In that sort of situation, I take the offer, but as a way to return the courtesy, serve a second not a first. I just use it as a way to get a second shot at a second in case the delay causes me to miss the second.
Worst Tennis Etiquette EVER
- Thread starter redrealist
- Start date
This sounds like a you problem :shrug: it's very common to not be able to stop your swing calling A close serve and put it back on the other side. Even if he was just trying to hit it back to you and mistimed that's still a very common occurrence.
You should stick to your guns on#1 and I can see why him interrupting the point over the puddle thing would be annoying, but overall you seen very heated about some very little things.
The tiebreaker ish was the only really egregious thing. The more you post on here the more it sounds like the major takeaway isn't a seedy opponent, but that you need to work on your mentality.
Not mental toughness, just hold the line on what's correct.
r2473
G.O.A.T.
I agree. All of this is just normal for park play in a tennis ladder with a guy you don’t know.
Rules are a funny thing. Most of us break them or try to take advantage of them when it’s convenient for us to do so, but get annoyed when others do it.
Moveforwardalways
Hall of Fame
#3 - There is no such thing as “breaking a rhythm”. Go clear the ball and hit your second serve.
FuzzyYellowBalls
Legend
Perhaps worse:
Mixed doubles match, not important to win really, so that's why it's not worse than your ladder match and definitely not worse than Mr. Cool vs. Mr. Lefty fiasco (although I am glad that worked itself out in strange way).
So, playing an away match and I think I'm the best player on the court, but my partner, I do admire her tenacity, isn't that good and is fresh off a very serious surgery a week before, she just happens to be the athletic type and has the willpower and guts to be playing. We lose 6-2 first set. So I tell her, I'm going to go full (insert my name) mode and just go with me here, we aren't going to lose this second set like the first. The opponents very nice, very chatty now that they won a set, but too comfortable, so I needed to shake things up. We got a lucky miracle break the first game and then it was my serve. We went up 40-15. I let it go to deuce and told everyone on the court "I want to see if we can get to 10 deuces, but I need everyone else to help me out, let's do it". So I served good and bad, bad and good, whatever was necessary to get back to deuce depending on who had the "advantage". We got to 8 deuces before we accidentally won. It worked better on the guy, I could tell he was not comfortable with my "game" within a game and the teammates watching him, I dunno, it's so easy to disrupt men, they take it so seriously.
So, yeah, I'm not the bad one, although I know people will think I was being silly. Let's move to game 3, we are up 2-0 and we have no reason to be really. First point, serve to me, it's out, by a few inches, but it's gonna hit the fence and roll back on me, so I turn and deal with it. I return to my place and await a second serve, but, the opponents are headed to the ad side position. I ask, what's up, that serve was out? I had un-nerved them so badly, the guy responded "Yes, we know that serve was out, but because you didn't signal or say anything, we're taking the point". Ahaha, I can't believe my ability to control a match mentally, it's shocking. So, I asked them ok, have you ever done this before or seen this done before in a match? They didn't have an answer, I also asked their teammates if they had ever seen their friends behave this way, they had no answer. From then on I very loudly yelled out anytime a ball was out or hit the net, it was fun. They got another 2 game lead in that 2nd set and I suppose felt comfortable enough to apologize for their behavior earlier on the serve non-call or they got tired of me loudly calling out balls.
We lost in a 3rd set tie break, but the experiment did get the opponents off their game for a little bit, long enough to almost pull off a miracle.
Mixed doubles match, not important to win really, so that's why it's not worse than your ladder match and definitely not worse than Mr. Cool vs. Mr. Lefty fiasco (although I am glad that worked itself out in strange way).
So, playing an away match and I think I'm the best player on the court, but my partner, I do admire her tenacity, isn't that good and is fresh off a very serious surgery a week before, she just happens to be the athletic type and has the willpower and guts to be playing. We lose 6-2 first set. So I tell her, I'm going to go full (insert my name) mode and just go with me here, we aren't going to lose this second set like the first. The opponents very nice, very chatty now that they won a set, but too comfortable, so I needed to shake things up. We got a lucky miracle break the first game and then it was my serve. We went up 40-15. I let it go to deuce and told everyone on the court "I want to see if we can get to 10 deuces, but I need everyone else to help me out, let's do it". So I served good and bad, bad and good, whatever was necessary to get back to deuce depending on who had the "advantage". We got to 8 deuces before we accidentally won. It worked better on the guy, I could tell he was not comfortable with my "game" within a game and the teammates watching him, I dunno, it's so easy to disrupt men, they take it so seriously.
