Got beat by a guy hitting slice forehands

[luvforty]

solid 4-4.5 level tennis where true pushers are one in a million.

LOLOL

[marosmith]

Originally Posted by luvforty

solid 4-4.5 level tennis where true pushers are one in a million.

LOLOL

Lolololololololol

You and I define pushers differently. I doubt there are any at the 4.5 level. I don't define a baseline defensive player or retriever to be a pusher. I am referring to people who don't hit conventional or full strokes and who push the ball back, moon ball, slice, dink dunk etc...

So, lololololololol

[djokovicgonzalez2010]

I'm a 4.0, but when I play this type of player: Draw them in, hit a ball just short enough that if they don't go for it they'll be out of position, or moonball. Amazing how many pushers can't deal with moonballing to their backhand.

[BreakPoint]

The bottom line is: If you can't beat a pusher then you're just not that good of a player yourself.

In tennis, being able to hit the ball harder does not make you a better player. Keeping the ball inside the court makes you a better player. Just ask Radwanska, Wozniacki, or Ferrer.

[luvforty]

Originally Posted by marosmith

Lolololololololol

You and I define pushers differently. I doubt there are any at the 4.5 level. I don't define a baseline defensive player or retriever to be a pusher. I am referring to people who don't hit conventional or full strokes and who push the ball back, moon ball, slice, dink dunk etc...

So, lololololololol

lol

getting to the 4.5 level, and not being able to deal with fh slices.. is oxymoron.

[Relinquis]

are you mentally strong, or do you break down in long rallies and go for winners when you are out of position/can't hit cleanly?

[marosmith]

Originally Posted by luvforty

lol

getting to the 4.5 level, and not being able to deal with fh slices.. is oxymoron.

Guess you can't read.

Moron? Oxymoron?

[luvforty]

Originally Posted by marosmith

Guess you can't read.

Moron? Oxymoron?

saying others can't read, followed by questions on the same post, is also an oxymoron.

[UCSF2012]

Originally Posted by luvforty

saying others can't read, followed by questions on the same post, is also an oxymoron.

You're unclear on the definition of "oxymoron." This is straight up "irony."

[dominikk1985]

I think that the FH slice is an underrated shot. of course you should not use it all the time but a flat and hard FH slice is a good shot at all levels if it is not overused. Andy murray sometimes uses it with good success. and then there was santoro.

however if you can only slice you are a limited player of course.

[Dimcorner]

Here is a slightly different insight...

I play badminton quite a bit (state and inter-state tournament level and can/have won a few). Unfortunately most players are not on my level and I mostly play doubles so they stick me with the weaker one. Guess what happens during practice, EVERYTHING goes to the other guy. I can easily beat these people playing 2 on 1 but I rather involve more people on the game. Do I like playing this way? No. On shots where my partner is supposed to drop a killer bomb, he lobs it up so that puts my face in the line of fire. I set up an easy kill shot and he just dinks it back.

In the end I had to adapt to it by just practicing different shots or getting closer to the net on smash returns to make it harder for me in order to get my reaction time up to speed. I also start practicing more difficult shots and more deception shots and try to win games by aiming for the lines either with punch shots or with lobs. I am thinking you can do this with tennis too.

I am only 3.0 (playing tennis for about 6-7 months) but I already have faced a pusher as well as a big hitters. I find the pushers the easiest to beat because I am very comfortable at the net and I am still coping with ball spin and court spacing so I can't consistently hit back heavy. I do have a pretty good serve I think (same motion as badminton smash) so I get easy points that way. The pusher had beaten me 4-6 after I was up 4-0 because I started to try to hit big. At the end of the set I said to myself there was really nothing to lose so I changed tactics and starting slicing back to him and rushing the net. I won the next set 6-1 and he got only 3 points on the following tie breaker.

As for the big hitter? I kept the ball in play while moving him around with slices, flat shots, and drops (I looove drops ) He was so winded that in the 2nd set I started getting easy passing shots because he just couldn't run. Bring him in to one corner, he hits back 1/2 court, watch if he runs to middle, then slice to either his back foot or way in front depending on how fast he is running. Worked like a charm.

[BeHappy]

Originally Posted by marosmith

Lolololololololol

You and I define pushers differently. I doubt there are any at the 4.5 level. I don't define a baseline defensive player or retriever to be a pusher. I am referring to people who don't hit conventional or full strokes and who push the ball back, moon ball, slice, dink dunk etc...

So, lololololololol

Santoro was a pro who sliced his forehand, beat Safin 11-0, pushed Fed close in 3 tight sets in the USO.

