In this episode of Second Serve, Carolyn, Erin, and Carla share personal stories about a frustrating but common issue in recreational tennis—spectators getting involved in matches. Carolyn begins by referencing the official USTA rule, which clearly states that spectators should never make calls or interfere during a match. Despite this, the hosts recount multiple experiences where spectators overstepped. Erin tells two stories, including one where a spectator interrupted a tense tiebreaker to correct the players, even showing them the rules on his phone mid-match. In another instance, Erin and her opponents amicably agreed to ask a knowledgeable spectator for help on a confusing play—but only after everyone on court approved. Carla recalls a playoff match where a spectator aggressively yelled at her, calling her a bully after a net shot, which shook her confidence. Carolyn also describes a singles match where a spectator called her out for a foot fault, prompting her to confront him. The group reflects on how these situations disrupt matches and stress the importance of grace and sportsmanship on the court. Their message to spectators is clear—enjoy the match, support your players, but stay out of the action. The episode closes by inviting listeners to share their own stories.
Here’s a Transcript of Our Episode:
Hi, this is Carolyn, and I’m here with Erin and Carla and we are going to talk about spectators getting involved in our matches. We were talking, and all of us have had situations where the spectators have gotten involved in our match, and so I actually looked it up. There’s a USTA rule on this, so I’ll read the rule and then I want to hear the stories that you guys have had about spectators getting involved, and I think maybe the point is for spectators is to mind your own business. Exactly, is that?Erin: 0:37
what you think.Carla: 0:38
Okay.Carolyn: 0:40
Definitely All the time. Okay, so this is Frendic Port 2021, and this is on page 39, in case anyone’s looking, and it’s number 16, and it says Spectators never make calls. A player must not enlist the aid of a spectator in making a call. No spectator has a part in a match. All right, erin, tell us your story. Two stories, now that you say that. All right, erin, tell us your story.Erin: 1:03
Two stories. Um so years and years ago, as a two five um, my partner and I had a main like a woman that I played with all the time as a two five partner and we used to play tiebreakers all the time. We were just notorious for at least losing a set where we would end up in a third set tiebreak. So tiebreakers are, uh, confusing for even experienced players right.Erin: 1:26
But we were pretty good at it because we had played so many. So we were at our home courts and we were got into a situation where we were in a third set tie break, and at the beginning of the tie breaker I said something like okay, we’re going to serve one, we’re going to serve one ball, and then we’re going to switch sides and then you guys are going to two, you know, so on and so forth right, just like establishing how we were gonna start it and the my opponent, one of the opponents. Um, we’d had kind of a not so friendly match with these ladies?Erin: 1:57
I don’t even remember, like if there’s anything specific, but it just wasn’t like, yeah, fun, friendly, good tennis, you know type of thing, whatever.Erin: 2:04
it was just one of those matches that kind of sticks out like oh, I don’t know what the problem was, but it was not fun. And I remember one of the ladies saying that is not right, that is not the way you play a tiebreaker. And I was like we’re pretty good at playing tiebreakers, but I could tell it was getting so heated. She was in such a bad mood that, um, she was like no, that’s she literally. I feel like she stomped her feet. She probably didn’t, but in my mind she was like um, and she said that is not the way you play tiebreaker. We just clinicked on how to do it correctly.Erin: 2:37
So I decided that it was better that we play the tiebreaker, however she wanted, right, yes, rather than get in an argument with her like we already were on the verge of arguing and then if I had told her no, you’re wrong and this is the right way to do it. So I just said you know what I literally was like we’ll play the tiebreaker, however, you just learned it in clinic. It doesn’t matter, as long as we it’s 10 points and everybody serves correctly. Right, we’ll play it how you. You run the tiebreaker you know kind of.Erin: 3:02
So we’re doing that. And so like one or two points happened and then someone um that was watching our match chimed in and said no, you’re doing that’s not right, you’re not playing it correctly. And I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, like kind of put them off, like I get it, you know. So we play another point or two and then maybe we’re on I think we were on a changeover and he was like ladies, you are not doing that tiebreaker correctly. And he and he had his phone out and he was showing us. This is just a person watching the match.Carolyn: 3:29
Watching the match. It was in the middle of the match, yeah, during the tiebreaker.Erin: 3:34
