Dumb and outdated thinking, they are happy that they won the point not happy that the other person messed up. In tennis you only win points on putaway shots like 45% of the time the other 55% is opponents errors.
...even for people who aren't playing against him. The douchey yelling is bad enough when you're his opponent, but even playing in the courts next to guys like him is really irritating.
You know this probably won’t help but if this guy wants to act like that during an amateur tournament he definitely needed the win more than you. You get to go home after and not be him.
It’s stuff like this that keep me away from higher level USTA tourneys. I’d rather just hit with some guys in my local group and not worry about cheating or other toxic stuff such as this. After college I play tennis strictly for enjoyment and exercise, not for competition (but that’s just me).
The angle from which you view the line call makes a huge difference. I’ve been in doubles matches where I called the ball clearly out (easily seeing space between the ball and line) and my partner saw it directly on the line. Both of us were 100% sure. Instances like that cause me to not get too upset anymore.
Generally speaking, most of those types of balls are in. Remember only a fraction of the ball has to be over the line. If youre behind the ball at the baseline you are only seeing the front of the ball, you have to be sure you think there is enough space between what you see is the ball and the line that even the backside of the flattened ball that you can’t see is not hitting the line. If there’s even one % doubt, it’s in.
6:55 was the exact point you needed the ref. A ball can't be out if your racket is on the line and you hit it before it even touches the ground. Some people are unbelievable. Nice playing though
If you slow down to 0.25 and really zoom in, the ball is technically out and it did bounce before he hit it. However, it is still a shitty call because you should give you opponent the benefit of the doubt and in the moment there is no way you can say for sure that ball is out or that it didn't contact your racquet before bouncing.
I was a top 20 ranked 4.5 and 5.0 player in southern California back in 2008-2013 and I can't remember how many times I ran into 'cheaters' and horrible line callers. It was an adventure to say the least. Some of the matches got very heated and whenever I ran into a guy like Nick I never hesitated to call a line judge. Anyways, you have a solid game, good luck in your future matches.
It's always good once in a while to play guys like this. It's like a mental check more than anything. The most important thing here is to not let him get in your head (it can be a pretty challenging thing to do!). You gotta keep it cool, ignore him and not play his style of game, just 100% focused on your tennis. I'm sure you will learn a lot from this experience and be mentally stronger the next time. Keep grinding, brother!
Had one today do that. Luckily I won. I chewed him out after that. That's what I love about winning those matches. I don't forsee us going out to dinner some day
You're a bigger person than me. I'd start calling every ball anywhere close to a line out on his serve until it becomes his idea to bring in a line judge.
You losers. Yeah that will help… now you blatantly chest even worse… become just like him… once you do that who cares who wins? You’ve both turned it into an utter farce. You lose your integrity as well, and you both lose the match. No real winner period.
I’m a college coach and see this kind of player all the time. Not sure what the USTA rules are now but I guess if you called a ref over, why didn’t that ref stay for the entire match? Obviously the cheater will make good line calls when there is a ref present but once the ref leaves he’ll go back to bad calls. But I have to be honest I only saw maybe one questionable line call and that was at 5-4 30-30, but you went up 6-5 in that set , we didn’t get to see the other bad call in the breaker, but 1 or 2 bad calls doesn’t lose you the match. You have to be better mentally to block that out and block out your opponents actions during the match or your letting him get the best of you. And that’s what happened here, he got in your head, and you let him distract you that why you lost, not because of a bad line call. Sorry this happened but it happens all the time and I teach my guys to block it out and be tougher mentally, and use the proper channels of calling over a ref and have him ref the whole match!!!! Good luck next time.
Couldn't disagree more with your take. What needs to happen is coaches having integrity and benching/suspending their own players when they know they are blatantly cheating. College tennis has an epidemic of cheating so much so they had to change the let rule because of all the cheating. What needs to happen is severe consequences for known cheaters to the point of being banned the fact a rule had to be changed tells you everything you need to know about the blatant cheating.
@@tallcatshortdog yes there is blatant cheating in tennis where you call your own lines I couldn’t agree with you more. And there are Coaches out there, me included, who discipline their players when it is blatant. And I have even been on court and had to reverse a call made by my player in error, not blatant, but integrity is in the eye of the beholder, people who have integrity and are honest will play the game that way. Not everyone does have that honor, and it’s a shame, and wish there was a better way to police it. Div 1 and 2 have line judges and an official, often D3 does not. But in this young man’s instance there was no official on court 100% of the time, so as a player the only thing you can do is request the official stay on court and if they don’t there is nothing you can do but control your own emotions and not let it get the better of you and simply beat the other guy by playing better tennis and keeping the ball inside the lines!!!!
Your own advice shows you know it's an issue and most cheaters don't face any real consequences. That's the problem in general and allows them to continue cheating. Yeah, great advice in a close match just play better and play well inside the lines which makes it as you should know even tougher to win but yeah let's not fix the real issue.
@@tallcatshortdog tell me how your gonna fix the issue of cheating in tennis!! Or any sport for that matter, it happens, get over it, be better and be better mentally and stop complaining and whining like a six yr old
@@tallcatshortdog and yes in a close match you have to raise your game, and be stronger and play more intelligently than your opponent. If an umpire won’t stand there for the whole match what are you gonna do? Cry and whine take your ball and go home, no stop being a b:;(ch and do your best. And no before you say just cheat right back, that’s the baby’s retaliation, give me a solution to this problem that’s realistic and I’ll listen
My biggest piece of advice as a coach is number 1 -> hit the balls in with less chance for bad calls (don’t aim for the lines). 2 -> don’t let 1 or 2 bad calls dictate the entire match. Mental fortitude is very very important in our sport!!!
Wowwwwwww what a match!!!! Yeah this one was blatant cheating. Close calls are a part of tennis but he was clearly cheating at several points. I def felt your frustration throughout. You should be proud of how well you kept your composure despite the heightened emotions. Your game has improved so much over the past couple years this was a solid learning experience. Movement/ court coverage looked excellent and your backhand was quite solid. You opened up the court well with your forehand the result seemed to come down to some errors in key moments and VERY questionable line calls by your opponent. Keep your head up, well played!
@EdgeriPlaysTennis Thanks for the encouragement! I'mma keep playing and getting better everyday. This is just another lesson learned. I really appreciate the comment.
