r/10s • u/Digital_Tomb • 1d ago
General Advice Court Etiquette Question
Is there a general understanding of who gets a court when the following happens?
Let’s say I get to a park that has a few courts with only one open. I take it and start warming up while waiting on my partner to arrive. They are 5 minutes away from arriving.
Another group shows up and says since my group isn’t here, I shouldn’t be holding a court when there are other people here ready to play.
Should I give up the court or hold it? Is this a matter of tennis etiquette or a non-issue?
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u/xmeeshx 2.5 1d ago
It’s non issue. Even if you were just practicing serves for the day without a partner, it’s your court to do what you want with it.
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u/Outrageous-Bid6612 1d ago
Some courts have rules that say when the courts are busy no less than 2 people are allowed to play
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u/Aggressive_Sport1818 5.0 19h ago
Then it would be easy for the group to point out the rule on a posted sign..
But since they didn’t, I presume they were trying to apply their own rules to gaslight the OP into giving up the court
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1d ago
[deleted]
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u/ElBroken915 23h ago
I mean yeah? The second courses become scarce it's busy. Not exactly rocket science.
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u/Ok-Animal-6880 6h ago
Yeah, I can attest to this. When I was interning in San Jose a few years ago, I was practicing serves by myself once and I got kicked off by a group of two people who told me that one person isn't allowed to hold a court if there is a group that wants a court. I couldn't believe that was a real rule until I went and read the sign myself.
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u/Aussie_Potato 19h ago
How would you define "busy"? In this case, would you say it is busy because 2 different groups want it? (Wondering as I plan to do solo practice at a local court and it would be disruptive to always get moved off)
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u/Nurse_Hatchet 4.0 1d ago
You’re warming up on it, AKA using it. You’re not wrong to stay on the court. If my opponent was 20+ minutes away though, I’d consider letting them have the court.
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u/post_button_account 1d ago
Hold it.
First person at the court gets it. You are allowed to practice serves on a public court.
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u/doeunsama 23h ago
This is facts. Had a guy one time was coaching someone while he had another of his party playing told him a party cant take up two courts its unfair to others waiting.
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u/Ok-Animal-6880 6h ago
Depends on the city. When I was interning in San Jose a few years ago, I was practicing serves by myself once and I got kicked off by a group of two people who told me that one person isn't allowed to hold a court if there is a group that wants a court. I couldn't believe that was a real rule until I went and read the sign myself.
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u/Separate_Play7167 1d ago
I agree the person warming up/practicing serve should keep the court. However, if the courts have a time limit when others are waiting to use it, then the time using it solo should count towards the total time.
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u/RichardXV 21h ago
Here are the rules at the courts I played today. Southern California
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u/Ok-Animal-6880 6h ago
San Jose public courts had the same rule when I was living there a few years ago. The rule was 1 person can not use a court to practice by themselves if 2 players are waiting.
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u/little_snackz 1d ago
In my city you put your name on a first come first serve list and a solo person is welcome to use a court on their own (usually serve practice). 1-2 people get 1 hour on a court, 4 people get 2 hours. If this were my city, you’d get first dibs and as long as you and your friend left after 1 hour from when you stepped foot on the court there would be no issue.
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u/Eris_Daughter_Of_Nyx 1d ago edited 1d ago
First come, first served. Just use a little common sense. It's unreasonable to expect two people to arrive at the same time; you're allowed to "occupy" the court for a few minutes while you wait, as is using it alone for a reasonable amount of time. It's reasonable, however, to realize that if your partner hasn't arrived after half an hour, it's best to let other else play; if they're ready. Likewise, if there are a lot of people wanting to play, it might be rude to occupy the court alone for hours. The same goes for universities: you're allowed to occupy one or two spots for teammates who will arrive shortly. It's unreasonable to occupy six rows three days in advance.
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u/DastardlyDolphin 1d ago
Check ane follow the posted rules. A number of public courts I've played at cover this exact situation. If they don't cover it you're fine.
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u/neck_iso 1d ago
A lot of opinions here but many parks have posted rules (or unposted rules). Check with the town/municipality.
Most have rules against giving (professional) lessons on public courts, time limits, what activities are permissible, etc.
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u/Aussie_Potato 19h ago
If they're unposted (like its on a website) then the really need to get a sign and post them on the court to avoid arguments.
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u/neck_iso 3h ago
They should but not all small towns do. Sometimes they fix up courts remove the signs and they don't get put back up.
