Going from 4.5 to 5.0 level-what best to focus on?

[Japanese Maple]

What do you think is the key differences between being a 4.5 player and someone at the 5.0 level. What would it take to get to the 5.0 level-what best to focus on? Can you move from 4.5 to say 4.75 then to 5.0? I would think that the key areas, considering you have all the shots and are consistent, would be improving ones serve, especially the second serve-mainly placement, spin variety, and disquise, along with improving your return of serve. All things being equal at the 5.0 level you have to hold serve and break serve. Thanks for your input.

[kevhen]

I just reached 4.5 and what I see in the 5.0s is the ability to place the ball much better and add even more spin to shots. Consistency is also very, very good at 5.0 level no matter what types of shot you throw at them. Footspeed is also very obvious with 5.0s as they are all in very good shape and very fast. Ability to place the ball really improves as you go from 4.5 to 5.0. 4.5s can hit hard and place the ball fairly well but 5.0s can still place it well when under pressure.

[lkdog]

Have played at the 4.0 to 4.5 level the past 15 years and played against several guys rated 5.0 in tournaments.
Agree with KevHen-they do everything a little more consistently and better than a 4.5.
Generally have no basic glaring weakness in stroke technique, are fit and pretty athletic, and have a couple serious weapons from below:

1) power off ground or very heavy ball off ground
2) great consistency, placement, or attacking off return of serve
3) power off serve or excellent spin and placement or both
4) great volleyer
5) great consistency
6) very good movement and fitness
7) mental toughness

Basically have an element to their game that you have to cope with as it is a real problem for opponents.

They also are capable of playing competitively against D1 players-not beating them but doing well enough to not embarrass themselves. Usually a 5.0 played some tennis after high school at the next level at an NAIA, DII, or DIII, or lower D1 program.

It is a jump from 4.5 to 5.0 IMO. Much bigger difference than 4.0-4.5 which is a real crapshoot in terms of how it is even judged and everybody in that group has a weakness in their game.

[Nellie]

In my eye, 4.5 players hit most shots well but are only beginning to develop strategy.

A 5.0 player is a competitive/successful tournament player with a definite strategy built around a self awareness of their strengths and weakness. As previously mentioned on this board, the progression from 5.0 to 6.5 is pretty small and depends a lot on fitness and raw physical ability.

I think the big differences between 4.5 and 5.0 players are:

(1) Fitness - most 5.0 players are on the courts constantly and have good footwork. In my area, most 5.0s are teaching pro's who play all day. It's not that the 4.5 players have bad footwork - they just get tired and start using lazy technique. The U.S. National open champion is a guy who started playing after college, but was previously a semi-professional soccer player who can ran all day.

(2) A weapon that is used selectively- most 5.0 players have a favorite shot (like a down the line backhand or inside-out forehand) that allows them to win certain points almost automatically. At the same time, the shot needs to be hit with discretion and at high percentage. That means you play conservatively, except when you get a ball in your wheelhouse. This allows a better player to really shrink the court. For example, if the opponent cannot hit wide to the backhand side, it makes it tough for them to rally. As you get better, you may develop multiple weapons, but start with one. If it is your serve, practice placing it consistently.

(3) Similarly, the ability to put away easy shots - most players can punish opponents for any mistakes (short balls, weak returns, etc.) The better your ability to reliably put away shots, the better your game. You should be able to do this consistently in practice. When your opponent needs to play almost perfectly, it further shrinks the court and puts pressure on them to make errors.

So, to improve, I would recommend jumping rope (a lot); deciding on the strength of your game and planning a strategy to allow you to use that strength while cutting down mistakes when you are not using that shot; and practicing putting away short balls.

[kevhen]

I agree that 5.0s really do shrink the court against 4.5s. I have to hit the ball with much more depth or my 5.0 opponent hits a routine winner. If I hit a perfect shot, often the 5.0 gets to it just in time and forces me to hit another perfect shot, often 3-4 before I win the point. But if I sit back and play safe then the 5.0 controls and makes me run and ends up hitting the winner anyway. So it's tough! Catch-22.

So I play more doubles now against the 5.0s where I can compete with less court to cover and a better net game than many 5.0s who can outhit me from the baseline. At 37 years old, the only way I get to 5.0 now is to develop a big time windshield wiper forehand which is possible since I still have a pretty simple old school forehand or just keep improving my net game and win alot in 4.5 doubles that way.

[Bagumbawalla]

I thinl the, above, people have done a very good job of describing the differences between a 4.5 and a 5.0.

To determine what you need to concentrate on, you need to examine your game point by point and do an inventory of what can be improved-- obviously everything, but what improvements will help to advance you the most.

The serve is where the most improvement can come with the least effort. If you can develop a killer serve-- win your serve every time with aces or shots that force weak returns-- you only need to break your opponent once to win the set.

