From Ian's perspective, his glory days of playing are over and he can only go down, while GSG can only go up for the next few years at least. That is a big difference in mentality. I just read an interview with Navratilova about how she is slowly trying to start tennis again after the pandemic ("the longer you don't play tennis, the more you don't want to play it"), how she is more into cooking and painting these days, and how she was preparing to have Chris Evert over for dinner that evening. Just goes to show how priorities change with time even for someone who is among the all-time greats.
MEP vs ET Players - Original TT Epic
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From Ian's perspective, his glory days of playing are over and he can only go down, while GSG can only go up for the next few years at least. That is a big difference in mentality. I just read an interview with Navratilova about how she is slowly trying to start tennis again after the pandemic ("the longer you don't play tennis, the more you don't want to play it"), how she is more into cooking and painting these days, and how she was preparing to have Chris Evert over for dinner that evening. Just goes to show how priorities change with time even for someone who is among the all-time greats.
LMAO. Did you see that guy that beat down MEP - the Boss of Atlanta. Is there anything he does better then Ian? That guy is a doctor - who spends his days doing medicine. Ian is a guy who spends his days hitting tennis balls. He damn well better win - or he is not going to hear the end of it. Let's be honest now..
If MEP even gets a set off Ian that's an embarrassing failure. Is there another successful teaching pro 40ish and under who would lose to MEP - in the free world?! I can tell you straight up I wouldn't pick any teaching pro I have had to lose to MEP. Most teaching pros have some college experience - but some have satellite experience - and they can all hit over 100mph serves (at least the young guys). Serve alone should give Ian the edge he needs.
Scott has to be older then Ian no? In tennis a club teaching pro is much closer to a golf club pro then a coach. Most golf pros are expected to play a great round of golf - and give tips. They are not pure coaches like in other sports - namely basketball like Mike K - no doubt most HS kids can thrash his sorry ass on the basketball court.
Same deal with your average mountain pro in skiing. You get yourself some guy to skip lines - he better be able to make it down the hill. LOL.
How many competitive matches does a teaching pro get to play over the course of a week? For many pros I know, it is zero.
Mixeddubskickserve
Rookie
This depends mainly on the playing level of the teaching pro and also on the level of his/her coaching abilities...for example a teaching pro who is managing a top nationally ranked junior could be playing a lot of regular highly competitive matches whereas some teaching pros as you know spend more time with beginners, intermediate etc
Great content - way better than expected!
3 games from ET head pro? That's awesome tbh.
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It is now a best of 5 match. GSG might win the next 3 sets.
Rubens
Hall of Fame
Please bet all your assets on this happening.
heninfan99
Talk Tennis Guru
I dont think the play your court ad campaign was a good fit for some reason(wonder what they paid). The Marines would have been better. Be one of the few, the proud, become the next GSG warrior!
LeastExhaustingPlayer
Professional
Ian may have beaten my less talented brother, but he ain't got no chance against me.
And no national anthem before the match. Not good!
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
Ian is currently at 4.5 level. But there is a vast difference between a "falling 5.0" like Ian and a 4.5 that has never played at 5.0.
Ian has the overheads and volleys. Those shots, once developed, never really go away. Ian just had to practice a few months to get back those rusty shots.
This massacre proves once again that there is a definite limitation with this pushing style of lobbing and dinking.
Most with this pushing style are banished at 4.0 but MEP has made it into 4.5 because of pinpoint lobbing and because he also possesses some weapons -- great driving passing shots.
The main takeaway for club players here is to practice your overheads and volleys. The secondary takeaway is to also practice lobs and dinking but make sure you do not overuse the lob -- especially if you have no net game yourself.
You will not beat solid 4.5 players with a net game like Ian by hanging out at the baseline and lobbing all day. Impossible.
It was quite pathetic to see MEP retreat from the net when he had an EASY overhead smash opportunity. A tall athletic guy backing away from net. Not pretty to watch.
The first priority for MEP is to work on overheads and net play, if he wants to be competitive with seasoned players like Ian and Scott.
Ian has the overheads and volleys. Those shots, once developed, never really go away. Ian just had to practice a few months to get back those rusty shots.
This massacre proves once again that there is a definite limitation with this pushing style of lobbing and dinking.
Most with this pushing style are banished at 4.0 but MEP has made it into 4.5 because of pinpoint lobbing and because he also possesses some weapons -- great driving passing shots.
The main takeaway for club players here is to practice your overheads and volleys. The secondary takeaway is to also practice lobs and dinking but make sure you do not overuse the lob -- especially if you have no net game yourself.
