Exactly what the title says really, ever lost your rag in a match? Are you a cool Federer or a firey McEnroe?
Really came to my attention yesterday, I'm more of a McEnroe. It was a doubles match, and we made a really bad start so I was already fired up by my bad play and the fact we'd been on the receiving end of a couple of bad net cords. To rub salt in the wound our opponents were discussing strategy for a good 30 seconds after every point!
After I'd been waiting for what seemed like an age for the guy to serve (he was 40-0 up), I shouted "Is there a problem, or can we just get on with this?!". Of course, I shanked the return, threw my racquet and kicked the chair at the changeover. They continued their time-wasting regardless. Needless to say, we weren't going to make a spectacular comeback in this match and I just couldn't get my head together. I know how pros must feel when facing Nadal / Djokovic and their time-wasting antics! But I know it's only a game and should be played for fun, so I'm going to try to keep a lid on it in future if I can!
Anyone else had a temper tantrum in a match? Let's hear your stories!
Never a tantrum but I've thrown my racket into the net on a few occasions and shouted at myself quite loudly a couple of times. I hate to tell you this but I sometimes take a while between serves :lol:, it's got nothing to do with the opponent though.
When I play darts however.... there have been some tantrums (and a cracked computer screen in rage ) but none recently, not since early 2007 I'd say.
one of my ex-doubles partners used to get really annoyed and swear all the time. one time he even launched a tirade of expletives on the very first point of a match after missing an easy volley. and when he started playing badly and getting annoyed it rubbed off on me and i started playing badly and getting annoyed and we would just egg each other on like that. and whenever we did that we lost the set. then we implented a no swearing policy, and when he did that we were unbeatable
I tend to be exhausted after a long match, not really physically but mentally because I've been giving myself such a hard time.
Just thinking what it must be like for the pros. Probably a million times worse since they're playing for their livelihood with serious bucks and prestige at stake.
I never shout at my opponents, but I do have a tendency to swear at myself and give myself a hard time. I also toss my racket in the air and catch it before it hits the ground. And sadly, if I just messed up big time, I'll take a long time between points to cool down. I feel sorry for my opponents afterwards, but I need the respite.
i try not to show emotion when i play. i've had a lot of people tell me that it's unnerving to play against someone who doesn't speak at all, and keeps their face clear the entire game, it also helps my focus. anger, frustration, all that shit, does not belong on the tennis court.
Although, I ONLY express good emotion at the right times. All other times I am completely clear of everything. Not surprised to win points and not upset to lose them!
Good call. There is a definite correlation between me playing it cool on court and playing well. I can string together winners showing no emotion, whereas if I get too pumped up over winning a point I'll invariably feel a come down and miss a few easy shots.
I can't actually remember a time where I've gotten angry and actually played better as a result of it. I tend to try to over-hit the serve and the opponent quickly reads I'm going to be hitting all flat hard serves trying to find the ace.
Cool cuke on the court although the occasional curse word escapes the lips (always to/at myself and with my back to my opponent). But you should hear me in the car on the way home....:lol:
actually i was down 2-6 2-5 and throughout that game i was in some grueling rallies... i was having some respiratory difficulties and was trying to cool off between points.. i'd just hit a letcord winner after about 20 shots to bring it to 30-30 on my serve, and i had only taken a little longer than usual and my opponent told me to hurry up and stop wasting time. i didn't react, but instead i thought that would be a good opportunity to capitalise on his frustration, and after hitting a second serve ace on that point he completely lost it. :lol:
Sometimes I swear in Serbian. I do it for myself, it helps me, but these are not words that would suit a girl like me. Really, you wouldn't bet I'd ever say it if you saw me :haha: The people are usually pretty shocked when they hear me and my coach asked me to stop it several times, but I couldn't. And I've hit my racquet, but just twice. I'm always too afraid of breaking it.
In the state semi-finals last year I was playing a pusher, in high winds, so not only was I mad that I was losing to someone who was incapable of a complete forehand I was angry that the state had chosen a wind tunnel for the state tournament. So eventually partially into the second set I took to screaming after every point I lost, like a loud enraged snarl. Or the cries in the movies right before a warrior kills somebody. Didn't work: I lost. I also when losing tend to yell "Get off my court" when I hit a winner
Classy all around. This is why the American youth have little hope in my opinion. Rather than working on their own game, they generally find an excuse to do anything but. Yelling about the wind (it was equal for both of you), screaming after every lost point, and trying to taunt your opponent are generally sure fire signs that you aren't going far. Grow up or find a new hobby my man, as you have no hope (other than embarrassing yourself) as it stands...
the damage to oneself lay,
in the inability to respect good play,
and see past self torment,
to enjoy the battle another day...
i was a habitual racquet breaker as a kid...
my younger brother and i would use a trampoline for a net in a chip n volley game, with the garden hose marked out as lines... my racquet ended up on the roof the first time he beat me 6/4... little **** ****...
i got to my mid twenties and realised that tennis wasnt about perfection... and found that the closest thing to pefection in tennis... ... ... was the acceptance of imperfection...
Also once I made a mistake and I was going to scream "SHIT" but I didn't want to cuss so I tried to think of something else and before I know it I yelled at the top of my lungs, "SOUP!"
i have never really gotten too mad, but once i was ballkidding for a smaller tournament around me (which had some good people like blake davydenko and davenport) but anyways. i was ballkidding for this foreign guy, who was decent, and after a certain point he lost, he just turns around to me, and im like two feet away, and he just smashes his raquet on his knee, it was hilarious.
Not many people know this, but even Borg used to have major tantrums. I heard that one time his coached punched him in the locker room and he never complained again....
Tantrums are fun to watch - there should be a tv show of them.
I was playing a junior tournament in Dallas. It was the second round and I won the first set 6-0. In the second set I drank way to much between sets so I lost the 1st game. Then after a few close line calls from my opponet. I asked him "are you sure" which led to "Are you kidding me" which led to "Now way, let me see a ball mark." This was the worst conduct I have ever had on court, and to this day I still fell so bad. Also one time I there a rwacket and broke it into abut 1000000000000 pieces.
When I played my first match against my friend I cussed a few times when I made reeeaaallllyyyy bad serves or kept hitting the ball out of bounds. Ever since then I wised up and told myself its pointless to do that. I put my anger into my serve and volley's now. Yesterday I was doin bad. Took a deep breath and put the anger in the serve and got out 4 ace's in a row.
Never broken a racket though since I'm broke and cant afford a new one yet lol
I never throw my raquet but I do wack balls against the fence and such.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Mens Tennis Forums
18.5M posts
87.7K members
Since 2002
A forum community dedicated to male tennis players and enthusiasts. Talk about everything from the ATP, NSMTA, to college Tennis and even everything about equipment. It's all here!