Do you have at least one groundstroke that is a weapon to be feared? If not work on the forehand or backhand until you can hit shots that pressure the opponent, and when you step in for a short ball-- are clear winners. The more pressure you put on the opponent, the more they will either play defensively or tend go for too much.

Do you just bash the ball or to you have a strategy(s) that can be varied for different types of opponent? If not, buy some books on the subject and read them cover to cover.

Can you hit virtually any shot at will or are you hampered by not having "all the shots"? If an opponent sees you have any weakness at all (low short sliced ball, so-so volleys, problems changing direction...)- they will be sure to dig at that weakness over and over.

Are you physically fit enough to play 3 hard sets in 100+ degree heat and still play the same at the end as at the start? Examine your workout/training routine and see if there is room for improvement.

Can you steal time/space from the opponent by hitting deep, catching the ball on the rise, hitting flat when necessary, creating angles with topspin. dropshotting when they are out of position?

Just a few things to consider, as you make your own list, I'm sure you will come up with more areas to examine.

[callitout]

The original question is a good one...and many of the answers highlight the difference between solid club players and truly outstanding players, but seem to miss the point of the question. The question is what makes the leap to just 5.0...The answers are mostly describing players who are 6.0-7.0:
Can easily hit winners off neutral balls, put away all short balls, never get tripped up by the short slice...well this describes Fed better than a 5.0. Play all day in 100 degree heat without getting tired. C'mon. This isnt 5.0. These are at least junior national champions you are describing.

I too would like to know what elevates a 4.5 to a 5.0, not what makes a player without weakness and a few strengths a 6.0-7.0.

[Tennismastery]

A true 4.5 should have all strokes mastered and is able to call upon such shots in practice and in competition. However, the 5.0 and above have not just mastered all such shots, but they are building upon this foundation with many of the things discussed here already: greater consistency at higher levels of effectiveness, (ie: better placement, spin, depth or angle), and they can dictate play through better shot management, point manufacturing, and by moving to intercept balls earlier and hitting shots that are determined by his or her own choices instead of hitting the shots that opponents specifically want them to hit. (Running around the backhand to hit an inside-in, inside-out forehand, etc.)

The practice of 5.0's and above focus on several elements. Here are a handful of drills I use with my high 5.0 and above (ranked) players:

* 40, 30, 20 10 drills
* Butterfly drills
* Push out (backout) drills
* Various movement drills that focus on greater court range of movement and balance
* Pushing the envelop in terms of racquet head speed
* Working on sequencing drills; Drives and drops, approach shots and volleys/overheads
* Acceleration drills to improve first step
* Hitting bombs at them to develop faster reflexes (both at net and baseline)
* Developing greater finesse shots; dipping passes, topspin lobs, etc.
* Running down defensive shots and hitting offensive shots off such balls, (Running down the lob and driving a down the line passing shot)
* We even work on "tweeners", behind the back shots, and other trick shots as these add to the player's racquet control and body control.

[sharpy]

hard to believe that the diff. from 5.0 to 6.5 is small?!?!

and no the ability to put away short balls is not 6.5 level! I would say 5.0's can put away short balls easily, not 6.5...

5.0 players are consistent and powerful.
4.5 players are powerful but not as consistent, maybe 1 or 2 weaknesses
4.0 players have no weapons yet.

for a 4.0 player to get to 5.0 you NEED a weapon or two. preferably serve and forehand. and no fitness is not a weapon.

I've hit with a 6.5. It's kind of like crazy magic. They're at the ball before you even know it.

6.5. They do something special with the ball.

EXAMPLE 1

I know I crushed a short ball down the line.

The 4.0 misses the ball totally, its a winner.
The 5.0 would get the ball back with a lob to put away at the net.
but the 6.5 hits a wristy sharp angle crosscourt pass winner using all wrist!

EXAMPLE 2

you hit a deep ball back in a high speed rally

4.0 is still getting in position when the ball bounces, and he's late
5.0 has begun moving shortly after ball contact
6.5 is already there, and waiting to unload before you can look back on his side!!!

[NLBwell]

As a 5.5 who moved to 5.0 the difference was basically due to 1) Speed on the court (I was 8 years older when I started playing again) and 2) consistancy (with my long strokes, it was necessary to play at least a couple of hours a day to keep them grooved). As a 5.0 who moved to 4.5, the difference was movement (due to knee surgeries) and serve (due to shoulder injuries).

I guess to do it in reverse order (4.5 to 5.0) I would first work on your serve until it is a weapon that you have complete confidence in - especially turning your second serve into something your opponent fears. Next would be working on your speed on the court and just hitting and hitting to get your strokes consistant.