From the far side is hard to tell, but when he was on the closest side most of the ball he called out were out. At 7:35 ish you make a big deal but the ball was a couple inches out, he stopped it with his racket at 1/2 inches outside of the baseline before let it touch the ground.
The way Nick played is a problem that is plaguing American tennis in general. You see it in college tennis all the time -- players celebrating their opponents mistakes.
Dealing with cheaters is really tough mentally. I am impressed with your reflection on this match and what you could've done differently; calling over the lines person, and not giving into his reactions or talking smack back, which is all good stuff. There is one trick to deal with cheaters that will absolutely make them blow up mentally. At 5-4 30-30 that call was so blatantly bad, in this situation I would have changed the score and reverted back to 30-30 as that was the last score that was agreed upon. This tactic is a good way to throw them off mentally and I am sure that Nick would have thrown a fit and gotten the lines person involved. You would just have to stand your ground on the score change. Hope this helps!
Screaming after every point...Blatant disrespect. Wish I could've seen the tiebreak line call because the first one was absolutely horrendous. You're the better player in every way so he tried to ruin you mentally, what a joke
@pandadares8905 That had to be his plan. I should have got the line judge involved right away before letting the bad calls take over my headspace. All good though. Lesson learned!
hi andrew. great video, you played well but i feel your frustration. im almost 70 y/o but i played in the old a-divisions and later 4.5-5.0+, some of my opponents had to cheat to beat me. i stopped playing competitively but rather than quitting tennis all together, i became an instructor. these days i develop youth and juniors and i teach them to let one bad call go, but it becomes too frequent, always question opponents by asking: "are you sure?". at some point you will have to ask for a referee. its only fair. just dont wait too long to get one. take care andrew...
Player to player, it is frustrating when guys call the lines out. Unfortunately, players are going to do it sometimes. Probably should have just gotten a ref if they were available. Against guys who are going to be calling the lines out, either you have to GRIND until they make mistakes .... or you need to rush the net and put pressure on them to force passing shots .... or try to use the drop shot and bring them into the net so you can lob or pass. Just some tips, I know it is hard when guys are stealing points but sometimes all you can do is lock in and force them into making mistakes.
Once he got called out for his blatant cheating it sent him into a rage. It's psychology 101, if we didn't know he was cheating 100% at first (cheating vs bad calls), we 100% knew after his pure demeanor shift once being called out. If someone wasn't cheating and got called out for cheating it wouldn't enrage them and change their entire personality lol.
Cheering because your opponent messes up has always confused me, like… you didn’t beat them… they beat themselves. I can understand celebrating because of a winner or an ace but yea. Weird.
What the? You know tennis at this level is 95% who makes less errors right? Of course you may cheer when you force your opponent to make a mistake, its the most essential part of tennis to be the most consistent player on court:-) this guy was excessively cheering and very obnoxious tho
I’m no expert as I have never had any training. I’m a 4.0 and always strive to get better on my own watching videos. Are you an athlete? Being athletic will help you a lot. I would hit everyday if possible. However, practicing wrong everyday will prevent you from making huge strides. You should definitely have a trainer / coach, learn the technique then practice daily.
I picked up bad calls from him even before you mentioned it. You were gracious enough but honestly, the douchey come ons after every single point are just the biggest red flags ever
@BlueberrySwede Last time I considered a two-handed backhand was 10 years ago. I didn't like the rigidness of the stroke. It is the more dominant choice of the time though. But I like my one-hander too much to switch.
@@advantagetennis3459 A fair reason - I myself had to give up learning the two-hander many years ago, when I was first taught tennis. The one hander has just always felt more natural. And it is much more beautiful. But the two-hander is probably the better choice these days, where power has become so important e.g. Alcaraz and Sinner.
You are good person Andrew, I would have called a line judge immediately! I have ran into a few of these types in my life time and when I was younger I have gotten into fights with guys like this, especially in doubles where they go after my partner with vicious shots! You did a great job dealing with this guy! New subscriber here my dude!
well, in the first game, i was watching the play and thought you had won the game. then at 5-4 30-30, he called a no-no-no-no off his backhand wing - well the ball hit his racket in front of the baseline - you can see this clearly.
Played a tourney and the butthead guy would know when a ball was going to sail past his baseline. He had the nerve to quickly turn around and motion with his arm for the ball to go long while yelling, "Get out of here!" Very annoying when some jerk has to do this for nearly every ball that went long!
I recently played a tournament, I was 5-1 in the first set. Then my opponent started shouting and celebrating when I made a mistake. It got to me and I lost the match. I hate when players are loud for no reason. It’s not like we are playing a grand slam. We are just recreational players. We want to play for fun, not for ego pump.
6:52 it did look like he touched the ball before it even bounced and made the call hmmm. Should've called a ref and should've tried to take his head off when he came up to net
I was a manager and assistant for the MSU tennis team. The girls' team would (with some frequency) play against players who would purposefully fudge close line calls. They would do it with the intention of making you angry. Most players start to make mistakes when they can't shake it off. Unfortunately, it's just part of the game. Because you will never be able to get rid of players like this. It's GROSS and NEFARIOUS, but it's a strategy that can work. The only thing you can ever do is control how you react. Things you can do include: Confronting them on their behavior, sometimes (not often), the confrontation will make them back down. I commend you on not staying silent. Calling a line judge if available. Hyper focusing on your specific objectives for the match. Things that you can control. (Toss placement, slice backhand less, court positioning, serve and volly, serve placement, footwork). Always go into a match with objectives that only you have control over. Taking advantage of every second allowed to you in between points. Take a breath and reset. This can also frustrate your opponent. You can also make them angry back, though I don't recommend this and will not elaborate on how. I'm sure most people can imagine how, but I don't want to encourage behavior like Nick's. Besides Nick's behavior, this was fun to watch! 🎾
Yes, be the better man, a gentleman. A hooligan he seems, your opponent, not for making wrong calls but for the very ungentlemanly behavior. Tells a lot. Stay chill , dude. All the best in your future games.
