Tennis is an important game of skill and strategy. However, learning the unwritten rules can be just as important as knowing the official laws of the game.
“I started playing tennis my freshman year.” said senior Sean Riggs. “There are many rules to the game but I still think there’s some rules as far as being respectful people still don’t understand yet.”
Tennis has many rules in serving, winning points, the shots, the score system and the sets, but some people don’t think about the etiquette behind it all and how important it is to show respect.
Starting with your opponent, respect is essential. Even if you score a point, you should celebrate in silence or at least try to be humble about it. A good way to celebrate a point is tapping rackets. Another thing is being a respectful teammate and opponent. Cheering when the other team misses the ball is unsportsmanlike and can create a negative atmosphere. It’s just better to focus on your own game and not cheer at others’ faults.
“My biggest pet peeve is when my opponent’s team cheers when I miss the ball,” said junior Tucker Hamilton. “It’s rude and I feel like it messes up my concentration.”
It is also important to know your calls. Tennis typically does not have officials, so you are responsible for calling things in and out on your side. Which means you must be truthful and hope your opponent is also being truthful. A ball hitting any part of the line is in. Meaning, just because you couldn’t reach the ball in time doesn’t give you a right to call it out. A ball is only out if it does not hit the line, going out of bounds.
“I would say it’s annoying when someone calls a ball out that is clearly in,” said junior Kyle McCoy. “And you can’t contest it in high school because it is their side, which means it’s their call.”
Going back to what previous players have said, the crowd can be a pretty big distraction. Tennis is typically played outside, and requires a high level of concentration to focus. So people walking around, talking or other activities that may be going on around the courts can be a pretty big disruption. Unexpected noise can break focus. So it’s best to hold your applause and noise until after a point is played, during a water break, or during changeover.
“I really don’t like when the crowd is talking or being loud,” said Riggs. “It doesn’t bother me when they cheer or anything after a point but, when a point is being played I don’t like when people are talking outside the fence, I can’t focus.”
Another unwritten rule is to stay kind and friendly during a match. It’s important because it helps maintain a respectful attitude towards your opponent, which sets the tone for the whole match. It can reduce tension, promote a positive atmosphere and overall it’s just an easier and more enjoyable experience for both players.
“I think it’s important to be friendly during a match,” said junior Chayton Cheers. “You don’t want to play with someone who is criticizing you or screaming and shouting.”
Following some of these unwritten rules are not enforceable but they are essential to enjoying and promoting a positive environment for players.
“I grew up playing tennis,” said coach Christie Rabon. “There are some pet peeves I have and I’d say a big thing you have to get used to is the loud environment at the matches, but you just have to learn to focus on your game and what you need to do instead of letting it bother you.”
