| Be Fun to Have On Court | |
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2. Keeping score.
- The server must announce the score at the start of each game and at the start of the second point and each subsequent point in each game.
- If the receiver cannot hear the server's announcement of the score, he must ask the server to speak louder. You can't wait until the server believes he has won the game to try to reconstruct the scoring point by point.
- If you're not sure whether your opponent's shot is in or out, it's in.
- If you return a first serve that your opponent can clearly see is out, your opponent won't be sure why you're not calling it out. It's often hard for the receiver to tell on fast serves, and you must give the server the benefit of the doubt, but if you can see that you confused your opponent by playing an out ball, offer to replay the point. See The Code's interesting discussion of calling serves in or out.
- In doubles, you should not call balls wide when they land near the far sideline, unless the call is obvious and your partner was somehow hindered from seeing the ball land.
- If you are the receiver, and your partner is on or near the service line at the start of a point, your partner has the best view of whether a serve is in or long. You can make a call if he doesn't, but always defer to his judgment. (You generally shouldn't disagree with your partner's calls anyway.)
4. Demeanor. Try to look like you're having fun, even if you're playing badly. Your opponent does not want to see you looking miserable, at least in a friendly match, and you're likely to play better if you try to present a positive state of mind.
Do you have any good stories about on-court disputes or behaviors? Stop by the Tennis Forum and share them with us.
Additional Resources:
How to Beat Four Major Player Types
Have a Challenging Match with a Weaker Player