I appreciate you posting a video like this. we all have matches where dudes get into it. I don't think I have seen one like this on YT before, and it's informative. 1. That is a bad call (and an important one in that set)...you have two set points if the ball is correctly called in. Hindsight is 20/20 of course. Those calls on the baseline that are under your nose can be tricky because you don't have the depth perception someone on the base line would have. I'm convinced the great majority of line-call disagreements are because of that. He should have at least offered to replay the point for fairness sake, and he shouldn't be dismissive about being called out for it, but seems like that is asking too much for Nick in this match. (oh and if you pause at 1:03 you can see the ball in too) 2. I'm actually not bothered by the celebrating early on, but as the match goes on it becomes clear these are just as much celebrations as they are taunts, and the intent becomes clear. Specifically, in the second set we see him shouting across the net directly at you...that is poor (for example, I could give him more benefit of the doubt if he's behind the baseline facing the wall), but that wasn't what I saw. I saw him at least once shouting directly at you. In a professional setting, I'm not sure what a chair umpire would likely do in that circumstance. I do know Nick is at risk for hinderance because he is so quick to celebrate - if he is celebrating before the point is officially over, that is technically a hinderance - and I wish the ref that was called out would have clarified that to Nick - it would have helped to gain control of this match. I'm OK with on-court celebrations, fist pumps and the like, the "c'mons" the "lets go, fine. But this crossed the line. On one end, you can't expect athletes to be silent in moments of frustration or joy...but the other end of that is using the celebration to taunt, get in the head of the opponent, it's the latter that crosses a line, and I'm convinced it's the latter we see from Nick as the match goes on. 3. I think every human being can understand why you didn't shake hands at the end, but I think if you could go back, shaking hands is the best thing to do - even though things got so heated. You may not respect him, but if you shake hands he likely respects YOU. When players don't shake hands, it just continues to escalate the situation. Funny enough, one of the last things we hear is a guy on the other court celebrating. Hope he and Nick played each other the next round! :) Do you have a link to the bracket? What befell Nick in the next rounds?
I saw A LOT more missed balls than a few bad calls, I really wouldn't worry about them. You are a great mover with very nice mechanics, so on your gear side it looks to me like you can trade in some of that hot launch for a more a controlled setup that will let you better control depth and feed you confidence.
I feel your pain. It's very hard to stay focused and not get rattled with bad line calls. It adds so much more pressure when any shot that lands close to the line will most likely be called out. I totally agree wih the last comment because I'm very guilty as well of letting bad calls get under my skin. We just need to remember that at the end of the day we're just playing for fun and excercise. We should be grateful that we can play this awesome sport. I'm all for getting fired up when big points are on the line but to do it after every point is annoying. And clearly doing it to mess with his opponent is not cool and shows poor sportsmanship.
Why I don't play USTA tournaments. Friend of mine that I hit with, a 4.5, says whenever he hits the line or just inside the line, that it would likely be called out if it was a USTA match. Work on attacking well inside the lines and get your revenge on this dude next time!
7:41 and he's doing stuff like this on double faults, I'm steaming watching this 19:30 aaand the voice crack on his last come on, this guy is a hack the worst part for me has to be that at the end when he says "salty", bro no one wants to touch you and your sorry ass
The call in the first set was bad… however I believe if you would have made more returns and eliminate all wide and net errors on returns you would have overwhelmed him… also a few too many approaches to his forehand at critical moments… I do have specific counters for those silly cheaters because they want you to go get the official…
Saw this a lot through my high school and college days. In fact in high school I got in a fight with a guy on the court next to mine because I saw many bad calls he was making against my teammate. I learned to call these idiots out whenever they make a bad call but not to be the aggressor just let them know you know they are making bad calls then go kick their ass by winning legitimately!
I was robbed of 3 matches that I would have won had there been a referee. Its a terrible feeling being cheated and I can remember them all vividly. 40 years ago!
First video of yours I’ve seen. You are very solid skills-wise. It’s a shame to lose this way honestly. You mental game needs a lot of work. There was no reason to get in your head the way you did. Nobody to blame but yourself.
i havent watched the whole video and I won't beat the dead horse that is line calls in USTA tennis. Theyll always be there. One thing, if you'd like some constructive criticism, is I didn't see your opponent volley much. It seemed like you had a few errors on first time passing shots. especially by your own omission he was unable to hit an overhead, I think you would have done better to have made him beat you at the net. Your mental game is awesome! Not easy to have a bad line call at 5-4 30s and go down 0-40 in the 5 all game. At that point I thought the set was over, but you made a great comeback in that game. You def have the fortitude to overcome the bs you faced in this match. Great match thanks for sharing!
I played someone recently in a league who accused me of cheating, and literally cried over a call, that I just ended up giving them, cause it's not that serious. Looking back at the tape, my calls were questionable on a couple of occasions, but my opponent had way more questionable calls than me, and some I would consider to be bad calls. I used to think I was being cheated a lot more but watching on SwingVision where I slow down the point frame by frame and I generally notice for every bad call they make, I make one too, just not getting calls right all the time--or even when I think I am wrong or they are, it's still questionable, so I try to give benefit of the doubt and not play too close to the lines. Still, it sucks when you're being cheated and they just keep doing it over and over. Ugghh, tennis can be so frustrating beyond just all the mechanics and internal pressures.
Also too many forehand errors from the middle when in control of the point… should incorporate more middle forehand training to make sure that holds up in the pressure moments of the match
From experience, the ref won’t do anything. They’ll just agree with who made the call because it’s in the rule book. The best thing to do is hook back and that’ll make them stop: sorry you had to go through that 😢
I find line calling in USTA tournaments far worse than in league play. Tournaments charge way more than leagues and people don’t want to pay $50 for a tournament and lose in the first round. Also, in league play, players are local and know each other, you don’t want to get a rep as a cheater or jerk on the court. Tournaments are filled with random players from different areas, and I often run into some guy I don’t know who is clearly trying to play mental games. In one match, my opponent kept hitting the ball away from me after the point was over when I was serving, which meant I had to walk to get the ball for the next point when he could’ve easily given it to me. I asked him on a changeover if he wouldn’t mind hitting or throwing the ball to me after a point as I was doing for him on his serve, but he ignored me. I suppose I could’ve called a ref to complain, but that’s not my nature, and I don’t know if there’s a specific rule on that. I won the match so it worked out in the end, but it’s never fun to play a guy who has no sense of sportsmanship. The yelling on your errors shows this guy is really self-absorbed and classless.
