4.5-5.0+ Players
- Thread starter tomato123
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I'm a 5.0 and I'll be 31 in a few months. I'm on court every day though, becasue I teach tennis. In my mind in not so much of a age thing, its lifestyle. Most people who work full time only get out about 2 times per week and don't have a whole lot of time to work on their fitness.
I know one guy (# 7 in mens open for middlestates) who is 37 and beats up on me really good whenever I get matched up against him in tournaments. He puts the time in on his game and his fitness. I'd say he's easily a 6.0 player. He played Jerimy W. (#1 college player in u.s.) this summer in a tournament in Erie, PA and lost by one break per set - it was close.
I know one guy (# 7 in mens open for middlestates) who is 37 and beats up on me really good whenever I get matched up against him in tournaments. He puts the time in on his game and his fitness. I'd say he's easily a 6.0 player. He played Jerimy W. (#1 college player in u.s.) this summer in a tournament in Erie, PA and lost by one break per set - it was close.
In my area there are strong 4.5 players that are old enough to play in the USTA senior leagues! These are strong players who are legitimately rated as 4.5 through USTA league play.
I can't speak from experience, but it seems to me that 4.5 is the level that great players settle at when age really starts working against them.
Actually, Bungallo Bill has on separate occasions posted that he is 45 and a 5.0.
I can't speak from experience, but it seems to me that 4.5 is the level that great players settle at when age really starts working against them.
Actually, Bungallo Bill has on separate occasions posted that he is 45 and a 5.0.
Bungalo Bill
G.O.A.T.
vin said:
I think age is a factor at some point. I also think injuries play into the mix. But I also agree that if your on the court a lot and have time to dedicate your mind to the sport you can be older and play good tennis against the younger good tennis player.
I do not devote playing on court that much anymore for many reasons, #1 reason is my family. So I have seen my timing progressively slipping. Dedication to conditioning is also very important to play at a 5.0 level as well.
I believe any player can get to a 5.0 level. It is like the poster said above, how much time and dedication do you have to get there. It gets harder when you get older as you are not as quick or just simply dont have the time to pour your soul into it.
joe sch
Legend
The reason the USTA has NTRP ratings, ie 4.5 .. 5.5 is so that competition is based on these skill rating and match play results in those skill levels. If you want age to be a factor then enter ageclass tournaments like 30s, 35s, 40s, 50s, ... where you will complete against the best players in your age class. From the competition that I have seen and experienced in the ageclass levels upto 55 and even 60 in S.Cal, the top 10 or so players in each class would destroy most 4.5 level players.
Bungalo Bill
G.O.A.T.
vin said:
Yeah I did, but that is after the following:
- I am not stressed about anything going on with my kids or my wife.
- I do not have a large "honey do" list to think about after the match
- My wife is not sick of me liking or playing tennis that day
- I woke up and left on good terms with my wife
- I ate good the night before and the kids didnt talk me into going for pizza and then dairy queen for desert
- I took 5 Aleve tablets a half hour before I played
- The aleve tablets are actually taking affect
- The match is played after 8am
- My right ankle (which has been broken twice) is not acting up with stiffness.
- Its not raining (yes, I play in the rain sometimes to get a workout)
Other then that, yeah, I am a 5.0 player and can hold my own at 45!
Kaptain Karl
Hall Of Fame
I’d *kill* to be 35 again ... and I’m a 4.5+.
The biggest difference I notice since my mid-70’s college days is ...
1 - I’m faster at analyzing my opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, and
2 - My ego doesn’t “get in my way” anymore. (An 18 year old local college team player cannot beat me ... but he can *out hit* me. I simply “junk ball” him to death when we play matches.)
P.S. And I'm not even in the top ten of the Mountain Division's 45s. (I'm actually looking forward to the 50's -- when I'll be on the young side of the scale again.)
- KK
The biggest difference I notice since my mid-70’s college days is ...
1 - I’m faster at analyzing my opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, and
2 - My ego doesn’t “get in my way” anymore. (An 18 year old local college team player cannot beat me ... but he can *out hit* me. I simply “junk ball” him to death when we play matches.)
P.S. And I'm not even in the top ten of the Mountain Division's 45s. (I'm actually looking forward to the 50's -- when I'll be on the young side of the scale again.)
- KK
Bungalo Bill
G.O.A.T.
Kaptain Karl said:
LOL
Bungalo Bill
G.O.A.T.
Smashlob said:
Keep going! That is about the age I was first rated a 5.0 player - maybe about 16 I think. College players reach about the 6.0 level. Professional is 7.0.
So you have time on your side!
Older upper level players are the ones that give us younger upper level players fits. If I'm playing a younger 5.0 in the 16-25 year old range, I know that they're probably gonna try to outhit me and play macho tennis, so I know exactly what to expect. The older crowd may be a bit slower, but they have match experience up the wazoo and will hit every single ball to your weak side once they figure out what it is, and I won't even go into the junkball tricks alot of them use(which I don't think are cheap at all, you use what you have to use to win.) Then again, there's this 50 year old man I know that plays nationals that I've seen beat D1 college players soundly in open tournaments.
Burt Turkoglu
Rookie
...50 year olds are getting younger all the time....know lots who are 4.5 and up....
Hey listen up. When we discuss age would you guys mind adding a few more categories for my benefit - life doesn't end after 50. I know many guys in their 60's & 70's (and beyond) who can give some of you lads a good run for your money - and it doesn't matter if we might be four or five times as old as you.
Just watch out for us tanned old buzzards who always say "just take it easy on us" prior to taking the court - we really don't mean it. We've seen the ball bounce a few times and most of us have tricks we haven't even used yet.
Just watch out for us tanned old buzzards who always say "just take it easy on us" prior to taking the court - we really don't mean it. We've seen the ball bounce a few times and most of us have tricks we haven't even used yet.
Trey wrote:
"Well if you are 60 or 70 and you are still waiting to pull out some tricks that you have never used-I would be shaking in my boots"
Start shaking.
Look for a long life between the lines my friend, just make sure you use a lot of sun block - I sincerely hope that everyone wears hats and uses sun block daily - don't fool around with the sun.
"Well if you are 60 or 70 and you are still waiting to pull out some tricks that you have never used-I would be shaking in my boots"
Start shaking.
Look for a long life between the lines my friend, just make sure you use a lot of sun block - I sincerely hope that everyone wears hats and uses sun block daily - don't fool around with the sun.
H
Hedges
Guest
I second Papa's warning about the sun. It's worse than you think.
Beware of old doubles teams bearing limps and hunched over backs.
They've played together forever. As soon as you start feeling sorry for them, they've got you!
Beware of old doubles teams bearing limps and hunched over backs.
They've played together forever. As soon as you start feeling sorry for them, they've got you!
Brent Pederson
Semi-Pro
I'm 47, and about a 4.3 on a good day if the wind is right. I regularly play a 60 year old who's a solid 4.5. I occasionally get 2 out of 3 sets off him (maybe 1 time out of 5). The only way I can beat him is to hit to the corners, junkball him to death, and make him run, run, run. Of course, he does exactly the same thing to me. We both attempt to practice first strike tennis, since the first one with sore knees usually loses...
It's hell getting old...
It's hell getting old...
Power Game
Professional
I'm 18 and i'm a college level player. Don't know my rating though
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