So we were on a changeover and he had his phone out and he was like ladies, you are doing it wrong. It says you know for this. And I literally walked over to him and I said listen, I realize that we were doing this incorrectly, but we’re trying to not fight with our opponents.Erin: 3:48
You need to stay out of our match. You cannot talk to us while we’re playing. But I’ll tell you another time where, in a really super friendly situation, that we did ask someone for help. We were playing a match and something weird happened, like one of those rules that you don’t realize is the ball bounced on our side and it bounced and it had so much spin it bounced back on our side before we had a chance to hit it and you know, like one of those like happens once in a lifetime, kind of weird tennis plays, and I remember our opponents were so friendly and I remember saying I really don’t know whose, point that is.Carla: 4:25
I said we can look it up on you know, look at, look at it on one of our phones.Erin: 4:29
But there were people that were watching our match and they were high level, like they were four, four O’s or higher, and I literally said to them, if you are okay with me asking the crowd basically like I’m going to phone a friend Right, whoever’s point it is, you know, and they were like, oh, that’s a great idea, let’s do that.Erin: 4:50
And it was actually someone from our own club, and the lady that I asked said Nope, it’s their point. You can’t do blah, blah, blah and I was like okay and we were all okay with it.Carla: 4:58
But we but. I asked my opponents first before asking anybody else to intervene.Carolyn: 5:03
Yeah, without being asked they just yell it yeah, completely out of line.Erin: 5:11
So I know you guys have both had situations.Carla: 5:13
Yeah, carla how about you?Carla: 5:14
Speaking of that, Carolyn and I actually had a match several years ago and the person will not be named, but we were just playing, minding our business, you know, I don’t know, some random Wednesday morning. It was a playoff match, so it was, you know, playoffs a little bit intense, and Carol and I were actually faced away from this spectator and in the in the back he yells you bully, you are such a bully. And I was so caught off guard. I don’t, I thought he was talking to some of the court.Carolyn: 5:49
I had no idea he was talking about me. Good shot, some of the court. I had no idea he was talking about me. Yeah, carlisle just made a good shot, so I think it was at the net. She was at the net and she hit it at the net. It was an overhead and it was at the net person, but she didn’t even get hit.Carla: 5:58
Yeah, and not only that. You know I’m not good enough to hit people like that, so I even asked her.Carolyn: 6:07
It was a 5-5 match.Carla: 6:15
That was a 2, yeah, and I just made. I did check, I made sure she was okay and she was like oh yeah, I’m fine, not a problem, and I’m like this guy’s still back here. So, carolyn, I think, did you say something to him?Erin: 6:20
I think it was you, because I was like are you talking to me?Carla: 6:24
yes, and he was like yes, I’m talking to you. And I was like, oh my gosh, and I just felt so like distraught, yeah very much my part, I’m just starting playing tennis. Yes, I’m like if this is how it’s gonna be. I don’t necessarily know if this is for me, but I like this rule that says, um, no spectator has a part in the match. So Carolyn was so kind and she was like, do you need to go say something to him? And I’m like, no, it’s fine, because our opponents were totally fine.Erin: 6:51
Yes, right, they weren’t. They weren’t like oh yeah, you are a bully. No, she was like oh, I’m fine, Like it’s going to happen.Carla: 6:56
I’m like okay, cool, so we just keep going. And Carol was like no, I’m going to go say something.Carolyn: 7:00
Well then, the opponent’s husband yelled at the person that said something. So I think, we should have said something if that wouldn’t have happened yeah, he was like stay out of this match yes again it was, we were not going.Erin: 7:14
What a five, five is a five. Five is a two five, right it’s a two, five and a three.Carolyn: 7:19
Oh yes, which means you just started playing which means you just started, which means and we’re all setting each other up just to get.Carla: 7:26
Yes, we’re just we’re not that good. So you know it was a really friendly match up until that point that our competitors were fine, we had good calls, everybody was. You know it was a really good. It was an intense match, pretty tough match, but we were all friendly. So this random dude from nowhere just yelling um had just had no place in that match.Erin: 7:45
Yeah for sure, yeah for sure. Wow, well, I’m glad that someone said something, because someone needs to say something.Carla: 7:51
It was so bad, though, that the opponent’s husband he was like he, you know he double checked to make sure we’re okay.Erin: 7:57
And then after the match.Carla: 7:58