The line calls should not get to you, those were pretty close even calls you made. If anything focus on getting more margin. Him celebrating and yelling is annoying and tells you a lot about the person. But again, focus on yourself, you’ll come out better by learning how to filter the noise out. Easier said than done of course. Good luck!
On the positive side, you played a great match, very close. With that being said-You have to be the better man. Honestly, the calls are close, but you did not lose the match because of those calls. You made a lot, a lot, a lot of unforced errors, and that is solely on you. You have to rise up to the occasion. Focus on what you can control, and those are the unforced errors, and your mental stability. Otherwise, you really don’t belong. Hey, it happens to the Kyrgios, the Rublevs, etc. Minimize your errors, don’t put yourself is a position for those close calls, and leave the excuses at home. Own it, look in the mirror, and say it, it is about me. Everyone gets cheated on, even at the pro-level with everyone watching 😮😳, on NATIONAL tv, for real money and ranking, With slow motion, just ask Felix A. double bounce or Daniil M. with the mark clearly on the clay. Change the narrative on this video, and narrate about your unforced errors, what can you do better about it? , Why did you miss this shot or that one? Why did you make that dumb decision or what was the alternative? When you are able to do that, then you have risen up, and arrived. I love your technique and serve. IMO, he seems to be the aggressor, his backhand was more tune in than your, which seems always on the defensive, for a 5.0, a better backhand is expected. Move your serve around to make him uncomfortable, do not go around your backhand, unless is for a reason, like setup or put away, it shows that weakness; keep your emotions to yourself, that fuels some opponents, read the book “winning ugly” or at least read the summary.
Well you are probably easily a 6.0- BTW you are ripping these guys and it’s likely you’re not smart enough to realize it. Video does not to justice when it comes to the pace on the ball
6:55 you can actually see that the ball was inside of the line, at the raquet was pretty much just at the edge of the baseline so it would have been impossible for that ball to be out. He knew it too, he's just a dirty cheat plain and simple.
Great playing man! When people cheat like this you gotta start cheating them back. I hate to do it too but he stole way too many points for you not to get him back. Where are you based out of? Maybe we can play one day! Great stuff again. Subscribed!
Hi! I really understand your frustrations first of all! Several line calls were really questionable, especially the hard return of the serve in the first set. Seems like the dude really took his chances on the other side away from the camera to make calls his way. And I understand it most have been painful to watch afterwards. Regarding your game, you have a good serve and good forehand and backhand from the baseline. Volley and touch and drop shots seems good. However, you need to develop your backhand so you can go down the line from the time to time. I could not find a single time you did so during this match. This guy does not seem so fast, athletic and strong mover but I can be wrong. But most of all, your forehand in no mans land needs to be improved. If your opponent make a short ball he should be punished. Seems like you are letting the ball drop almost to your shoes instead of taking it earlier. Some of those short balls should have been put hard in the corners for either a winner or an easy volley on the next shoot. Instead you looped a lot of those short balls long. You were simple not able to punish your opponent that much inside the baseline during this match is my analyze. Seems like he was also successful in rushing you at critical times by approaching the net. I hope you take my criticism and feedback in a good way. Play more tennis and make sure to win against this guy next time!
That call at 6:55 was a bs call. The ball hit right inside the line and that dudes racket was right behind the damn line when he hit the ball. Best of luck in your future tournaments Andrew. New subscriber.
it sucks to play against guys like this, but sometimes you run into jerks. can't let it throw you off your game though or you're playing right into their hands.
Went into this thinking from the comments that it was going to be egregious... but I think you should just work on improving your mental and technical game.
Celebrating your opponents errors like this guy is the epitome of poor sportsmanship.
I played a lefty once who celebrated all my errors… we battled on top of Mount Olympus… only one walked away from the battle alive
A guy that makes a W that much sweeter. Pretty sure that he doesn't get line is in...
Dumb and outdated thinking, they are happy that they won the point not happy that the other person messed up. In tennis you only win points on putaway shots like 45% of the time the other 55% is opponents errors.
@@coachvctennis 🤣
@@coachvctennis 🤣
It’s guys like Nick that take the fun out of tennis
...even for people who aren't playing against him. The douchey yelling is bad enough when you're his opponent, but even playing in the courts next to guys like him is really irritating.
You know this probably won’t help but if this guy wants to act like that during an amateur tournament he definitely needed the win more than you. You get to go home after and not be him.
Cheating with the calls and obnoxiously loud cheers as if he thinks he's doing something. THE most annoying players to play against
@user-dw4ji5qq5k Seriously! Just have to laugh at it and go next.
It’s stuff like this that keep me away from higher level USTA tourneys. I’d rather just hit with some guys in my local group and not worry about cheating or other toxic stuff such as this.
After college I play tennis strictly for enjoyment and exercise, not for competition (but that’s just me).
Bingo
@@puopolvj2 Same here... play just for fun and no competition anymore, it is not like I'm earning a living out of tennis.
There will definitely be guys like him in every tournament cause many play in amateur tournaments like they are playing in Wimbledon
I am the same , I played tournaments up til like 10 years ago, but I don't want to be around crap like this
I just buy lessons. I know I can't beat my competition, but I know I get little better and have a laugh.
The angle from which you view the line call makes a huge difference. I’ve been in doubles matches where I called the ball clearly out (easily seeing space between the ball and line) and my partner saw it directly on the line. Both of us were 100% sure. Instances like that cause me to not get too upset anymore.
Agreed, professional line judges standing still make bad calls, we players are expected to make accurate calls while moving at full speed?
Generally speaking, most of those types of balls are in. Remember only a fraction of the ball has to be over the line. If youre behind the ball at the baseline you are only seeing the front of the ball, you have to be sure you think there is enough space between what you see is the ball and the line that even the backside of the flattened ball that you can’t see is not hitting the line.
If there’s even one % doubt, it’s in.
6:55 was the exact point you needed the ref. A ball can't be out if your racket is on the line and you hit it before it even touches the ground. Some people are unbelievable. Nice playing though
@Zachary8033 100%!
He foot-faulted before that call
Pretty egregious foot fault to start the point too lol
@@advantagetennis3459 look at the footfault at 6:53 too. Double whammy
If you slow down to 0.25 and really zoom in, the ball is technically out and it did bounce before he hit it. However, it is still a shitty call because you should give you opponent the benefit of the doubt and in the moment there is no way you can say for sure that ball is out or that it didn't contact your racquet before bouncing.
