Cheating in British junior tennis

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Cheating in British junior tennis

wolf · Tennis legend

There is always going to be a possibility of cheating between kids when they are no umpires present. However most of the time it is not so much cheating as just the kid calling it wrong, any player is prone to a wrong call as much as an umpire or a line judge. But then the opponent, parent (and it is generally the mother) that takes it the wrong way and then it all escalates from there.

However there are some kids (pressured by their parents of course) who will do anything to. Obviously the parents should be responsible for their child's behaviour, but as they are the ones that tend to cause it, there lies the problem. Parents expectations should be died down, they should realise that unless their child is clearly going to be the next Robson or whoever that their child is not a ticket to a life of riches, and they should just let their child enjoy their tennis.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

More anecdotal evidence, this time from no less a personage than Old Echo Man in a post-US Open Net Post article posted on the Times site on 14th September:

Unless we get it right at the bottom, how is it ever going to be better at the top? The Net Post hears of an unsavoury incident at a recent under-16 county closed boys match in which Player A, leading a quarter final 5-2, 40-15, struck what everyone could see was a clear winner only for Player B to wave a finger and call it out. That was hard enough to swallow, but on the next point, as Player A positioned himself to put away a smash, Player B screamed "Miss it, Miss it, Miss it" and the ball was duly framed out of court. Player B's parents applauded their son's tactics. The referee was summoned, but astonished Player A when he said he could only stay for one game because there were many courts to cover. He sent a young deputy in his place, but he, too, stayed for just one game. Player A, his game in ruins, lost in straight sets. Even those on the adjacent court stopped their own match to accuse Player B of cheating. Which tells us two things - that parents are happy for their children to succeed regardless of the principle of fair play and that we don't have enough officials in this country to guard against such wretched indiscipline.

* Inexcusable... cry

Ratty · County player

What utter cobblers.

There's always been cheating in un-umpired tennis matches, and always will be. My anecdotal impression is that it's no better or worse than it was 10 years ago.

But hey, a story headed "cheating continues at the same level in junior tennis" wouldn't get a lot of readers, would it. So why not hype it up, blame pushy parents and mysterious eastern europeans, and whaddya know, we have a story!

-- Edited by Ratty at 15:31, 2008-11-18

tennisfan84 · Junior player

I agree. As someone who has refereed junior tennis for the last 7 years, I think cheating goes on at the same level as it always has done in the junior game. I think the worst level of cheating comes at futures qualifying level. I have seen some howlers called in the women's qualifying events when there are no umpires (and the ref is sitting in his little office).
In fact, I would go as far to say in the last couple of years, juniors are becoming more and more sporting, with a lot of players now saying good shot to an oppponent rather than berating themselves.

Although, I played a former national level junior in a club league last week and saw her call the most professional bad call I have ever seen. Standing over the ball, she had a clear view of it, clearly called it and then stated it was well out, when in fact it was inside theline. Found out later the score was 5-5, bit to close obviously. I name and shame you Emma ....., aged mid 20's.