Our Wednesday rules-focused series continues with a look at another now-deleted directive from the 2001 edition of The Code. It appeared under the first principle, “Courtesy is expected. Tennis is a game that requires cooperation and courtesy.” The instruction continues with a directive to players not to complain about an opponent’s style of play, specifically mentioning tactics such as lobs and drop shots. That guidance may seem oddly specific at first glance, but it captures a fundamental truth of tennis that runs much deeper than simple etiquette.
There are plenty of playing styles and shot selections that many players consider to be “substandard tennis.” The most common complaints tend to target “pushers,” players who keep the ball in play without generating much pace, and “moonballers,” who send deep, looping lobs high over the net to stay in rallies. Others grumble about opponents who rely heavily on slice or hit nothing but drop shots. Some doubles players even roll their eyes at teams that lob relentlessly instead of driving volleys. In short, there are a lot of ways to play the game that don’t align with any one player’s personal aesthetic of what “good tennis” should look like.
The message from The Code is straightforward: players should not complain about their opponent’s choice of shots. Doing so on court is simply rude. Every ball played is a legitimate tactic within the game. Criticizing an opponent’s playing style in the middle of a match reflects poorly on the player doing the complaining, not the one who is executing it well enough to create a competitive advantage. Tennis demands mutual respect between competitors, and that respect extends to the choices each player makes about how to win points.
The prohibition against complaining about tactics isn’t just about manners. It’s also about mindset and performance. When a player sneers at a particular tactic, what they are really saying is that they believe their opponent is playing “garbage tennis.” Yet, if that so-called garbage tennis is working, the problem is not with the tactic but with the inability to counter it. Dismissing an opponent’s approach can become an excuse, allowing frustration to replace focus. It’s much easier to grumble about a moonballer than to work on developing the consistency and patience needed to overcome it when it really matters.
Even when the complaints aren’t spoken aloud, harboring a lack of respect for an opponent’s tactics corrodes performance. The moment you label a shot as “cheap,” you stop treating it as a skill worth mastering or neutralizing. That attitude limits growth. Tennis rewards players who adapt, experiment, and learn from every style of play they encounter. When you mentally write off certain tactics as beneath you, you close off opportunities to develop your own versatility and resilience. In that sense, complaining about another player’s style is not just unsporting, it’s a barrier to improvement.
The wisdom embedded in that old 2001 line of The Code is timeless. Courtesy on the court includes respecting how every opponent chooses to play. After all, there is no one right way to win a tennis match. The moment you start judging someone else’s game, you stop improving your own.
- Friend at Court: The Handbook of Tennis Rules and Regulations, USTA, 2025
- Friend at Court: The USTA Handbook of Tennis Rules and Regulations, USTA, 2001. (Hardcopy.)
From Molly Volley to Crybaby Booby : “You live by the lob. you die by the lob .” (From PEANUTS)