The very first point shown…we’re like okay it’s going to be like that huhhhhhh! 😂 F dem calls!
@jonathanchen1026 F dem calls!! LOL
I was a top 20 ranked 4.5 and 5.0 player in southern California back in 2008-2013 and I can't remember how many times I ran into 'cheaters' and horrible line callers. It was an adventure to say the least. Some of the matches got very heated and whenever I ran into a guy like Nick I never hesitated to call a line judge. Anyways, you have a solid game, good luck in your future matches.
It's always good once in a while to play guys like this. It's like a mental check more than anything. The most important thing here is to not let him get in your head (it can be a pretty challenging thing to do!). You gotta keep it cool, ignore him and not play his style of game, just 100% focused on your tennis. I'm sure you will learn a lot from this experience and be mentally stronger the next time. Keep grinding, brother!
I especially cherish when an opponent starts to celebrate before you can call out.
That ball was so in! He totally stopped the ball with his racket on the line
Gotta love grown ass men still cheating like 12 year olds
Had one today do that. Luckily I won. I chewed him out after that. That's what I love about winning those matches. I don't forsee us going out to dinner some day
You're a bigger person than me. I'd start calling every ball anywhere close to a line out on his serve until it becomes his idea to bring in a line judge.
@Whodefan definitely thought about it. 😅
hate to admit it, but this action is warranted for behavior like this. Sometimes you have to fight venom with venom or it could cost you your match
lol good idea
You losers. Yeah that will help… now you blatantly chest even worse… become just like him… once you do that who cares who wins? You’ve both turned it into an utter farce. You lose your integrity as well, and you both lose the match. No real winner period.
I’m a college coach and see this kind of player all the time. Not sure what the USTA rules are now but I guess if you called a ref over, why didn’t that ref stay for the entire match? Obviously the cheater will make good line calls when there is a ref present but once the ref leaves he’ll go back to bad calls. But I have to be honest I only saw maybe one questionable line call and that was at 5-4 30-30, but you went up 6-5 in that set , we didn’t get to see the other bad call in the breaker, but 1 or 2 bad calls doesn’t lose you the match. You have to be better mentally to block that out and block out your opponents actions during the match or your letting him get the best of you. And that’s what happened here, he got in your head, and you let him distract you that why you lost, not because of a bad line call. Sorry this happened but it happens all the time and I teach my guys to block it out and be tougher mentally, and use the proper channels of calling over a ref and have him ref the whole match!!!! Good luck next time.
Couldn't disagree more with your take. What needs to happen is coaches having integrity and benching/suspending their own players when they know they are blatantly cheating. College tennis has an epidemic of cheating so much so they had to change the let rule because of all the cheating. What needs to happen is severe consequences for known cheaters to the point of being banned the fact a rule had to be changed tells you everything you need to know about the blatant cheating.
@@tallcatshortdog yes there is blatant cheating in tennis where you call your own lines I couldn’t agree with you more. And there are Coaches out there, me included, who discipline their players when it is blatant. And I have even been on court and had to reverse a call made by my player in error, not blatant, but integrity is in the eye of the beholder, people who have integrity and are honest will play the game that way. Not everyone does have that honor, and it’s a shame, and wish there was a better way to police it. Div 1 and 2 have line judges and an official, often D3 does not. But in this young man’s instance there was no official on court 100% of the time, so as a player the only thing you can do is request the official stay on court and if they don’t there is nothing you can do but control your own emotions and not let it get the better of you and simply beat the other guy by playing better tennis and keeping the ball inside the lines!!!!
Your own advice shows you know it's an issue and most cheaters don't face any real consequences. That's the problem in general and allows them to continue cheating. Yeah, great advice in a close match just play better and play well inside the lines which makes it as you should know even tougher to win but yeah let's not fix the real issue.
@@tallcatshortdog tell me how your gonna fix the issue of cheating in tennis!! Or any sport for that matter, it happens, get over it, be better and be better mentally and stop complaining and whining like a six yr old
@@tallcatshortdog and yes in a close match you have to raise your game, and be stronger and play more intelligently than your opponent. If an umpire won’t stand there for the whole match what are you gonna do? Cry and whine take your ball and go home, no stop being a b:;(ch and do your best. And no before you say just cheat right back, that’s the baby’s retaliation, give me a solution to this problem that’s realistic and I’ll listen
My biggest piece of advice as a coach is number 1 -> hit the balls in with less chance for bad calls (don’t aim for the lines). 2 -> don’t let 1 or 2 bad calls dictate the entire match. Mental fortitude is very very important in our sport!!!
a father once said to his son and team (High school) and I quote " Remember, when in doubt call it out"
Wowwwwwww what a match!!!! Yeah this one was blatant cheating. Close calls are a part of tennis but he was clearly cheating at several points. I def felt your frustration throughout. You should be proud of how well you kept your composure despite the heightened emotions. Your game has improved so much over the past couple years this was a solid learning experience. Movement/ court coverage looked excellent and your backhand was quite solid. You opened up the court well with your forehand the result seemed to come down to some errors in key moments and VERY questionable line calls by your opponent. Keep your head up, well played!
@EdgeriPlaysTennis Thanks for the encouragement! I'mma keep playing and getting better everyday. This is just another lesson learned. I really appreciate the comment.
Wow that call at 5-4 30-30 was horrible… his racquet is pretty much on the line when he scoops it. Dang
Yeah, that ball was definitely in, along with a few others.
100 percent in
From the far side is hard to tell, but when he was on the closest side most of the ball he called out were out. At 7:35 ish you make a big deal but the ball was a couple inches out, he stopped it with his racket at 1/2 inches outside of the baseline before let it touch the ground.
The way Nick played is a problem that is plaguing American tennis in general. You see it in college tennis all the time -- players celebrating their opponents mistakes.
Hopefully he reads all of these comments and realizes what a bad sportsman he was. And cheers to you my friend. Win or lose, we love this game.