So, yeah, I'm not the bad one, although I know people will think I was being silly. Let's move to game 3, we are up 2-0 and we have no reason to be really. First point, serve to me, it's out, by a few inches, but it's gonna hit the fence and roll back on me, so I turn and deal with it. I return to my place and await a second serve, but, the opponents are headed to the ad side position. I ask, what's up, that serve was out? I had un-nerved them so badly, the guy responded "Yes, we know that serve was out, but because you didn't signal or say anything, we're taking the point". Ahaha, I can't believe my ability to control a match mentally, it's shocking. So, I asked them ok, have you ever done this before or seen this done before in a match? They didn't have an answer, I also asked their teammates if they had ever seen their friends behave this way, they had no answer. From then on I very loudly yelled out anytime a ball was out or hit the net, it was fun. They got another 2 game lead in that 2nd set and I suppose felt comfortable enough to apologize for their behavior earlier on the serve non-call or they got tired of me loudly calling out balls.
We lost in a 3rd set tie break, but the experiment did get the opponents off their game for a little bit, long enough to almost pull off a miracle.
rogerroger917
Hall of Fame
Lol. I'm actually helping you. Ask any reputable coach. They will tell you the same thing. Not go write an essay about it.
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WilPro
Semi-Pro
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
I don't see what the problem is.
The Code tell us what proper etiquette is. In most of these situations, you were not playing by The Code.
Whether his shot was in or out was your call. When you didn't stick by your original call, you indicated doubt and accepted his call. Can't complain about it now.
On the various instances where you wanted a first serve, unless he caused the delay it is his decision.
On the one ball where you had to clear a ball because he hit a fault . . . that is normal and not a basis for a first serve. Now, if he was habitually returning Obviously Out Serves, you could speak to him about it. But it doesn't seem any of that happened.
On the error in service order . . . well, if it mattered so much you shouldn't have lost track of the service order. All points played in good faith stand, so you can't undo the error.
Read the Code, follow the Code. You'll be fine.
The Code tell us what proper etiquette is. In most of these situations, you were not playing by The Code.
Whether his shot was in or out was your call. When you didn't stick by your original call, you indicated doubt and accepted his call. Can't complain about it now.
On the various instances where you wanted a first serve, unless he caused the delay it is his decision.
On the one ball where you had to clear a ball because he hit a fault . . . that is normal and not a basis for a first serve. Now, if he was habitually returning Obviously Out Serves, you could speak to him about it. But it doesn't seem any of that happened.
On the error in service order . . . well, if it mattered so much you shouldn't have lost track of the service order. All points played in good faith stand, so you can't undo the error.
Read the Code, follow the Code. You'll be fine.
Some people just suck the joy out of tennis. So after playing tennis for about 45 years, I think the best course of action is to live and learn. Now you know not to play with that guy anymore. Or if you must play with him, then consider it a time to work on your strokes and you serve, don’t care too much about the score so it doesn’t get under your skin.
OnTheLine
Hall of Fame
Sounds like the guy was pretty irritating ... but definitely you were trying to "get along" all too much .... an opponent may not overrule your call. Stand by it unless you were indeed uncertain .... the rest is basically just irritating. And any point played in good faith stands, even if the wrong person served, or from the wrong side.
Played a league match yesterday with someone I would prefer to avoid. I had played her several times before and hoped she had reformed. She had not. Absolute cheater line calls ... terrible. Lots of gamesmanship ... like making this very loud hissing sound just as you are about to hit the ball, when her partner is receiving serve, stands on serviceline close to the center waiving her racket around .... claiming she is "stretching" but funny, doesn't need to stretch when her partner is serving. On her serves kept getting score "wrong" in her favor and then arguing it. Would argue about the score when we called it.