[tlimster]

This is an interesting thread, because I just got rated for the first time. I was previously a junior tournament player, ranked sectionally but not nationally. So after 12 years I just joined a club, have been playing again for 3 months, and got rated by the club pro at 4.5 now, and he said that if I play more than once a week I will easily move up to 5.0. I have been hitting with a few 4.5s now, as well as a nationally ranked 14 year old who plays at the club, and can make the comparison to juniors who I used to play with who were I guess 5.0 on an NTRP rating level, with some up to 6.0 (nationally ranked juniors who I lost to pretty easily). These are my observations:

1) 4.5s do not hit the ball that hard, but they are consistent. They remark at how hard I hit the ball, but I was only an average pace hitter when I played junior tennis. They are probably, overall, better lobbers, because they lob more often than they should (at least against 5.0s);

2) 4.5s do not put away short balls as well. If I hit a short ball (either inside the service line that's not a fast highly angled crosscourt, or a moderately paced ball just over the service line), then they do not put it away -- the rally continues. When I played before, if I hit a short ball mentally i'd check out of the point, or at least think that I would likely lose it. Now, I just think it's part of the rally. In fact, short slices sometimes win me points (due to unforced errors on approaches), which would have been unthinkable before. This also brings up my own angst, which is that I make unforced errors on other peoples' short slice shots, which is why i'm definitely not a 5.0 anymore.

3) their approach shots are, 40% of the time, not that great.

4) I'm not sure I agree with other opinions that a killer serve is important -- for most people under 6 feet (including myself at 5'9), it would be hard to develop one. There was one kid who was 5'4" with a spin serve, however, who was so fast and had such great groundstrokes that he was actually in the top 10. The spin serve was just not attackable - it had enough pace that the best you could do was start the rally, but he'd kill you in the rally, and his return was good enough to keep you from coming in, so he'd kill you in that rally too.

5) I can generally win a point with a hard shot down the line, especially from my backhand side (because they're not expecting it).

All that being said, I think I would probably lose to half of the guys I play with right now because I can't myself hit a volley still (I still have yet to play a 2 out of 3 set singles match). As for my own game, I rely on a consistent backhand and a less consistent but more powerful heavy topspin forehand, which when it gets going can win me a string of points quickly.

[MTXR]

Ginormous Serve.

[NLBwell]

tlimster - good post - made me re-think some things. When I was a junior, even though I wasn't very big, I always hit exceptionally hard - thus my emphasis on consistency - controlling the power you posess.

I think my emphasis on the serve, especially the second serve is correct, though. A 5.0 will take apart second serves that are not difficult and you can not afford to lose your serve in a 5.0 match. The serve doesn't have to be a monster in terms of speed (McEnroe's wasn't) but it has to be a weapon even on the second serve.


From people I know who have moved up to 5.0 (Most 5.0s have actually moved down from top juniors, college, etc.). They spent a lot of time (and usually money) learning good technique on their strokes to get the power and consistency necessary.
You should have all the shots to be a 5.0 - approach shots, half volleys, dinks, big topspin, slice and be able to use them at the proper time. A lot of this is just on-court time, as is getting the consistency to get those proper strokes grooved.

[burosky]

All points with merits. Don't forget better shot selection and court positioning.

[skiracer55]

I thinl the, above, people have done a very good job of describing the differences between a 4.5 and a 5.0.

To determine what you need to concentrate on, you need to examine your game point by point and do an inventory of what can be improved-- obviously everything, but what improvements will help to advance you the most.

The serve is where the most improvement can come with the least effort. If you can develop a killer serve-- win your serve every time with aces or shots that force weak returns-- you only need to break your opponent once to win the set.

Do you have at least one groundstroke that is a weapon to be feared? If not work on the forehand or backhand until you can hit shots that pressure the opponent, and when you step in for a short ball-- are clear winners. The more pressure you put on the opponent, the more they will either play defensively or tend go for too much.

Do you just bash the ball or to you have a strategy(s) that can be varied for different types of opponent? If not, buy some books on the subject and read them cover to cover.

Can you hit virtually any shot at will or are you hampered by not having "all the shots"? If an opponent sees you have any weakness at all (low short sliced ball, so-so volleys, problems changing direction...)- they will be sure to dig at that weakness over and over.

Are you physically fit enough to play 3 hard sets in 100+ degree heat and still play the same at the end as at the start? Examine your workout/training routine and see if there is room for improvement.

Can you steal time/space from the opponent by hitting deep, catching the ball on the rise, hitting flat when necessary, creating angles with topspin. dropshotting when they are out of position?

Just a few things to consider, as you make your own list, I'm sure you will come up with more areas to examine.

...and I think this encapsulates a lot of what everybody else has said in this excellent thread. Notice that it's not just strokes, but athleticism, match toughness, a Plan A strategy but lots of backup strategies. I agree totally that the biggest bang for the buck you can get is to jack up your serve. At 5.0, you can *maybe* get away with a solid, but not spectacular serve, but not above 5.0. And if you can get to 5.0, why not, as they say in the Air Force, Aim High and go for the next level?