[Nostradamus]

Originally Posted by Wuppy

Found this article, very good, I'm not an all-court player (hate going to the net) but I guess I'm gonna have to become one..

http://www.tennisserver.com/turbo/turbo_98_7.html

UNFORTUNATE, classic mistake this article makes. It tells you "unfortunately, pushers don't disguise their LOBS very well". Oh yea, that 's nice to know. BUT how do you read pusher's lobs ? did he tell us ? NOoooooooo.

I will tell you instead. I know a few tricks that being a advanced level player that I am. This is very valuable information. Until the pusher hits his sliced lobs, you don't need to watch the ball. WATCH his rackets FACE. and angle of his racket face. If you are not used to doing this, it will take bit of getting used to. Just before he hits the ball, ANGLE of his racket face will be wide open, meaning face of his racket will be facing the ceiling or sky or something close to that. If he is about to hit his slice drive ( if you can call that crap a drive), the racket face will be more closed.
WATCH his racket face during WARMUP, and ask him to hit a few passing shots and Lobs. and see the difference of the racket face Angle and you will see the difference.
and once you know, USE it during the match.

WATCH the racket face, not his ugly face(unless his name is Maria Sharapova). Before he hits the ball, it will be like he is telling you, I am going to LOB or I am going to hit a slice pass.

[Alchemy-Z]

When I am being served to from the duece court I typically hit a forehand slice DTL return...which stays nice and low and make them flip it up with their backhand at which point I move in and take the overhead and put it away.

works like clock work against and average or less fit opponent.

if I am playing a fit guy then I have to watch out for the cross court passing shot as I am comming to net...but then I just change the game plan and mix in the slice forehand if I find them playing well with pace.

[luvforty]

Originally Posted by Nostradamus

I know a few tricks that being a advanced level player that I am.

Maylene you are so humble.

[Nostradamus]

Originally Posted by luvforty

Maylene you are so humble.

I am giving you some advanced level tips that very few people give you. these are kind of things that will give you an edge when everything is fairly equal. I should be charging money for these kind of tips. Why don't you look in the internet and see how many tips on " How to read your opponents shots before they hit them based on their body position and or racket angle and so on" and see. VERY FEW to NONE.

[BreakPoint]

I hit slice forehands all the time. It works great! Often my opponent has trouble picking up the ball that barely bounces and skids, especially if it's short.

But, of course, I can also hit flat and with topspin. I can also hit loopy topspin shots and driving penetrating flat shots. Having the slice forehand in my repertoire just gives me the full arsenal to keep my opponent guessing and off balance.

[dominikk1985]

Originally Posted by Dimcorner

Here is a slightly different insight...

I play badminton quite a bit (state and inter-state tournament level and can/have won a few). Unfortunately most players are not on my level and I mostly play doubles so they stick me with the weaker one. Guess what happens during practice, EVERYTHING goes to the other guy. I can easily beat these people playing 2 on 1 but I rather involve more people on the game. Do I like playing this way? No. On shots where my partner is supposed to drop a killer bomb, he lobs it up so that puts my face in the line of fire. I set up an easy kill shot and he just dinks it back.

In the end I had to adapt to it by just practicing different shots or getting closer to the net on smash returns to make it harder for me in order to get my reaction time up to speed. I also start practicing more difficult shots and more deception shots and try to win games by aiming for the lines either with punch shots or with lobs. I am thinking you can do this with tennis too.

I am only 3.0 (playing tennis for about 6-7 months) but I already have faced a pusher as well as a big hitters. I find the pushers the easiest to beat because I am very comfortable at the net and I am still coping with ball spin and court spacing so I can't consistently hit back heavy. I do have a pretty good serve I think (same motion as badminton smash) so I get easy points that way. The pusher had beaten me 4-6 after I was up 4-0 because I started to try to hit big. At the end of the set I said to myself there was really nothing to lose so I changed tactics and starting slicing back to him and rushing the net. I won the next set 6-1 and he got only 3 points on the following tie breaker.

As for the big hitter? I kept the ball in play while moving him around with slices, flat shots, and drops (I looove drops ) He was so winded that in the 2nd set I started getting easy passing shots because he just couldn't run. Bring him in to one corner, he hits back 1/2 court, watch if he runs to middle, then slice to either his back foot or way in front depending on how fast he is running. Worked like a charm.

that is the best way to beat the pusher. go to the net. the overhead is the most important shot against the pusher. If you play a good overhead you can really destroy the pusher.

[luvforty]

a tour level baddie player is not a real 3.0 .... such player can get to 4.0 quickly.

the universal answer to people who lose to pushers is - get better.

there are so many suggestions - go to the net, swing volley, high looper back etc... easier said than done.... at lower levels, how many have serviceable volleys and overheads?

it boils down to 1 thing, the losing party is the inferior player.

[marosmith]

Originally Posted by BeHappy

Santoro was a pro who sliced his forehand, beat Safin 11-0, pushed Fed close in 3 tight sets in the USO.

1 in a thousand