Ask An Official: Broken Strings & Broken Hearts, The Price of Bad Sportsmanship

Tennis is more fun when players are good sports, and when persons associated with the players and the sport reinforce the ideals of good sport conduct. Sportsmanship builds trust, generates mutual respect, and promotes friendship among all people. 

Below are two examples of the same situation where sportsmanship decided the outcome. They both are true stories involving broken racquet strings.

The first is from an adult women’s league match. During a match, Player 1’s strings break on her only racquet. She asks an official what she can do. According to the rules she has 25 seconds and can either borrow a racquet or forfeit her match. At that moment, Player 2 reached into her bag, offered her opponent an extra racquet and they finished the match.

Here’s another example from a national-level junior tournament: 

Player 1 comes into the match with a reputation for showing poor sportsmanship during previous matches but not enough to receive formal code violations this tournament. During the finals match, that same player broke strings on all three of his racquets. He called for an official. 

“What can I do?” he asked.

“You can borrow a racquet, but you have to do so within 25 seconds.” 

The player looked around the stands to a few fellow players with their bags, but no one offered him a racquet. The player had to retire from the match due to not having a racquet to play with.

Most players play by the rules, make good line calls and demonstrate good sportsmanship to the best of their ability and experience. However, when players cross the line into unsportsmanlike conduct, that is when the nearest USTA Official will step in and correct the unsportsmanlike behavior.