I beat the guy 60 60 and he called me "a pusher!"

[Mick]

Originally Posted by LeeD

....But OP is whining. His opponent got crushed double bagels, but only saw a PUSHER doing the crushing.

I would play the same as Gonzalito did if i had to play against a much lower level opponent.

IMO, that is better than going for a winner at every opportunity. By doing the latter, the lower level opponent would not get a chance to play. He would just be picking up the balls, and I would not look either by playing that way.

[LeeD]

I've done that, and my opponent had every right to call me a pusher....which I did.
Just like the opponent who lost bagels has every right to call OP, and YOU, a pusher, because that is exactly what you did to win.

[dcdoorknob]

LeeD loses golden set to Michael Chang. Calls him a Pusher.

[LeeD]

For sure, I'd lose triple bagels. But if all he did was push and tease, without trying to hit a forcing shot, that mean's he pushed and is a pusher...against me.
Same as against YOU. If all he did was stand back and hit topspin deep balls back near the middle, and did not go for lines, he pushed at his level, but still beats YOU triple bagels.
Since he pushed, he can be called a pusher.

[dcdoorknob]

why are you putting these qualifications on it. You called Chang a pusher like 4 posts back. He could just play his normal game and rightfully be called a pusher, correct?

Except he wasn't and isn't a pusher, and saying such a thing brings into question anything else you have to say about the topic of pushers.

[corbind]

LeeD has been on my blocked list for a few weeks. Now all I ever see is that he has posted in most threads.

[LeeD]

I don't get you guys. Gonza said he pushed to win double bagels.
His losing opponent saw that Gonza pushed, and beat him double bagels.
His losing opponent saw that while Gonza hit great shots in warmup, he didn't hit any during their match.
Therefore, in the eyes of his losing opponent, Gonza pushed to win double bagels.
Call a fish a fish, not an eagle or a jet plane.

[IA-SteveB]

As Mr. Hand once said, are you on dope?

[Mick]

Originally Posted by LeeD

I don't get you guys. Gonza said he pushed to win double bagels.
His losing opponent saw that Gonza pushed, and beat him double bagels.
His losing opponent saw that while Gonza hit great shots in warmup, he didn't hit any during their match.
Therefore, in the eyes of his losing opponent, Gonza pushed to win double bagels.
Call a fish a fish, not an eagle or a jet plane.

well, people who lose love and love to players who simply return the ball back to them are in no position to criticize anybody but you took their side

let's say, somebody in this forum got lucky and gets to play with Djokovic, how do you think Djokovic would play? He would just return the ball back, for sure. That's how high level players would play when they play much lower level players. It's normal, not a negative thing.

[Gonzalito17]

exactly Mick. If Djokovic finds himself in an exo or something with a Ryan O'Neal calibre palyer (2.0 level), he's going to crank it way down and play soft charity tennis in order to help the sap on the other side of the net to get to play some. And if the sap gets a little uppity and tries to hit winners you just run em down and send em back to put him in his place.

[LeeD]

Couple years ago, I got together with a poster here to hit. It was a windy day, and I'd just windsurfed for over 2 hours.
We met at the VirginiaSt. courts, where leaves were blowing around, and swirling winds maybe 0-20mph.
Warming up, we both hit hard shots, but the ball was moving around, and our rallies were short and disjointed. We decided to play anyways.
He was a top ranked 3.5 at the time, before the bumpups. You know I claim 4.0. He was in the middle of his competitive season, right around July, while I hadn't played any tennis for 2 months....it's my windsurfing season.
I lost the first 3 games, then decided to hit only conti grip slices. I won 3 and 3. I also stayed back at the baseline as often as possible, because the net was located at the opening of the hitting wall, and winds there were killer.
Afterwards, he said I needed to push to beat him. I apologized .. "sorry, that was all I had in me" and he stomped off.
Yes, I pushed then. He had every right to call me a pusher, because that's how I managed to avoid a loss. I tried to email him a couple times right after, but never got another answer.
In his eyes, I was a pusher. I agree, I pushed to win those two sets, never hitting a topspin forehand or topspin backhand, just used slices.

