WHAKATANE TENNIS CLUB “NETIQUETTE”
Tennis is more fun for everyone when players are polite and use common sense :-) Here are some pointers for members new and old!
1. DRESS APPROPRIATELY
Most sportswear is acceptable. Tennis shoes are a must. Street shoes and black-soled runners are not allowed. Members are not allowed to play shirtless.
Clean and neat is hard to beat!
2. DON’T WALK BEHIND ANOTHER COURT WHEN A POINT IS BEING PLAYED
Wait until the point is over and then pass quickly by at the back of the court, close to the fence, to the next court. If that is not your destination court and a point is in play, repeat the process.
3. ITEMS ON COURT
If you bring any items onto the court (like racquet covers, ball cans, a towel, bag), be sure they are out of the way and cannot blow/roll onto court. Don’t hang or drape items on the net. Switch cell phones off. Food, gum and alcoholic drinks are not allowed on courts. Remember to take EVERYTHING with you when you leave the court. That includes drink bottle caps/ring pulls and sticking plasters!
4. BE WELCOMING TO NEW PLAYERS AND NON MEMBERS
Introduce yourself before you start playing. Learn their names and use them. Offer praise and encouragement. Everyone enjoys hearing positive comments and compliments. Never criticise players for their play.
5. WARM-UP IS NOT THE SAME AS PRACTICE
During warm-up, hit balls directly to your opponent at a reasonable pace. It is not the time to blast your hardest groundstroke or hit your trickiest drop shot. When a server is warming up, the receiver generally doesn’t return the practice serve unless the server has agreed to it.
6. HAVE BOTH BALLS BEFORE SERVING
To prevent unnecessary delays, servers should hold the second ball in a pocket/up trouser leg, in a ball clip, or in the hand. Do not put it on the ground next to your feet—this has resulted in many a trip/rolled ankle!
7. RECEIVERS SHOULD PLAY TO THE REASONABLE PACE OF THE SERVER
Delaying play or stalling is bad form. However, if you’re not ready, let the server know (e.g. hold up your hand, keep your back turned) and make no attempt to return the ball if it is served. Servers should not rush the receiver and should look to see if the receiver is ready before serving.
8. RECEIVERS SHOULD NOT RETURN A FIRST SERVE IF IT IS AN OBVIOUS FAULT
Also, the receiver should not chase down the ball from a first serve that is a fault, just let it go by. (See no 9 for what to do if the ball doesn’t keep going out of the way). If the ball is returned because it was very close but still a fault, the fault should be called immediately and it’s good etiquette to let the server know that it was close.
9) PREVENT INJURY BY REMOVING A BALL FROM THE COURT PLAYING AREA
Sure, everyone wants play to continue without unnecessary delay, but removing a ball that is on court is not rude, annoying or unnecessary – it’s smart! When the ball from a first serve that is a fault stops on the court playing area or hits the back wall and rolls back onto the playing area, the closest player should remove the ball by hitting it gently into the net in front of them, securing it at a fence behind them or hold onto it in their pocket.
10) CALLING AN OUT, LET OR FAULT MUST BE DONE IMMEDIATELY OR THE BALL CONTINUES IN PLAY
If in doubt, call it good :-) Only call balls that land your side of the net. Make sure your opponent(s) can hear your call. In doubles, the receiver’s partner is in the best position to call a serve long. It’s impolite and unnecessary to call “fault” when a ball is served into the net. If you (and your partner) didn’t see a call, you can ask your opponent(s) to make the call, but if they didn’t see it, you must give them the call. Being generous on line calls is the height of good sportsmanship. If doubles partners make different calls and the ball was already put back into play, they may call a let and replay the ball. If playing partners make a different call on a shot that finishes the point, then the ball is deemed in and it is their opponents point. When a ball is good, say nothing and play on. Anyone may call a let when needed and the point is to be restarted.
11) ACCEPT THE LINE CALLS OF YOUR OPPONENT(S) GRACIOUSLY
The receiver of a shot calls it in or out. NOT the maker of the shot.
Don’t argue a call or dramatise your objection with negative body language.
12) SAVE CONVERSATIONS FOR TEA BREAK OR BEER O’CLOCK
The court is not the place to exchange recipes or tell a yarn.
13) BEFORE STARTING EACH NEW POINT, THE SERVER SHOULD ALWAYS CALL THE SCORE LOUDLY ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR
This avoids confusion and prevents disputes (or having to delay play to reconstruct previous points). It also lets the receiver know that the next point is about to begin.
14) SEND BALLS TO THE SERVER ONE BALL AT A TIME AT A PACE THAT ALLOWS EASY PICK-UP
When two different people are sending balls, they need to coordinate with each other so only one ball is sent at a time. When switching sides, it is polite to gather the balls and give them to the server or leave them neatly at the baseline.
15) IF A BALL IS UNDOUBTEDLY HEADING OUT BUT YOU CATCH IT, YOU LOSE THE POINT
This stands unless players agree before the start of the match to save obvious outs (in order to avoid wasting time chasing down stray balls).
16) DO NOT RETRIEVE BALLS FROM ANOTHER COURT OR REQUEST ITS RETURN WHILE THAT COURT HAS A POINT IN PLAY
Wait until play has stopped.
17) WHEN RETURNING A BALL TO ANOTHER COURT, FIRST BE SURE YOU’RE SENDING IT TO THE CORRECT COURT
If a ball comes across your court while you're playing a point, call a “let”. Pick the ball up and look around to see which court’s ball it is. If you know which court it came from and they’re playing a point either wait until their point is over and roll it directly to one of their players or roll the ball carefully to the back fence behind their court in a careful manner so as to not interrupt their play. Don’t send their ball rolling across their court or bat it in the general direction of where you think it came from without checking as this could ruin their point being played or another court's play that hasn't lost a ball!
18) HAVE A WINNING ATTITUDE
Smile, enjoy it and try to look like you’re having fun even when you’re playing poorly. Your positive attitude will be appreciated by others and may actually help you play better! :-)
19) THERE ARE OBVIOUS DON’TS (LIKE USING FOUL LANGUAGE, YELLING AT YOUR PARTNER, THROWING A RACQUET, SPITTING ON THE COURT) BUT HERE ARE A FEW MORE SUBTLE DON’TS
Don’t criticize your partner or opponent. Don’t offer unsolicited coaching to other players. Don’t detract from an opponent’s win by giving excuses for your poor play. Don’t blow your nose onto the court.
20) AT THE END OF THE MATCH
Give a warm, firm handshake and thank your opponents and partner. A kind word or compliment on a shot or their play will cost nothing and bring a smile to their faces :-)