Score this crazy tennis shot!
June 5, 2007 9:32 PM Subscribe
Tennisfilter: How would you score this crazy shot?
Tonight, I was playing tennis with a friend when I hit one of those shots that I will most likely never hit again in my life and neither of us knew of course how to score it.
On the play, I mis-timed an overhead slam near the net, hitting what was probably only about 1/16th inch of the underside of the ball. It had enough forward momentum to land about four feet on my opponents side of the net, but had so much backspin that it actually bounced back over the net onto my side of the court off the first bounce. My opponent was nowhere near this shot and had no chance to even touch it.
He argued that it was his point since the ball landed on my side. I argued that it was mine since it had actually hit his side and he had no play on it. Which one of us is right?
Tonight, I was playing tennis with a friend when I hit one of those shots that I will most likely never hit again in my life and neither of us knew of course how to score it.
On the play, I mis-timed an overhead slam near the net, hitting what was probably only about 1/16th inch of the underside of the ball. It had enough forward momentum to land about four feet on my opponents side of the net, but had so much backspin that it actually bounced back over the net onto my side of the court off the first bounce. My opponent was nowhere near this shot and had no chance to even touch it.
He argued that it was his point since the ball landed on my side. I argued that it was mine since it had actually hit his side and he had no play on it. Which one of us is right?
It's your point. the ball went over to his side, and he didn't hit it back.
posted by unexpected at 9:42 PM on June 5, 2007
posted by unexpected at 9:42 PM on June 5, 2007
The relevant rule of the ITF Tennis Rules 2007 is this one:
There is an explicit description of how he could have successfully returned the ball in this rule:
posted by robcorr at 9:50 PM on June 5, 2007
24. PLAYER LOSES POINTIt bounced twice consecutively, and he didn't return it. Your point.
The point is lost if:
... b. The player does not return the ball in play before it bounces twice consecutively; ...
There is an explicit description of how he could have successfully returned the ball in this rule:
25. A GOOD RETURNSo that's what he should have done. He didn't. Your point.
It is a good return if:
... b. After the ball in play has hit the ground within the correct court and has spun or been blown back over the net, the player reaches over the net and plays the ball into the correct court, provided that the player does not break Rule24; ...
posted by robcorr at 9:50 PM on June 5, 2007
Robcorr has it ... but ask your opponent to imagine what the result would have been if you had fully connected with your smash and the ball had bounced completely out of the court and over a fence. Essentially the same situation -- an unreturnable shot. Your point.
posted by frogan at 10:20 PM on June 5, 2007
posted by frogan at 10:20 PM on June 5, 2007
Your point. I had (and sometimes still have) a wicked spin. That's a shot that I actually practiced (ages ago) when I was playing on a league. It only worked a few times. But it resulted in some points won even if the ball didn't come all the way back over.
You should have told them you planned it.
posted by The Deej at 10:51 PM on June 5, 2007
You should have told them you planned it.
posted by The Deej at 10:51 PM on June 5, 2007
Yes. Yours. It doesn't matter where the ball goes after it has bounced once, as long as your opponent hits it before it bounces again to keep it in play. That can mean a ball that bounces over the alley is still in play, a ball that flies 20 feet into the air is still in play, and a ball that spins back over the net is in play.
Claiming it isn't fair because your opponent can't cross the net to hit the ball is equivalent to complaining that a shot hit too high and deep isn't fair because of the pesky fence or bleachers that prevent him/her from returning the shot.
posted by yellowcandy at 12:23 AM on June 6, 2007
Claiming it isn't fair because your opponent can't cross the net to hit the ball is equivalent to complaining that a shot hit too high and deep isn't fair because of the pesky fence or bleachers that prevent him/her from returning the shot.
posted by yellowcandy at 12:23 AM on June 6, 2007
I actually just saw this happen last week at the French Open. Nadal hit this drop shot with a massive amount of spin, and enough power, that it actually bounced back over to his side of the net. His opponent (Montanes) lost the point. robcarr points out the rule.
posted by meerkatty at 1:32 AM on June 6, 2007
posted by meerkatty at 1:32 AM on June 6, 2007
Your point.
I use to practice this shot as well, but not for it to come over the net, but for the drop shot to have such pronounced spin that it would bounce and then go into the net.
You only get a chance to use it once in a blue moon, but when you do, it's rather funny.
However, I actually prefer the sideways spin. You can put very little forward motion onto the ball and a truly absurd amount of sidespin. It was fun watching ranked college players actually swing with full forehand force and hit nothing but air as my ridiculous sidespin ball bounced sideways and outside the edge of their racquet.
I actually had a foreign player approach me at the net and accuse me of cheating by doing this. He was angry after I returned a very soft shot to him with pronounced spin, and as he sat up to return it, it bounced and actually bounced into his chest, and he started swatting at it like it was a bumblebee or something. It was worth the angry finger-pointing.
In actual play it has little value, and is a novelty, but if you are playing someone who works the lines surgically, adding a little sidespin can cause the person to contact the ball at a different time and place than they intended, making balls go out that otherwise would have stayed in.
posted by Ynoxas at 2:01 PM on June 7, 2007
I use to practice this shot as well, but not for it to come over the net, but for the drop shot to have such pronounced spin that it would bounce and then go into the net.
You only get a chance to use it once in a blue moon, but when you do, it's rather funny.
However, I actually prefer the sideways spin. You can put very little forward motion onto the ball and a truly absurd amount of sidespin. It was fun watching ranked college players actually swing with full forehand force and hit nothing but air as my ridiculous sidespin ball bounced sideways and outside the edge of their racquet.
I actually had a foreign player approach me at the net and accuse me of cheating by doing this. He was angry after I returned a very soft shot to him with pronounced spin, and as he sat up to return it, it bounced and actually bounced into his chest, and he started swatting at it like it was a bumblebee or something. It was worth the angry finger-pointing.
In actual play it has little value, and is a novelty, but if you are playing someone who works the lines surgically, adding a little sidespin can cause the person to contact the ball at a different time and place than they intended, making balls go out that otherwise would have stayed in.
posted by Ynoxas at 2:01 PM on June 7, 2007
Ynoxas, good comment. I've had cries of "no fair" as well. Even when I was a pretty good player, I was never good at speed and accuracy, so I got most of my winners by spinning and slicing the hell out of the ball. Even an occasional ace against far stronger players by back-spinning the serve and hitting it short. It was fun to have them play close next time, then hit a hard serve near their feet.
Dang, this thread makes me want to get on the court! There are 10 courts at the high school across the street from my apartment, but my doc says no tennis this year due to severe tennis elbow.
:: looking for my xbox Virtua Tennis game ::
posted by The Deej at 3:27 PM on June 7, 2007
Dang, this thread makes me want to get on the court! There are 10 courts at the high school across the street from my apartment, but my doc says no tennis this year due to severe tennis elbow.
:: looking for my xbox Virtua Tennis game ::
posted by The Deej at 3:27 PM on June 7, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by LoriFLA at 9:34 PM on June 5, 2007