Kept telling myself and my partner to stop playing against the personality, play the ball. Sometimes that is not so easy.
lost the first set ugly on the scoreline ... but remarkably on nearly every game point (lots of deuce games) balls near the line were called "out" some flagrantly.
I called her on the waiving arm thing and she did stop doing that.
Caught a ball midair while calling hindrance with her hissing after warning her on a prior instance
Her partner overturned 2 of her bad line calls ... both on game points .. I respect her partner.
Enjoyed hitting her on two overheads ... once very hard and point blank range (yeah, it felt good, should feel remorse but don't)
Won the 2nd and the super tb.
Played a league match yesterday with someone I would prefer to avoid. I had played her several times before and hoped she had reformed. She had not. Absolute cheater line calls ... terrible. Lots of gamesmanship ... like making this very loud hissing sound just as you are about to hit the ball, when her partner is receiving serve, stands on serviceline close to the center waiving her racket around .... claiming she is "stretching" but funny, doesn't need to stretch when her partner is serving. On her serves kept getting score "wrong" in her favor and then arguing it. Would argue about the score when we called it.
Kept telling myself and my partner to stop playing against the personality, play the ball. Sometimes that is not so easy.
lost the first set ugly on the scoreline ... but remarkably on nearly every game point (lots of deuce games) balls near the line were called "out" some flagrantly.
I called her on the waiving arm thing and she did stop doing that.
Caught a ball midair while calling hindrance with her hissing after warning her on a prior instance
Her partner overturned 2 of her bad line calls ... both on game points .. I respect her partner.
Enjoyed hitting her on two overheads ... once very hard and point blank range (yeah, it felt good, should feel remorse but don't)
Won the 2nd and the super tb.
mucat
Hall of Fame
That's not acceptable. You shouldn't smash hard at her once, should be both time. Ok, I am going to hell.
Jack the Hack
Hall of Fame
They say the best way to deal with a jerk opponent is to just shut up and win. However, I say the best way is to nail them with an overhead (twice!) and then win the match. Well done!
PrinceMoron
Legend
You need to keep something like a Prince Thunderstick in your bag. And maybe a few Tretorn X balls - the pressureless type.
Wilson Profile sounds better but the Thunderstick will make all your pain go away. Offer your opponent some arnica gel for the bruising. Only polite to do so,
Wilson Profile sounds better but the Thunderstick will make all your pain go away. Offer your opponent some arnica gel for the bruising. Only polite to do so,
It's not that cut and dry. I fire a serve that is clearly out, receiver doesn't touch it, and it bounces back into the court, I am not even thinking about wanting a first serve.
I fire a serve that is clearly out, receiver sends it back to my side, and it bounces back into the court and I have to clear the ball.... I might let one go, I'm saying something the second time. If you didn't cause the delay, then no a first serve is not in order. But if you did....
TagUrIt
Hall of Fame
You cannot reason with an unreasonable person and you can’t be rational with an irrational person. I agree with you and everyone else here that first call he made on your side of the court set the tone of the match. I’m all for giving my opponent the benefit of the doubt on a call(especially if I’m not sure), but I’ll be dammed if their going to tell me what the call was on my side of the court. Once you let that go he continued to bully and behave however he pleased.
I don’t agree with packing up and leaving though, you’re forfeiting and basically giving in to him. I’m a 100% sure this is not the first time he has behaved this way. People like that need to beaten and out in their place. He uses horrible sportsmanship as a tactic and mental sabotage to win. The best thing you could have done was win the match and refuse to shake his hand at the end.
I don’t agree with packing up and leaving though, you’re forfeiting and basically giving in to him. I’m a 100% sure this is not the first time he has behaved this way. People like that need to beaten and out in their place. He uses horrible sportsmanship as a tactic and mental sabotage to win. The best thing you could have done was win the match and refuse to shake his hand at the end.
