Ever win a match by superior fitness?

[goober]

I beat somebody in a tournament even though he was in my mind a better player technically. We both had 2 hour long matches prior with only 15 minute break. We went 3.5 hours in a 3 setter. The last couple games of the 3rd set he was out of gas because he was slicing all his backhands and doing low % shots like dropshots from the baseline.

I got start working out even more

[raiden031]

never. I am usually more athletic than my opponents but it doesn't really make a difference if my shots don't go in. I guess it'll matter more at the higher levels.

[Sagittar]

No . i haven't but i happen to lost a couple by inferior fitness

[cghipp]

I have in a tournament situation, where I was playing the second match of the day in 104+ degree weather (very humid also). It was my opponent's first match of the day, but I was able to make her run and the heat got to her quickly. After I won the first set and was up a break or two in the second, she retired.

[vive le beau jeu !]

Originally Posted by Sagittar

No . i haven't but i happen to lost a couple by inferior fitness

not surprising... i guess it's hard to run with all those feathers.

[DrewRafter8]

I think it always matters in some aspects when we talk about singles. If you're willing to run down every ball and can actually do so, you will beat some guys who may have superior strokes. It can be very frustrating to see balls that don't normally come back fly over the net.

[North]

Never a whole match but I have won individual games because of superior fitness. It usually happens when I am serving and we play a very long point that tires the opponent a lot more than me. When that is the case I start the next point very quickly, when it is clear the opponent is still out of breath and tired. The whole rest of the game they are huffing and puffing and I am just cruising along. It's harder when the opponent is serving because most people will try to stall till they are fully recovered before serving the next point.

[cak]

I won the most embarrassing pusher game in my life by just getting the ball back, and my opponent finally cramping up and retiring on match point. She truely couldn't move. Not really a match I'm all that proud of.

[nickarnold2000]

Of course! Fitness is huge! All it takes is for you to slow down by 5-10% and suddenly the outwide backhand slice return starts landing a little short or the serve starts lacking pace or kick(or getting back fast enough for overheads); reaction time is definitely affected.
I see this all the time on court - people buying expensive "holy grail" rackets or strings thinking that's the ticket when fitness and extra practice are the real key.

[CrocodileRock]

Once I played a final against a guy who had more game, but also more pounds. He beat me easily in the first, then started struggling in the second, and I managed to win it. Then he said, "How about we play a tie break for the third." I said, "Let's play a tiebreak if we get to 6-all." He packed up his stuff and left.

[nickarnold2000]

Originally Posted by CrocodileRock

Once I played a final against a guy who had more game, but also more pounds. He beat me easily in the first, then started struggling in the second, and I managed to win it. Then he said, "How about we play a tie break for the third." I said, "Let's play a tiebreak if we get to 6-all." He packed up his stuff and left.

That's really funny but I bet he got into better shape fast or quit playing tournaments all together.. It's interesting that he/she actually asked you that question!

[nickarnold2000]

Originally Posted by cak

I won the most embarrassing pusher game in my life by just getting the ball back, and my opponent finally cramping up and retiring on match point. She truely couldn't move. Not really a match I'm all that proud of.

Well done! You have nothing to be ashamed of. What your opponent should have done(if she had the skill),is to shorten the points by coming to the net and or hitting some drop shots thereby drawing you to the net. And throw in some moon balls for good measure! Brad Gilbert would be proud of you!

[BreakPoint]

I had to play a playoff singles match in like 110 degree weather during the hottest time of the day under the sun. I was pretty much toast by the middle of the first set. My opponent didn't seem to be suffering as much as I was. All I could think about was calling 911 and having an ambulance carry me off the court on a stretcher. I kept playing but I was basically a physical and mental zombie for the rest of the match.

[nickarnold2000]

This was posted by someone a year or two ago and recently reposted again. You've probably read this before BP. Oh, I just discovered that this was posted by andrewD in a competition thread but still merits a re-reading when I'm starting to get lazy about my fitness!
"Coming from a professional sports background, although not tennis, I think I can safely say that fitness is the most overlooked aspect of sport but is, usually, the key ingredient for any sportsperson who wants to improve.

At any level, of any sport, you reach a point where the technical side of the game is equalised - usually through all players at a certain level having strokes of, roughly, equal calibre and equal desire to win. Fitness is the way beyond that sticking point. Im not sure what style of game you have but think for a moment what it would mean if you were only 25% fitter. You'd get to more balls, be able to concentrate for longer, have more power in your shots, be more adaptable as you can stay out there longer if need be, be more flexible which helps with all the twisting and turning you need to do and, in general, project a more athletic presence on the court.

People usually look to their equipment or to coaching to improve when the truth is, you can't maximise those two things if you aren't in excellent shape. If you want a pro example just look at Lleyton Hewitt. He feels he's reached a sticking point in his game and needs a little something extra to compete with and beat someone like Federer. Rather than change equipment or coaches he determined to get himself in the best possible condition he could. End result, it took Safin to stop him but he got further in the Aus Open than he ever had before.

Also remember, beyond a certain point, talent is overrated. Fitness, intelligence, determination and will to win are all far more important factors. People cling to the notion of talent because there's no work involved and think you've either got it or you haven't. True, but only to a point. Dont make the mistake of confusing skill with talent. I can guarantee you the first one will win you far more matches than the latter.

If you're a strong 4.5 then you're obviously talented enough to master and execute the basic skills of the game. To take that next step up you need to hone those skills -practise- and display a greater desire to win which is where fitness comes in."

[stormholloway]

Originally Posted by Sagittar

No . i haven't but i happen to lost a couple by inferior fitness

So have I. Inferior fitness has plagued me. There's nothing worse than losing to a less skilled shotmaker because of sluggish movement.

I took a medicine ball endurance class (called "Powerball") and it showed me just how out of shape I am. I felt like I was going to die.. meanwhile these girls were making me look like an idiot.

I usually go to the gym and do weights but I realize now weights are not the answer. Endurance training like jump rope of medicine ball work is the key.

[goober]

Oh well I guess I am not that fit. I had to play a match early the next morning and I was so sore from the 5.5 hours of singles the day before, I could barely move. My opponent only played a hour match and his second match was like 20 minutes because his opponent sprained an ankle and retired. He was running around like a gazelle and played a counterpunching style. I went down in flames in the second set with jello legs.