Dealing with cheaters is really tough mentally. I am impressed with your reflection on this match and what you could've done differently; calling over the lines person, and not giving into his reactions or talking smack back, which is all good stuff. There is one trick to deal with cheaters that will absolutely make them blow up mentally. At 5-4 30-30 that call was so blatantly bad, in this situation I would have changed the score and reverted back to 30-30 as that was the last score that was agreed upon. This tactic is a good way to throw them off mentally and I am sure that Nick would have thrown a fit and gotten the lines person involved. You would just have to stand your ground on the score change. Hope this helps!
Yeah he needs to yell on UEs to win...
This makes me want to play the sport, great video!
Good for you getting out there and taking higher road. As a former D1 player I can assure you tennis brings out some of the douchiest tools out there.
Screaming after every point...Blatant disrespect. Wish I could've seen the tiebreak line call because the first one was absolutely horrendous. You're the better player in every way so he tried to ruin you mentally, what a joke
@pandadares8905 That had to be his plan. I should have got the line judge involved right away before letting the bad calls take over my headspace. All good though. Lesson learned!
hi andrew. great video, you played well but i feel your frustration. im almost 70 y/o but i played in the old a-divisions and later 4.5-5.0+, some of my opponents had to cheat to beat me. i stopped playing competitively but rather than quitting tennis all together, i became an instructor. these days i develop youth and juniors and i teach them to let one bad call go, but it becomes too frequent, always question opponents by asking: "are you sure?". at some point you will have to ask for a referee. its only fair. just dont wait too long to get one. take care andrew...
Player to player, it is frustrating when guys call the lines out. Unfortunately, players are going to do it sometimes. Probably should have just gotten a ref if they were available. Against guys who are going to be calling the lines out, either you have to GRIND until they make mistakes .... or you need to rush the net and put pressure on them to force passing shots .... or try to use the drop shot and bring them into the net so you can lob or pass. Just some tips, I know it is hard when guys are stealing points but sometimes all you can do is lock in and force them into making mistakes.
What camera did your shoot with ?
I use a GoPro Hero 9.
Dang, intense match! Keep your head high, your performance was exceptional. 💪🏻
@wookiedude21 Thanks! We're gonna keep it pushing for sure.
Once he got called out for his blatant cheating it sent him into a rage. It's psychology 101, if we didn't know he was cheating 100% at first (cheating vs bad calls), we 100% knew after his pure demeanor shift once being called out. If someone wasn't cheating and got called out for cheating it wouldn't enrage them and change their entire personality lol.
I’ve never been in this situation before but I’ve been told to hook back blatantly on the next call or decisive point. Regardless looking fantastic!
Cheering because your opponent messes up has always confused me, like… you didn’t beat them… they beat themselves. I can understand celebrating because of a winner or an ace but yea. Weird.
What the? You know tennis at this level is 95% who makes less errors right? Of course you may cheer when you force your opponent to make a mistake, its the most essential part of tennis to be the most consistent player on court:-) this guy was excessively cheering and very obnoxious tho
I would’ve called @9:40 out so quick on his sorry a$$
@KdSoupreme 😂😂😂
what tournament was this?
what camera are you using and tripod?
@nikkosantos8347 I use a GoPro. My camera stand is a little funny. I'll have to make a video explaining the different setups I use.
I'd be embarrassed to act the way he did and he did it knowing he was on tape
Damn man. Anything remotely close he called out. time to start using swing vision against these clowns.
Ive just started tennis and aim to play at this level. How long does it take with no special talent but commitment?
I’m no expert as I have never had any training. I’m a 4.0 and always strive to get better on my own watching videos. Are you an athlete? Being athletic will help you a lot. I would hit everyday if possible. However, practicing wrong everyday will prevent you from making huge strides. You should definitely have a trainer / coach, learn the technique then practice daily.
You’re bigger than me, I’m fighting this guy😂
I picked up bad calls from him even before you mentioned it. You were gracious enough but honestly, the douchey come ons after every single point are just the biggest red flags ever
Have you ever considered using a two-handed backhand instead? You mainly lose points, where the one-hander is involved somehow.
@BlueberrySwede Last time I considered a two-handed backhand was 10 years ago. I didn't like the rigidness of the stroke. It is the more dominant choice of the time though. But I like my one-hander too much to switch.
@@advantagetennis3459 A fair reason - I myself had to give up learning the two-hander many years ago, when I was first taught tennis. The one hander has just always felt more natural. And it is much more beautiful. But the two-hander is probably the better choice these days, where power has become so important e.g. Alcaraz and Sinner.
Keep the grind and don't let this discourage you!! I'm looking for a camera to record my games, which camera are you using?
You are good person Andrew, I would have called a line judge immediately! I have ran into a few of these types in my life time and when I was younger I have gotten into fights with guys like this, especially in doubles where they go after my partner with vicious shots! You did a great job dealing with this guy! New subscriber here my dude!
Can we find a way to get Nick to see this comments section
well, in the first game, i was watching the play and thought you had won the game. then at 5-4 30-30, he called a no-no-no-no off his backhand wing - well the ball hit his racket in front of the baseline - you can see this clearly.
Played a tourney and the butthead guy would know when a ball was going to sail past his baseline. He had the nerve to quickly turn around and motion with his arm for the ball to go long while yelling, "Get out of here!" Very annoying when some jerk has to do this for nearly every ball that went long!
I recently played a tournament, I was 5-1 in the first set. Then my opponent started shouting and celebrating when I made a mistake. It got to me and I lost the match.
I hate when players are loud for no reason. It’s not like we are playing a grand slam. We are just recreational players. We want to play for fun, not for ego pump.
6:52 it did look like he touched the ball before it even bounced and made the call hmmm. Should've called a ref and should've tried to take his head off when he came up to net
I was a manager and assistant for the MSU tennis team. The girls' team would (with some frequency) play against players who would purposefully fudge close line calls.
They would do it with the intention of making you angry. Most players start to make mistakes when they can't shake it off.
Unfortunately, it's just part of the game. Because you will never be able to get rid of players like this. It's GROSS and NEFARIOUS, but it's a strategy that can work.
The only thing you can ever do is control how you react.
Things you can do include:
Confronting them on their behavior, sometimes (not often), the confrontation will make them back down. I commend you on not staying silent.
Calling a line judge if available.
Hyper focusing on your specific objectives for the match. Things that you can control. (Toss placement, slice backhand less, court positioning, serve and volly, serve placement, footwork). Always go into a match with objectives that only you have control over.
Taking advantage of every second allowed to you in between points. Take a breath and reset. This can also frustrate your opponent.