[Gonzalito17]

What a wuss this player was LeeD, good job. Anybody who whines about "losing to a pusher" is just camaflouging their mediocrity in their own mind. Competitive tennis is all about winning, that's why we play, that's why we keep score.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Gonzalito17

What a wuss this player was LeeD, good job. Anybody who whines about "losing to a pusher" is just camaflouging their mediocrity in their own mind. Competitive tennis is all about winning, that's why we play, that's why we keep score.

for me, i don't really care too much about winning because I know my limitations. I just try play the best I can based upon my ability. But I am with you. If the other player just hits the ball back and you lose love and love, you shouldn't be criticizing how the other player played. Furthermore, in Tennis, you are supposed to play the style that makes your opponent most uncomfortable. If your opponent can't handle the pushing style, that's how you should play him. When Federer lost to Nadal, you didn't hear him say "I lost because Nadal hit to my backhand 95% of the time"

[Rjtennis]

Originally Posted by Mick

I would play the same as Gonzalito did if i had to play against a much lower level opponent.

IMO, that is better than going for a winner at every opportunity. By doing the latter, the lower level opponent would not get a chance to play. He would just be picking up the balls, and I would not look either by playing that way.

I wouldn't, I would probably mix it up by serving and volleying (something I'm uncomfortable doing) to keep things competitive while working on a part of my game.

[tennis tom]

Mediocre players love pace because all they then have to do is block it back, not needing to produce any pace of their own. In this thread, the so called "pushed" shot, forces the mediocre one to create their own pace, which they are ill equipped to do lacking fundamental stroke technique. The slow paced ball hit with top-spin goes high over the net and deep into the court, changing trajectory, making it difficult for the hacker because it's not in his wheel house. They hack and slash hitting the ball into the net or into the fences. Then they lose and instead of taking responsibility for their lack of game, deride their opponent for not giving them the hard paced balls they shank back unpredictably. Don't feed the hacker.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Gonzalito17

exactly Mick. If Djokovic finds himself in an exo or something with a Ryan O'Neal calibre palyer (2.0 level), he's going to crank it way down and play soft charity tennis in order to help the sap on the other side of the net to get to play some. And if the sap gets a little uppity and tries to hit winners you just run em down and send em back to put him in his place.

Djokovic vs a very young fan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33rtGOnTnBA

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Rjtennis

I wouldn't, I would probably mix it up by serving and volleying (something I'm uncomfortable doing) to keep things competitive while working on a part of my game.

i don't do it because the kinds of ball you get from players far below your level are not the same as the kinds you would get from the players at your level. you could execute a perfect volley when facing a 2.5 level ball but that skill won't help you when you face a 4.0/4.5 level ball. thus, if i want to practice such a shot, I would practice with players at my level.

[darrinbaker00]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Couple years ago, I got together with a poster here to hit. It was a windy day, and I'd just windsurfed for over 2 hours.
We met at the VirginiaSt. courts, where leaves were blowing around, and swirling winds maybe 0-20mph.
Warming up, we both hit hard shots, but the ball was moving around, and our rallies were short and disjointed. We decided to play anyways.
He was a top ranked 3.5 at the time, before the bumpups. You know I claim 4.0. He was in the middle of his competitive season, right around July, while I hadn't played any tennis for 2 months....it's my windsurfing season.
I lost the first 3 games, then decided to hit only conti grip slices. I won 3 and 3. I also stayed back at the baseline as often as possible, because the net was located at the opening of the hitting wall, and winds there were killer.
Afterwards, he said I needed to push to beat him. I apologized .. "sorry, that was all I had in me" and he stomped off.
Yes, I pushed then. He had every right to call me a pusher, because that's how I managed to avoid a loss. I tried to email him a couple times right after, but never got another answer.
In his eyes, I was a pusher. I agree, I pushed to win those two sets, never hitting a topspin forehand or topspin backhand, just used slices.

I don't blame that guy for never playing you again, Lee. Don't you know that adapting your game according to the weather requires thinking while you play, which is pure, unadulterated BLASPHEMY?

[tennis tom]

Originally Posted by Mick

Djokovic vs a very young fan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33rtGOnTnBA

The little girl has a beautiful one handed slice back hand! She may be taking lessons from Rosewall. Notice she is using a full size racket, although it's almost bigger then she is, and is having no trouble swinging it through a full range of motion. Her take-back is high over her head, a la Fed, providing racket head momentum for plenty of power. Hopefully no one will try to get her to switch to a two hander for "more power". I wish they'd shown more of her and less of Jock. She looked like she was loving it all--future champion.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by tennis tom

The little girl has a beautiful one handed slice back hand! She may be taking lessons from Rosewall. Notice she is using a full size racket, although it's almost bigger then she is, and is having no trouble swinging it through a full range of motion. Her take-back is high over her head, a la Fed, providing racket head momentum for plenty of power. Hopefully no one will try to get her to switch to a two hander for "more power". I wish they'd shown more of her and less of Jock. She looked like she was loving it all--future champion.

Yes, Tom, she has a lovely backhand slice. It looks very natural