It was our last match of the in-house 2.5 women’s league on Tuesday. I (F/32) was playing with J (F/46), my longtime partner, against A (F/50) and H (F/45). Things are always tense with A and H, but this match took things to a whole new level.

My 7-year-old son K (M/7) was home sick from school, so I had no choice but to bring him with me. He was quietly laying under a bench behind our court, bundled in a coat, watching his iPad on low volume. My tennis bag was on one side, and J’s was sitting on top of the bench, so he wasn’t even visible unless you were really looking. M (F/46), a friend on another team playing next to us, later said she didn’t realize he was even there until halfway through the match.

We won the first set 6–4, and once we started pulling ahead in the second, the vibe shifted. A and H started rushing us, nitpicking line calls, and acting snippy. During one game, A asked me to put headphones on K. I said it wasn’t necessary—he was quiet, and the gym was louder than he was. She kept pushing, and I told her to stop nitpicking and serve. From there, things turned icy.

We won the second set 6–1. Honestly, I played my best match all season. Their energy flipped a switch in me—I stopped being lighthearted and played aggressively. After the match, they didn’t say good game or even acknowledge us. Then it blew up.

H started calling me “entitled” for bringing my son. I told her it’s allowed and she could talk to the front desk if she had an issue. She kept calling me entitled and said the light from the iPad was distracting—something she never once mentioned during play. She also claimed they spent more time on that side, which was false—we rotated evenly.

At that point, I mentioned that we’ve let a lot slide over the seasons: • A has called balls out before they hit the ground, • She’s touched the net mid-point (which is technically a fault), • She’s reached over the net and hit balls on our side, then denied it even when both J and I saw it, • They’ve questioned our calls when it wasn’t their place to.

We’ve always let those things go for the sake of keeping it fun. So for them to suddenly fixate on a quiet, sick child was… ridiculous.

Voices were raised. I started to pack up with K and head out. As I walked past the other court, I sarcastically said, “Sorry for all the noise and disruption my kid caused,” loud enough for A and H to hear, because again—he did nothing wrong. A and H followed me, still calling me disrespectful. It got heated—we were basically yelling across the gym.

M stepped in and said, “Let’s knock it off, there’s a kid here,” pointing to K. A made a snide comment about it being the last week of league, and I said “Thank fuck” and walked out.

Outside, I apologized to M and S (F/47), who had witnessed the end. They said it was wild and just hoped K felt better.

Later that day, I sent this to J, M, and S:

“Hey ladies, I just wanted to send a quick note after today’s match. I’m really sorry things got so heated. I’m usually lighthearted and just out there to have fun, but the tension today really took the wind out of me. I hate that I let it get to me. With my kid being home sick and having to bring him, I got protective and let my emotions show more than I normally would. I appreciate the way you handled everything with grace. Thanks for being kind in the middle of it all.”

M and S were super kind and supportive in their replies.

That night, H texted J and me (with A included):

“Hey, I’m really sorry things got a little tense today—definitely wasn’t the intention. I totally get that sometimes our kids need to be with us. Their movements and sounds are different from adults playing tennis around us so it can be distracting to me when trying to focus. I get anxious when there’s a little one on the court because I worry they might accidentally get hurt. If there is something we are doing during game play that you don’t like, please please share with us so we can address it. Hopefully we can just put it behind us and come out next time with a clean slate—just play and have fun.”

It felt fake and dismissive. No acknowledgment of calling me entitled. No ownership of following me off the court to continue the fight. And she shifted the blame again to my child. The “please share” bit felt like a jab at me for calling out their questionable gameplay history.

So I responded:

“After reflecting a bit, I just want to say this: my son being there was not the issue. He was quietly laying down, out of the way, and only there because he was home sick. He didn’t disrupt the match, and honestly, most people didn’t even realize he was there.

What frustrates me is that just a few weeks ago, my kids were actively running around on the court next to ours during spring break, and no one said a word—because you won that day. This time, the tone changed when the score didn’t go your way. That’s not about distractions. That’s about shifting blame.

This is a 2.5 in-house league. It’s unsanctioned. It’s not USTA. There’s no trophy. We’re a bunch of moms trying to play tennis and get a break from life. To take it this seriously, to the point of targeting a sick child and arguing about iPad lighting, is embarrassing. And for women basically in your 50s, this behavior isn’t just unkind—it’s not something to be proud of.

No response necessary. I don’t think we’ll ever agree on this, and I’m fine leaving it where it is. The season is done, and frankly, it’s not worth any more of my energy.”

They haven’t responded. I’m fine with that. But for a casual mom’s tennis league, this whole thing felt so unnecessarily hostile.

So, AITA for bringing my kid and standing up for myself when I was called entitled? Or should I have just let it go?