You can also make them angry back, though I don't recommend this and will not elaborate on how. I'm sure most people can imagine how, but I don't want to encourage behavior like Nick's.
Besides Nick's behavior, this was fun to watch! 🎾
@hooha1692 Thanks for the tips. Good advice!
Yes, be the better man, a gentleman. A hooligan he seems, your opponent, not for making wrong calls but for the very ungentlemanly behavior. Tells a lot. Stay chill , dude. All the best in your future games.
I appreciate you posting a video like this. we all have matches where dudes get into it. I don't think I have seen one like this on YT before, and it's informative.
1. That is a bad call (and an important one in that set)...you have two set points if the ball is correctly called in. Hindsight is 20/20 of course. Those calls on the baseline that are under your nose can be tricky because you don't have the depth perception someone on the base line would have. I'm convinced the great majority of line-call disagreements are because of that. He should have at least offered to replay the point for fairness sake, and he shouldn't be dismissive about being called out for it, but seems like that is asking too much for Nick in this match. (oh and if you pause at 1:03 you can see the ball in too)
2. I'm actually not bothered by the celebrating early on, but as the match goes on it becomes clear these are just as much celebrations as they are taunts, and the intent becomes clear. Specifically, in the second set we see him shouting across the net directly at you...that is poor (for example, I could give him more benefit of the doubt if he's behind the baseline facing the wall), but that wasn't what I saw. I saw him at least once shouting directly at you. In a professional setting, I'm not sure what a chair umpire would likely do in that circumstance. I do know Nick is at risk for hinderance because he is so quick to celebrate - if he is celebrating before the point is officially over, that is technically a hinderance - and I wish the ref that was called out would have clarified that to Nick - it would have helped to gain control of this match.
I'm OK with on-court celebrations, fist pumps and the like, the "c'mons" the "lets go, fine. But this crossed the line. On one end, you can't expect athletes to be silent in moments of frustration or joy...but the other end of that is using the celebration to taunt, get in the head of the opponent, it's the latter that crosses a line, and I'm convinced it's the latter we see from Nick as the match goes on.
3. I think every human being can understand why you didn't shake hands at the end, but I think if you could go back, shaking hands is the best thing to do - even though things got so heated. You may not respect him, but if you shake hands he likely respects YOU. When players don't shake hands, it just continues to escalate the situation.
Funny enough, one of the last things we hear is a guy on the other court celebrating. Hope he and Nick played each other the next round! :)
Do you have a link to the bracket?
What befell Nick in the next rounds?
Great channel 👏
Nonetheless awesome video and really exciting tennis playing to watch. Both of you played incredibly well, and athletically
I hate when people cheer obnoxiously(especially when they got lucky). The most annoying thing ever. Tennis is a gentlemens sport.
I saw A LOT more missed balls than a few bad calls, I really wouldn't worry about them. You are a great mover with very nice mechanics, so on your gear side it looks to me like you can trade in some of that hot launch for a more a controlled setup that will let you better control depth and feed you confidence.
I feel your pain. It's very hard to stay focused and not get rattled with bad line calls. It adds so much more pressure when any shot that lands close to the line will most likely be called out.
I totally agree wih the last comment because I'm very guilty as well of letting bad calls get under my skin. We just need to remember that at the end of the day we're just playing for fun and excercise. We should be grateful that we can play this awesome sport.
I'm all for getting fired up when big points are on the line but to do it after every point is annoying. And clearly doing it to mess with his opponent is not cool and shows poor sportsmanship.
Commentary has me dead lol
@cayvenyi5370 It was worse but my wife told me I needed to take it down a notch.😂
why dont replay the point?
Why I don't play USTA tournaments. Friend of mine that I hit with, a 4.5, says whenever he hits the line or just inside the line, that it would likely be called out if it was a USTA match. Work on attacking well inside the lines and get your revenge on this dude next time!
7:41 and he's doing stuff like this on double faults, I'm steaming watching this
19:30 aaand the voice crack on his last come on, this guy is a hack
the worst part for me has to be that at the end when he says "salty", bro no one wants to touch you and your sorry ass
I play 5.0 in the OC want to hit sometime ?
Honestly just be happy you aren’t toxic like this guy. You walked away a better man.
It gets better. Don't let jerks like that one distract you from playing your best.
Only thing that was annoying was just how hard he’d yell on points where he isn’t hitting winners from a 30 plus ball rally lol
The call in the first set was bad… however I believe if you would have made more returns and eliminate all wide and net errors on returns you would have overwhelmed him… also a few too many approaches to his forehand at critical moments… I do have specific counters for those silly cheaters because they want you to go get the official…
Conduct like that, then comes over to shake your hand and calls you salty for not accepting it. Please…
Saw this a lot through my high school and college days. In fact in high school I got in a fight with a guy on the court next to mine because I saw many bad calls he was making against my teammate. I learned to call these idiots out whenever they make a bad call but not to be the aggressor just let them know you know they are making bad calls then go kick their ass by winning legitimately!
I was robbed of 3 matches that I would have won had there been a referee. Its a terrible feeling being cheated and I can remember them all vividly. 40 years ago!
Nick is an unsportsmanlike player. Know it Nick
First video of yours I’ve seen. You are very solid skills-wise. It’s a shame to lose this way honestly. You mental game needs a lot of work. There was no reason to get in your head the way you did. Nobody to blame but yourself.
i havent watched the whole video and I won't beat the dead horse that is line calls in USTA tennis. Theyll always be there.
One thing, if you'd like some constructive criticism, is I didn't see your opponent volley much. It seemed like you had a few errors on first time passing shots. especially by your own omission he was unable to hit an overhead, I think you would have done better to have made him beat you at the net.
Your mental game is awesome! Not easy to have a bad line call at 5-4 30s and go down 0-40 in the 5 all game. At that point I thought the set was over, but you made a great comeback in that game. You def have the fortitude to overcome the bs you faced in this match.
Great match thanks for sharing!