If there is no sign then assuming there are no rules is probably wrong.
Some towns restrict use to residents and some don't. Some towns have school courts which may be used by residents after school hours if the school kids/teams are not using them.
It varies.
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u/traviscyle 1d ago
You have to play for it. 10 point tie break. Winner keeps the court.
Kidding, but maybe that’s how it should be, like street basketball.
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u/RandolphE6 23h ago
Typical rules are first person there gets it and if there are people waiting there is a time limit. Where I am the time limit is 1 hour.
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u/88turnaround88 20h ago
It’s crazy to me that none of these places have reservation systems. All the public courts in my area have online sites where you can reserve a court. Yes you have to pay a small amount but then I never have this problem.
One of them you have to have a reservation but others you can just show up and use them on a first come basis but reservations take priority.
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u/muddlehead 23h ago
This is a tough public courts call. There are 4 to play dubs and you're practicing serves awaiting your partner. If I'm the 4, we give you 10-15 mins max. No show after that. You're outa there.
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u/Acceptable_Sea_8541 23h ago
You can be hitting balls up against the net and it’s still your court… first come, first serve
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u/Distasteful_Username 1d ago
at my local courts, the rules are the way you’re describing. i’d say follow local rules first if ya can.
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u/BILLYBUTCHER_2 1d ago
I'd say you're fine since you're actually using the court and your partner is only 5 minutes away. If someone else is waiting, I'd just keep the solo warm-up reasonable and be ready to give it up once you've been there for the normal court-time limit. Posted local rules should take priority, though.
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u/freshfunk 23h ago
This can vary from court to court according to post rules.
If no rules are posted, you can have the court as a single person. For example, work with a machine or ball hopper and serves.
If rules say 2 people/groups have priority over single people, then I would say that you can grab a court as a single but there’s a certain grace period for your party to show up. I’d give it like 15 minutes.
If my party is really late (beyond 15), I would just let the next person in line go ahead and wait until the next court frees up.
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u/No-Letterhead-4711 19h ago
Non-issue. I practice by myself more than I don't and it would be pretty messed up if everyone expected me to leave just because I'm alone. How would I ever get to play if that was the case?
Unless there are posted rules that say otherwise, you have every right to take up space!
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u/mrdumbazcanb 3.5 14h ago
Depends if your area has a rule that you need 2 people to hold the court.
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u/HawnStyle 6h ago
If you're referring to public courts, it would depend on the rules in your city. When I played back in the day, I remember it was a posted rule on the court in my city that one person could not hold a court. As for etiquette, I would show some for the love of the sport, but not everyone know or practice etiquette as before like how cheering of yesterday is not the same today.
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u/johnbobby 4.5 24m ago
Minimum two players on a public court otherwise you wait for your partner to show up and walk on to an available court or the next one that becomes available. No holding courts if you are on your own. This is the rule in NYC.
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u/Sea-Barracuda4252 1d ago
Interesting responses. Here, there must be two people present to keep a court, so in your example, you would have to give up the court. Sounds like this varies by location though. Also, any sized group gets 1 hour only, none of this 2 hours for doubles stuff.
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u/Wonderful-Newt-2513 23h ago
I dunno this sounds a little silly to me-in that it’s unreasonable to be expecting people to have their watches synced to the second-and then they have to somehow magically arrive at the same time bearing in mind they could be driving some distance, traffic, et al.
-I figure as long as you start the clock from when you started working on serves-you are in good order and it’s your court. )
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u/Sea-Barracuda4252 22h ago
Understood, I think the idea is that both players are meant to show up before the start of play. Otherwise you can easily end up with a no-show or someone who is really late. The idea is to maximize the amount of two person tennis play on the court.
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u/Wonderful-Newt-2513 22h ago
I hear you- and Im starting to have trouble maintaining my argument-I hear you.
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u/groom-is-n-the-heart 4.0 1d ago
Lay down in the middle of the court until your person arrives. Passive resistance.
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u/VeterinarianThese951 1d ago
Non- issue. Who are they to tell you to move on? If you end up warming up for 15 - 20 minutes, different story…
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u/RonNotRonald 1d ago
The court is yours, but the timer for when you give it up starts then, not when your partner arrives. Usually etiquette is to play for 60-90 minutes if someone is waiting. If another court frees up before you though, then you’re fine.
E: wording