TTMR
Hall of Fame
A situation like yours happened to me in the past, and ever since then what I've done is announce before every match that I am something of a Player/Referee. I will respect your call or interpretation of the rules as long as it's reasonable, but ultimately I am the final authority on scoring and matchplay. If you don't like it, you're always free to go home. Never had a problem since I started doing that.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
Wow, you lecture strangers at the beginning of a match, and they’re not rolling their eyes at you?
heftylefty
Hall of Fame
Some here think being a jerk is a badge of honor. It is not reasonable expect the server to have eyes in the back of their head to see if the ball is still rolling.
kylebarendrick
Professional
I have always taken the rule from the code to "not return obviously out serves" along the lines that if the serve is obviously out enough to avoid returning it, then you are expected not to return it. If you return an obviously out serve (and that is always in the eye of the beholder) and it creates an extended delay, then you should offer a first serve.
That said, it is completely common for a player to call a serve out while hitting their return and for that ball to roll onto the server's court requiring it to be cleared by the server. That does NOT warrant a first serve. It is just part of tennis without ball kids. Sorry.
That said, it is completely common for a player to call a serve out while hitting their return and for that ball to roll onto the server's court requiring it to be cleared by the server. That does NOT warrant a first serve. It is just part of tennis without ball kids. Sorry.
rogerroger917
Hall of Fame
I tell the opponent that I decide the results of the match regardless of score.
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TTMR
Hall of Fame
Well it's important not to be too extreme about things. Nothing good ever comes from zealotry.
A good solution for both you and your opponent would be to submit the results to the Central Committee. They will determine the outcome of the match regardless of the score. Of course it often takes them several months to render a verdict, so it is not for the hasty or improvident, but their judgment is never in doubt.
There are really actual players that defend OP here and think that it is OP's opponent that is an a***********?? Let's recap:
1. OP makes a very questionable call, gets called on it, and reverses his call. Never seen anyone reverse a call one is 100% sure of. Safe to say the ball was indeed in. +1 for OP's opponent.
2. OP decides to cleverly create an artificial delay before his 2nd serve in hope to get another first serve. Opponent has none of it, as he shouldn't have. OP is ****** for some reason. +2 for OP's opponent.
3. Same as above. +3 for OP's opponent.
4. Opponent correctly points out there should be no yelling while the point is in progress while the ball is coming towards him. He does not even insists on taking a point, just reminds OP what the rule is. OP is ****** for some reason. +4 for OP's opponent.
5. that is beyond believe. OP's opponent has the gall to not give up a point he rightfully won. OP makes some very convoluted story about delays, walking around, forgetfulness, etc. He also picks up his stuff and walks away from a match midpoint. Like a 4 year old picking up his toys and moving to a different sandbox because the wind blew a grain of sand into his eye. +5 for OP's opponent, with extra point due to OP not being able to face a proper defeat.
some people....
1. OP makes a very questionable call, gets called on it, and reverses his call. Never seen anyone reverse a call one is 100% sure of. Safe to say the ball was indeed in. +1 for OP's opponent.
2. OP decides to cleverly create an artificial delay before his 2nd serve in hope to get another first serve. Opponent has none of it, as he shouldn't have. OP is ****** for some reason. +2 for OP's opponent.
3. Same as above. +3 for OP's opponent.
4. Opponent correctly points out there should be no yelling while the point is in progress while the ball is coming towards him. He does not even insists on taking a point, just reminds OP what the rule is. OP is ****** for some reason. +4 for OP's opponent.
5. that is beyond believe. OP's opponent has the gall to not give up a point he rightfully won. OP makes some very convoluted story about delays, walking around, forgetfulness, etc. He also picks up his stuff and walks away from a match midpoint. Like a 4 year old picking up his toys and moving to a different sandbox because the wind blew a grain of sand into his eye. +5 for OP's opponent, with extra point due to OP not being able to face a proper defeat.
some people....
rogerroger917
Hall of Fame
Well you are right of course. Lol. But it wouldn't be tw if the OP actually made any sense.
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Flootoo
Semi-Pro
He loves his balls.
TTMR
Hall of Fame
Pardon me? What lecture? It's a simple conveyance of information. No different than a sign on the fence of the court.