I played someone recently in a league who accused me of cheating, and literally cried over a call, that I just ended up giving them, cause it's not that serious. Looking back at the tape, my calls were questionable on a couple of occasions, but my opponent had way more questionable calls than me, and some I would consider to be bad calls. I used to think I was being cheated a lot more but watching on SwingVision where I slow down the point frame by frame and I generally notice for every bad call they make, I make one too, just not getting calls right all the time--or even when I think I am wrong or they are, it's still questionable, so I try to give benefit of the doubt and not play too close to the lines. Still, it sucks when you're being cheated and they just keep doing it over and over. Ugghh, tennis can be so frustrating beyond just all the mechanics and internal pressures.
Also too many forehand errors from the middle when in control of the point… should incorporate more middle forehand training to make sure that holds up in the pressure moments of the match
From experience, the ref won’t do anything. They’ll just agree with who made the call because it’s in the rule book. The best thing to do is hook back and that’ll make them stop: sorry you had to go through that 😢
1) Don't hit so close to the lines
2) Don't let the noises and gestures your opponent makes affect your mental state
Yeah, that douche totally hooked you bad. You're a better player than him and with better competitive character. I feel your pain. Next one.
I find line calling in USTA tournaments far worse than in league play. Tournaments charge way more than leagues and people don’t want to pay $50 for a tournament and lose in the first round. Also, in league play, players are local and know each other, you don’t want to get a rep as a cheater or jerk on the court. Tournaments are filled with random players from different areas, and I often run into some guy I don’t know who is clearly trying to play mental games. In one match, my opponent kept hitting the ball away from me after the point was over when I was serving, which meant I had to walk to get the ball for the next point when he could’ve easily given it to me. I asked him on a changeover if he wouldn’t mind hitting or throwing the ball to me after a point as I was doing for him on his serve, but he ignored me. I suppose I could’ve called a ref to complain, but that’s not my nature, and I don’t know if there’s a specific rule on that. I won the match so it worked out in the end, but it’s never fun to play a guy who has no sense of sportsmanship. The yelling on your errors shows this guy is really self-absorbed and classless.
As well as u move u should work on a bigger flat forehand.
The line calls should not get to you, those were pretty close even calls you made. If anything focus on getting more margin. Him celebrating and yelling is annoying and tells you a lot about the person. But again, focus on yourself, you’ll come out better by learning how to filter the noise out. Easier said than done of course. Good luck!
The first thing i learned in my first lesson of tennis is to not cheer your opponents unforced errors.
On the positive side, you played a great match, very close. With that being said-You have to be the better man. Honestly, the calls are close, but you did not lose the match because of those calls. You made a lot, a lot, a lot of unforced errors, and that is solely on you. You have to rise up to the occasion. Focus on what you can control, and those are the unforced errors, and your mental stability. Otherwise, you really don’t belong. Hey, it happens to the Kyrgios, the Rublevs, etc. Minimize your errors, don’t put yourself is a position for those close calls, and leave the excuses at home. Own it, look in the mirror, and say it, it is about me. Everyone gets cheated on, even at the pro-level with everyone watching 😮😳, on NATIONAL tv, for real money and ranking, With slow motion, just ask Felix A. double bounce or Daniil M. with the mark clearly on the clay. Change the narrative on this video, and narrate about your unforced errors, what can you do better about it? , Why did you miss this shot or that one? Why did you make that dumb decision or what was the alternative? When you are able to do that, then you have risen up, and arrived. I love your technique and serve. IMO, he seems to be the aggressor, his backhand was more tune in than your, which seems always on the defensive, for a 5.0, a better backhand is expected. Move your serve around to make him uncomfortable, do not go around your backhand, unless is for a reason, like setup or put away, it shows that weakness; keep your emotions to yourself, that fuels some opponents, read the book “winning ugly” or at least read the summary.
This is 5.0 tennis? just getting back into tennis after playing in the late 70's early 80's and this seem much lower.
Well you are probably easily a 6.0- BTW you are ripping these guys and it’s likely you’re not smart enough to realize it. Video does not to justice when it comes to the pace on the ball
@@hsad1234 You're 100% correct.
6:55 you can actually see that the ball was inside of the line, at the raquet was pretty much just at the edge of the baseline so it would have been impossible for that ball to be out. He knew it too, he's just a dirty cheat plain and simple.
HOW DO YOU ADD THE SCOREBOARD TO THE VIDEO?
his yelling every time you made an UF (especially when you shanked one onto court 5) was even worse than his line calls
Great playing man! When people cheat like this you gotta start cheating them back. I hate to do it too but he stole way too many points for you not to get him back. Where are you based out of? Maybe we can play one day! Great stuff again. Subscribed!
@michaelforte97 Thanks! I'm based in SoCal. Let me know if you're ever down this way.
Most of his serves were foot faults.
We would be having a nasty ass handshake
Can you put nicks full name down? Name and shame please.
Nicolas bohrer utr 6
Hi! I really understand your frustrations first of all! Several line calls were really questionable, especially the hard return of the serve in the first set. Seems like the dude really took his chances on the other side away from the camera to make calls his way. And I understand it most have been painful to watch afterwards. Regarding your game, you have a good serve and good forehand and backhand from the baseline. Volley and touch and drop shots seems good. However, you need to develop your backhand so you can go down the line from the time to time. I could not find a single time you did so during this match. This guy does not seem so fast, athletic and strong mover but I can be wrong. But most of all, your forehand in no mans land needs to be improved. If your opponent make a short ball he should be punished. Seems like you are letting the ball drop almost to your shoes instead of taking it earlier. Some of those short balls should have been put hard in the corners for either a winner or an easy volley on the next shoot. Instead you looped a lot of those short balls long. You were simple not able to punish your opponent that much inside the baseline during this match is my analyze. Seems like he was also successful in rushing you at critical times by approaching the net. I hope you take my criticism and feedback in a good way. Play more tennis and make sure to win against this guy next time!
That call at 6:55 was a bs call. The ball hit right inside the line and that dudes racket was right behind the damn line when he hit the ball. Best of luck in your future tournaments Andrew. New subscriber.
it sucks to play against guys like this, but sometimes you run into jerks. can't let it throw you off your game though or you're playing right into their hands.
Dude is all over the baseline. Almost an exception when he isn't.
15:57 foot fault.
Went into this thinking from the comments that it was going to be egregious... but I think you should just work on improving your mental and technical game.
the YA come on after stealing a point lol
If I were Nick I'd just be embarrassed at myself. I feel sorry for him.
If you look at Nicks feet too, they come extremely close to foot faulting every serve 😅