You will not beat solid 4.5 players with a net game like Ian by hanging out at the baseline and lobbing all day. Impossible.
It was quite pathetic to see MEP retreat from the net when he had an EASY overhead smash opportunity. A tall athletic guy backing away from net. Not pretty to watch.
The first priority for MEP is to work on overheads and net play, if he wants to be competitive with seasoned players like Ian and Scott.
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Ian's serves, overheads and general movement are well beyond 4.5
user92626
G.O.A.T.
OK tennis is settled.
Now I wanna see a Green Shirt Guy vs an Ian in a hotdog eating match.
I have always liked Ian’s style of play. Props to GSG too.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
Ian once played 5.0 or higher college level but is now out of practice and Ian currently rates himself 4.5. Ian knows better than anyone else what his current level is and he is not one to sandbag.
Mid-level to strong 4.5 seems about right.
Ian is now preparing to enter 4.5 USTA Tournaments.
Not really.
LeastExhaustingPlayer
Professional
Ian v. MEP on a fast, slick, indoor court with no sun, no wind, low ceiling would have been like watching McEnroe v. Vilas on 80's Wimbledon grass.
No realistic chance for Vilas to win unless McEnroe just self-destructed.
No realistic chance for Vilas to win unless McEnroe just self-destructed.
ByeByePoly
G.O.A.T.
@GSG ... good job, I enjoyed it.
I have some non-coach "after action report" items:
What happened:
Fun was had by all ... except maybe Sean, and rec tennis world learned net lives matter
How can it be done better ... by Mr Ben?
Scott and Ian took you on a journey ... went some places you were a little apprehensive ... not quite sure you want to hang out there
So what path will you take ... avoid these vile "net people" ... or study them and come back and destroy them?
I have some ideas for your action plan ... but you are the military man ... you go first.
I have some non-coach "after action report" items:
What happened:
Fun was had by all ... except maybe Sean, and rec tennis world learned net lives matter
How can it be done better ... by Mr Ben?
Scott and Ian took you on a journey ... went some places you were a little apprehensive ... not quite sure you want to hang out there
So what path will you take ... avoid these vile "net people" ... or study them and come back and destroy them?
I have some ideas for your action plan ... but you are the military man ... you go first.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
Ian said in the Confessional Booth that he was breathing hard mostly because of adrenaline and nerves. Ian said heavy breathing was 80% due to nerves... Ian was not particularly physically pushed during this match. Attacked the net and kept the points very very short.
Turbo-87
G.O.A.T.
I always thought The Sureshs™ was Green Shirt Guy until I watched videos. I thought he had cornered the market on that colorway.
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Morch Us
Hall of Fame
When you play against players better than your level all of a sudden your shots does not look as punishing. This has to do with the incoming shot quality as well as better positioning of the opponent. I think GSG got overwhelmed by Scott. His quality of serve is better, and aggressive positioning takes time away from GSG. Overall I think Scott was just a better level (maybe 0.5 level difference) player than GSG, making GSG play worse than his normal level. GSG being such a warrior just fought and never gave up. Plus I think as mentioned in the interview Scott was very well prepared agaist GSG vs GSG was caught a bit off guard with the quality of shots and aggressive play.
FiddlerDog
Hall of Fame
Issues of style aside, success is measured along a single axis
You either win or you don’t. Not much room for debate. Or is there?
If you want to say that you're the better player, you should win.
But does it really matter? I don’t know.
I mean, who’s counting? Who’s watching? Who’s paying attention?
You either win or you don’t. Not much room for debate. Or is there?
If you want to say that you're the better player, you should win.
But does it really matter? I don’t know.
I mean, who’s counting? Who’s watching? Who’s paying attention?
Why not? Ian’s weakness has always been his ground strokes but once he gets to the net he is as good as any top rec player.
Ian's movement is not well beyond the 4.5s on the tennis troll channel. His volley's and overheads are good - but other guys can overpower him and move just as well. Scott is very good though - still Tennis Troll can take him now - his game is looking sharp.
GSG seems to be one of those guys that just practice in matches. Impressive he gets to 4.5 that way - but it's unlikely he would start doing normal practices.
D
Deleted member 780836
Guest
Older wilson burn 95 and he wears womens shoes, he said the combo works great for him!
chazz
Rookie
Playing more doubles will certainly help with his net play and overheads and it seems he has been doing that. I'd like to see him develop a faster first serve to get more free points and work on volleys and overheads. He needs to look for opportunities to get to the net and finish off points rather than retreat. I think during his match with Ian he should have tried to hit some flat passing shots rather than lob, maybe try blasting some right at Ian.
necessity is the mother of invention. at some point down the line MEP will start facing a higher percentage of opponents who have his number, and he'll be forced to rethink/adapt. serve is probably the first/easiest thing for him to turn into a weapon. it's solo practice, which he's already implied he's capable of with his story about his 3 pointer practice. and once you start mastering proper biomechanics of the serve, it's a slippery slope to a world where you want good biomechanics on all your shots.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Women’s run much narrower.