Rattler
Hall of Fame
Eh, you were right to pack and leave. Sounds like you were dealing with a tennis jailhouse lawyer. It is supposed to be fun, and I can see where this wouldn’t be. You’ve got to be ina certain headspace to deal with this type, and clearly you knew you were not there, so I find no fault in you walking. In the end, it just doesn’t matter.
Yeah, leaving at the end is really poor form. Also, there were, what, four issues over a couple of hours? Not so bad.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
You are the final authority on scoring and match play? You actually say that with a straight face and people don't fall out laughing?
I guess they're polite enough to turn their back before they laugh.
TTMR
Hall of Fame
Again, prospective opponents are always free to register their objections with my ass.
rogerroger917
Hall of Fame
What happens if the opponent claims the same authority as you?
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TTMR
Hall of Fame
Then I know he's a straight shooter and is on the up and up.
The people you have to watch out for are the limp-wristed pussyfooters. They're the ones who slyly abscond with a point here and there, making a mockery of what was once a gentleman's sport.
rogerroger917
Hall of Fame
So you would allow him to be the final judge/player in all calls? Or do you guys have to play like normal people in this case?
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TTMR
Hall of Fame
chatt_town
Hall of Fame
I've experienced worse, but you have to get people straight right from the get go. You let him f'k you over in your number 1. That is what set the tone. I mean he sounds like an @$$hole, but really several of those he really did nothing wrong persay. I mean the people outside the gate he should've given you two serves. The time he served 3 times you are just as responsible for that happening as he was. I mean I get your point about he set the tone, but again, you allowed him to do things that was against the rules. My biggest pet peeve is players and it's mostly men that do it is scrubbing your feet on the ground to generate noise but not moving to go to another location. So I warn them first then eventually you'll probably get one in the chest. I've had like 4 guys and one woman do it. Two of the guys took one to the chest and the lady also took one to the chest. I missed the last guy that did it just a few weeks ago. I had one that kept doing it so I waited until he was serving to stay in the match and then when he fell behind...and was serving 30-40 I just started jumping up and down and waving my hands while he was hitting a stroke and he hit it right off the fence...game set match...he tried to call a hindrance...but I wasn't having any of it....so he learned his lesson. It is what it is, but you can't let people d*ck you around man. You have to stand up to them at the very beginning of the match. Trust me if you play long enough...you'll run into someone like him again. Just stand up for yourself.
chatt_town
Hall of Fame
See we need to link up and play a couple of Aholes. lol I didn't feel bad either. When they are doing stuff like that and I nail them...I just tell them I thought they were leaving the area as I heard their foot steps. It seems to stop every time especially if you hit them right. lol
Simon_the_furry
Hall of Fame
I honestly feel like if a couple squeaks bother you, that's kind of a you problem.
For me, that's fair game.
I think stuff like that is ok so long as it can be passed off as normal by onlookers. Once it gets too obvious, you're being a jerk. It's a fine line between playing a little mental game and acting unsportsmanlike.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Also, the line is drawn in different places depending on who is involved. Something that player A is oblivious to might cause player B to go nuclear.
Flootoo
Semi-Pro
... and that's when I walked off the court and found an adult to play with. End of story, or it should have been.
Flootoo
Semi-Pro
If they lack self-control and do that, then make them wait till the ball is - in your opinion- safely out of the way. Not ideal.
Moon Shooter
Hall of Fame
This seems to be a matter of local custom. I have only given two or three first serves and have only received one or two. If someone returns one of my first serve faults and it lands somewhere where I feel I need to go pick it up I would never ask for another first serve. That is just not what is done where I play. The serve receiver tries to get back in position quickly but we will often swing at balls that are looking close.
I have to chuckle a bit. If it is a rated match I think that is when you just say "nope that's not how it works" Or at least chuckle and look at him like he must be kidding. If it is just a match for fun then I think it is time to scratch this guy off the list.
Moon Shooter
Hall of Fame
ChaelAZ
G.O.A.T.
I hear horror stories like this, but in my 10+ years of playing I can only recall a half-dozen matches where opponents were bad enough to cause an issue. Sure, there have been more were there was some tension or questionable calls, but even those were still manageable. I guess I have been very lucky in that most guys and other teams are decent fellas/girls and we have a lot of fun overall.
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