, I think it might have been a little wide. I should just play it, too close to say for sure. Shallow cross." - all thoughts passing through my head in about a second of actual time.

With a line-calling machine those thoughts are reduced to, "He's coming in, I should go shallow cross. Shallow cross."

Not to mention, no more worrying about how this player or that will react to your calls, and how much confrontation will be required as a result.
Oh yeah absolutely I'm all for the legalization and usage of them.

But my concerns vs the USTAs are different lol.
I'll take steps to know how it works if for no other reason I'm in a sensing tangential industry and a nerd so the tech is cool. This also protects me from the n=small number of people who would bother cheating in this manner.

USTA on the other hand has to deal with what happens when some team tries to take advantage of the systems to try and make it to nationals. If privately owned units are the standard this gets thornier.

Ideally whomever makes whatever units become popular has some calibration routine that is intuitive, quick, and can be observed by the players during setup
 

Aurellian

Semi-Pro
Oh yeah absolutely I'm all for the legalization and usage of them.

But my concerns vs the USTAs are different lol.
I'll take steps to know how it works if for no other reason I'm in a sensing tangential industry and a nerd so the tech is cool. This also protects me from the n=small number of people who would bother cheating in this manner.

USTA on the other hand has to deal with what happens when some team tries to take advantage of the systems to try and make it to nationals. If privately owned units are the standard this gets thornier.

Ideally whomever makes whatever units become popular has some calibration routine that is intuitive, quick, and can be observed by the players during setup
Ok, we are aligned. I agree: need a mutually acceptable calibration protocol.
 
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