Dolgopolov85
G.O.A.T.
But this is where he would be better served with a topspin forehand to hit dipping passes. I don't mean like an ATP forehand. Just imitating the Agassi forehand would be a start. He wouldn't have to depend on lobbing so much. Lobbing is a great play right up to the point where you run into a serve-volleyer who doesn't miss an overhead - like Ian.
D
Deleted member 780836
Guest
Watching rec tennis was more fun when I watched on youtube, read a few comments and closed the tab. I made a big mistake participating in this thread, so I'm out of here. Jump to whatever ridiculous conclusions you want, you'll have one less person to push back. I'll rest easy knowing whatever conclusions are drawn here have absolutely no impact on the big picture.
FiddlerDog
Hall of Fame
What was the wattage of the overhead lights?
What about the altitude difference?
The ball bounces differently off blue paint.
MEP never had a chance in these radically different conditions !
What about the altitude difference?
The ball bounces differently off blue paint.
MEP never had a chance in these radically different conditions !
Dolgopolov85
G.O.A.T.
I swear when he mentioned the lack of sunlight making overheads easier, I was like, come on, those lobs weren't high enough for THAT to come into play. Ian wasn't even going up to or behind the service line to get them.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
If you sensed your opponent was mentally weak by his body language, wouldn't you try to exploit that?
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
If I had to play MEP but was forbidden from coming to the net unless the ball bounced in front of the SL, I'd have a tough time winning from the BL. I can easily see myself making mistakes trying to overhit and being impatient.
The typical 4.5 has been playing for some years and their style is already set: if they aren't net-centric already, it's unlikely they will see the light and focus more on OHs and volleys [despite it being great advice].
I haven't watched the match yet but I know that Ian and I have similar game styles and if I were playing MEP or someone like him, I'd spend as little time on the BL as possible. I noticed Scott started doing that too: most every BH return on the Ad court he followed in [not sure why he didn't do that on every return on both sides].
FuzzyYellowBalls
Legend
Ian and GSG thanks for the entertainment. It must have been different playing while being recorded with the knowledge of the expected audience.
Thanks for playing that style Ian. When I first watched a GSG match I was commenting, why doesn't anyone hit away from him after he serves? The serve is hit from the doubles position and often GSG stays there after the serve and I think the first GSG video showed an opponent hitting the ball right back to him every time! A really good example is 24:22 mark, 26:40 is a less defined point but GSG still stays on one side of the mid mark, this soothed my mind so much just to see what I was thinking put into action. GSG get to the middle after you serve
I get the concept of different surfaces and indoor/outdoor, but I've never been in a match where I thought whoever won or loss would have changed based on the surface, maybe a few games here and there. Of course it matters to the top 50 players in the world, they are in a different tennis universe.
Thanks for playing that style Ian. When I first watched a GSG match I was commenting, why doesn't anyone hit away from him after he serves? The serve is hit from the doubles position and often GSG stays there after the serve and I think the first GSG video showed an opponent hitting the ball right back to him every time! A really good example is 24:22 mark, 26:40 is a less defined point but GSG still stays on one side of the mid mark, this soothed my mind so much just to see what I was thinking put into action. GSG get to the middle after you serve
I get the concept of different surfaces and indoor/outdoor, but I've never been in a match where I thought whoever won or loss would have changed based on the surface, maybe a few games here and there. Of course it matters to the top 50 players in the world, they are in a different tennis universe.
Slowtwitcher
Legend
Can't believe this is over
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Can't believe this is over
As the hero said when he thought the bad guy was dead.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
In this case we have a tall athletic guy that avoids the net like the plague. Can't recall him hitting a single overhead while Ian and Scott hit about 2 million smashes.
It is a pretty safe guess that MEP depends little to no practice time on overheads and volleys. You won't know if you are a good net player if you never even practice it. You have to at least try before establishing a style.
Granted, he has been winning with that style. Now it is a question of whether these beatdowns by Ian and Scott will motivate him to attack the net more.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
He's probably quite comfortable on the BL and has plenty of wins to re-inforce that decision. Moving into the forecourt requires leaving one's comfort zone and most people don't want to do that.
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