Tennis in Cuenca

Tennis in Cuenca: New Year Update, Reminders, and Etiquette

Good day, and Happy New Year! 🎾

At the end of every year, I like to share an update on Tennis in Cuenca, a state of the union, if you will.

We’ve welcomed some new players recently, so to our “old” players—please bear with me as I cover a few reminders. This post is aimed at keeping tennis fun, fair, and enjoyable for everyone.

Balls Balls Balls

Please be sure to bring good balls (new or still in good shape) with you each day. If you don’t have any, you can buy a can at Match Point when they’re open.
Tennis balls are expensive here in Ecuador, but if we all take turns opening balls, we share the cost evenly. A good rule of thumb: if you haven’t opened balls in the last four or so times on court, it’s your turn.
That said—this is the best group we’ve ever had for sharing balls. Thank you!

Money Can Reminder

When you arrive, please find the money can and add your contribution right away, before warming up or heading to another court. This helps ensure we don’t come up short when it’s time to pay.
If you arrive late, please remember to add your share. Any money left over goes toward our Christmas fund for the charities we support, so thank you for helping make that possible.
We raised $400 this year, the most ever! Also we will be voting later on what charities we will be supporting this coming year.

End of Set Check-In

At the end of each set, please stop and check in with the other courts. You may be fine continuing with the same foursome, but others may be ready to rotate.
After checking scores, decide together whether to:
Wait a few minutes for other courts to finish, or
Play a few more games until everyone is ready
This keeps things fair and flowing smoothly.
Inclusive Play Is the Goal
The goal of Tennis in Cuenca is to provide play for everyone:
At level
Above level
Below level (to help everyone improve)
I do my best to coordinate this daily, and with everyone’s help we usually get very close. Sitting out of games—or refusing to play with certain players—goes against this goal. please sit out only for physical reasons or when numbers require it.

Fun Comes First

Tennis is competitive, and we all want to win—but the purpose of Tennis in Cuenca is to have fun. Some players are more competitive than others, and that’s okay.
If you ever feel uncomfortable with someone’s on-court behavior, please let me know so I can make adjustments. The guidelines below are here to help everyone enjoy fun and fair tennis.

Tennis Rules and Etiquette

Ball on Court

When a ball comes onto your court from an adjacent court:
Only players on the court may decide to stop play
Any player may call “Ball on court”
If no one calls it and the point finishes, the result stands
If “Ball on court” is called during a serve, the server gets a first serve.
This rule applies only to balls from other courts. Loose balls on your own court must be cleared before serving. Since this is the server’s responsibility, a first serve is not automatically granted—but good sportsmanship may apply if safety is involved.

Calling an Out Serve

Either receiving player may call the serve out, depending on who has the best view. The call must be made immediately and clearly, or the ball is considered in play.
On our noisy courts, it helps to raise your hand while making the call.
Close Calls
Out calls must be made as the ball hits the court. You cannot wait until the point is over, discuss it, and then make a call—if that happens, the point goes to your opponents.
If you’re not 100% sure the ball was out, it’s in. When in doubt, return the shot and make the call only if you clearly see it out.
You should not make calls on your own shots. Respect your opponent’s call, but you may ask about ball placement to help with future shots.
Tip for doubles:
The partner with the best angle should make the call. If you can see the court color (blue) between the ball and the line, the ball is out. This applies especially when receiving serve—partners near the service line often have the best view.

Celebrating Points

It’s fine to celebrate a point you or your partner earned through good play.
It’s poor sportsmanship to celebrate points won due to:
Opponent’s unforced errors
Lucky shots (like net-cord winners)

Play to the Level of Your Court

We have a wide range of experience and physical ability. Please be mindful of who you’re playing with and adjust your shots accordingly so everyone can enjoy the game.

Final Thoughts

This is your tennis group. If you have questions, suggestions, or notice something I may have missed, please don’t hesitate to speak up, either in this chat or anonymously.

Thank you all for being part of Tennis in Cuenca. I truly appreciate the spirit, cooperation, and fun you bring to the courts.

See you out there,

Ken

What a great day celebrating birthdays at AJ'S place. 🎉🎂

There is still hope!

We have a regular tennis session every Tuesday and Thursday at 9am. 🎾👍💪🏽👏

Our Tennis in Cuenca monthly birthday luncheon!
So fun!