When tennis players reserve court time, they are allotted for 1.5-hour play. This equates to three sets of 30 minutes. When players switch courts during the odd number of games (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11), except for game 1 for the pros, many take a brief drink and prepare to battle onward. During their changeover, the pros have 90 seconds to sit down and rest, then up to 2 minutes to get back onto the court. This is why the acting chair umpire will announce “Time” to get the players back onto the court to continue playing.
Amateurs and social players may take a restful extended break, but they should keep in mind that the objective is to have a fun, social, competitive game with each other. Sitting around chit-chatting about random or lengthy topics is why some can squeeze in only two sets of play.
At a movie theater, it is displayed and announced on the screen to silence cell phones and cease conversation. The same can be said at a church service. No individual wants to hear two others having a booming conversation during the message. Sadly, this is frequently experienced in group play when the changeover transforms into a gossiping/venting session.
My take is that there’s a time and place for such chatter: before or after the tennis game. Meet at Starbucks or McDonald’s to socialize instead of wasting other players’ “Time.”