Real Tennis Players - Like You! - Asking For, and Offering, Advice on the Sport They Love
Player to Player is USTA.com’s regular feature in which everyday tennis players are given a forum to ask advice on the sport they love – and their fellow players will dish out advice. We’ll post a number of the best responses we receive to our question of the week. Please send any questions you’d like answered, or responses to other player’s questions, to
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This week's question from Charlie in Minnesota. | | "I'm a 3.5-4.0 player and I play in many USTA tournaments both singles and doubles. I usually do pretty well in singles but I always seem to have trouble against players who go to the net on every point. Without ripping a lucky passing shot, what is the best way to combat players like this?" | Please share your advice with Charlie by emailing Player@USTA.com and include your name and hometown.
Got a question of your own? Send that along, too! | |
READ OTHER PLAYERS' ADVICE
Last week’s question from TM in Los Angeles, CA
(Please note: There's no need to send additional responses to this question)"I'm a senior captain on a top-ranked high school tennis team, with several nationally-ranked players. A good, but not great, freshman is coming onto the team who is a well-known cheater. Mostly, she just cheats about line calls, which isn't an unusual problem, but she does it a lot! My teammates are worried that she will cause our team's reputation to suffer. What should I do and what should our coach do?"
PLAYER RESPONSES
From Calvin, Los Angeles, CA
There are many ways to let this player know that you're on to them. But first, do you need this person on your team? I had to turn down a so-called friend of mine in Fall-Doubles; there were issues between her and other members and she joined last. Here are a few tests: put a few balls along the baseline (5 or 6) and have a group, with this player in it, write down what they think about each ball (in or out). Another is to start having line-callers for your practice matches also call all out balls when rallying. The point is to point it out to the person and ask them to work on it.
From Ron H., Wilmington, NC
The reputation of questionable line calls should be addressed with the up-coming freshman. However, in fairness to this person the “cheat” label should not be used. At this point you do not know if the rumor is resentment from losing opponents, a question of eyesight (which should be checked), or true. The approach should be handled delicately, but warrants consideration for the good of the team. The Code embodies honesty and fair play. Its application by the individual player affects the person and impacts the team.
The loss of a game does not compare with the loss of one’s reputation and as a result, the reputation of the team would be “on the line.”
From Dick B., Morrisville, VT
It should take place during practice. The coach during the first meeting should go over the dos & don'ts of his/her expectations for the season and good sportsmanship should be discussed. It is not proper to call balls out that are in fact in as this is not the way to win. I always tell my players that if you feel that someone is cheating you, make sure. The first call could have been an accident. The second, well now it might be developing a pattern\. On the 3rd call, call the player to the net and tell him/her that you are not really seeing the ball as good as you should today and that you really feel obligated that if you make another bad call that you should call for a line judge. This has put your opponent on notice that you feel they are cheating and that if they continue you will call for a line judge, without directly telling them that you feel they are cheating.
From Christopher W., Seattle, WA
Because you are dealing with an incoming freshman, you are in an exceptionally good position to lick this problem and help your new teammate mature at the same time. Without saying a word about her reputation, you can advise this freshman as a mentor and teammate that in high school it's important for her to be scrupulously fair, even generous, on line calls. You can tell her that your entire team tries to be fair if not generous, so that the team is respected and opponents tend to reciprocate and make fewer bad calls against your team. You can point out that the advantage of a generous approach is that all players feel better about themselves as people, are that much happier, and play with more confidence and better results overall. (If she asks you whether she has a reputation for bad calls, you can be candid, but point out that she is in a great position to build a good reputation in high school that will quickly bury the old one. You are in a better position than your coach to tell the incoming freshman that you are concerned for HER. Do not make it a team issue. It's not yet a team problem, and you don't want to create a rift between her and others by putting her on the defensive and making her feel like an outsider at the start of her high school experience. But it already is an individual problem, and you can help this freshman. If she dwells on it, emphasize that her prior reputation will soon be history, because you have confidence in her that she will be a team player and take the generous approach.) At this point in her life, it is very important for this freshman to "fit in." You have a great opportunity to use this for the benefit of all concerned. Stick with the positive. Explain the benefits of being a generous line caller as if she were in complete agreement with you, so that she will feel accepted by you and feel a part of the team as you make your point. After all, she has yet to make a bad call in a high school match.
Your coach can give this same advice generically to the whole team at an early practice. It helps for all to hear it, and will confirm your advice. You and the coach can build a team culture that represents one of the best attributes of tennis -- building the integrity that is a platform for self-respect. This leads to better social relationships and professional success as well. Keep the advice positive. For your coach, this is a "must." If you know that some player on another team will be discussed by your teammates for dishonest line calling, and feel compelled as a fellow player to use a negative example to make your point to this freshman, refer to the player on the other team who is not respected because of her tendency to make bad calls that are always in her favor. Then confirm that such behavior is not acceptable on your team, where integrity is paramount, so teammates all respect each other. Think of this problem as being analagous to making a tough line call. Give her the benefit of the doubt and be generous. She'll probably reciprocate.
*Please note that any advice given out in this forum should in no way be confused with actual medical advice. Before starting any new exercise regimen or altering your existing one, we strongly urge you to consult with your regular physician.
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