Again, this is an opponent. After the match she was like come have some bagels with us and you know he just he apologized again. I’m like, oh, it’s fine, because I do know that those things will happen as much as we don’t need that in this sport or in any sport. Yeah, you know, going to play sports, it’s just going to happen. Yeah, yeah, carolyn.Carolyn: 8:18
But I didn’t say anything in that situation. So I was ready for the next time, because I was kind of a little mad at myself, because I felt like I didn’t stand up for you yeah. And I wish because I’m just used to playing sports. Yeah, I and I wish because I’m just used to playing sports and, like I, you know, miss a shot or an air ball and people are yelling air ball, I don’t then yell at the fans and be like what are you saying?Carolyn: 8:37
Yeah, what’s your name, you know to that. But I was really upset that I didn’t say anything at that point. So I had something happen this year and I was playing a four singles match and it was a match tie break. And I was playing a four singles match and it was a match tie break and I called the score and then I went to serve and I missed the serve. So I missed the serve and then I heard that was a foot fault, yeah, and I was on the side where there was nobody there except for this one man walking up.Carolyn: 9:09
And I looked at him and I said what’s your name? Like a crazy person.Erin: 9:15
No, that’s good, Because I missed my serve.Carolyn: 9:17
I’m not saying he was wrong about the footfall. I probably did it, but if you’re going to call that part of my game, you need to call the entire match. I would love if somebody would call the lines for me, you can’t just walk up and throw it out there and he said his name and I was like, did you say something to me? And he was like, no, no. And then a part of me was like, well, maybe I misunderstood.Erin: 9:38
You know because we’re playing.Carolyn: 9:40
I’m on singles, I’m by myself. So after the match was over, a person from the opponent’s team came up to me and was like I’m so glad you called him out for doing that.Erin: 9:51
I saw the whole thing he definitely was saying that to you.Carolyn: 9:55
And then I was like and I thought to myself. I was like was he a 2-5?Erin: 9:59
Does he not?Carla: 10:00
know the etiquette involved in this and she goes.Carolyn: 10:04
No, he’s a 4-5.Carla: 10:05
Wow, so he knew what he was doing. For those that are listening, a 4’5 is pretty much like better than I’ll ever be yeah, an advanced tennis player they played for many years so they know the rulesErin: 10:16
yes they know that he knew what he was doing yeah, by doing that, he was trying to intimidate you but I wouldn’t have said anything had that situation not happened with us and.Carolyn: 10:25
I was so upset because I felt like I did not stand up for you yeah so I was like nobody’s gonna get the next one, yeah and the guy probably did think I was crazy, because I was like what’s your name you know, but also everybody footballs my husband was like at four men, everybody’s footballing and I was saying I didn’t do it, but I’m like you, don’t do it that way.Erin: 10:45
And here’s the thing too I know not all people read the rules like you do but you play long enough to know the rules too, and he has played long enough to know that you do not intervene or talk to people on a court during a match, let alone that I mean he didn’t he it could have been the first game for all he knew.Carla: 11:02
It doesn’t matter that it was a match tiebreak.Erin: 11:04
It was the fact that he felt like it was okay for him. Right, Like what if you and your opponent that had just finished a match walked up to his court and just started calling?Carla: 11:14
Right, just started yelling at him for things he was doing.Erin: 11:17
It’s so like inappropriate. And he knew, he knew and you called him out on it and I do.Carla: 11:22
I think there’s something called grace right Like.Carla: 11:25
I do know that nine times out of 10, I have probably footfalled it at some part of my match, or I’ve, you know, hit someone in unintentionally, so I mean, you know, or somebody calls a bad call, but I think those things will happen. And we’re just again. We’re out here playing fun, you know, having a good time, and so I think we just give you know, as we talked about earlier having a good time, and so I think we just give you know, as we talked about earlier, having a little bit, trusting your opponent a little bit, but just also giving grace, Like we are not robots, we’re not, you know, really good tennis players, we just we like to get better, have fun.Carla: 12:01
You know, in some other life we can join the WTA, but not this life, right, not this life but.Carolyn: 12:06
I think if you are a spectator and you are listening to this.Erin: 12:10
Thank you, by the way if you are listening, we appreciate it, but mind your own business.Carolyn: 12:15
I guess is the end of it. It’s like don’t get involved in the match, like sit there. It’s not fair to the people on the court that are actually playing. Agreed? Well, let us know. If a spectator’s ever gotten involved in your match, you can message us on our Facebook page, which is Second Serve Podcast. Thanks so much for listening and hope to see you on the court soon. Thank you.