Beating a Dinker/pusher

[tennisfreak15347]

A dinker or pusher cannot hit a passing shot, and hits slow groundstrokes that almost resemble a lob. They focus on slow, consistent shots and never go for winners. I recently faced one of these, and I was extremely frustrated with the match. We only played one set, and it ended at 2-6 with me losing. I knew for a fact that I was an all around better player, yet I lost?!? Can anyone help me, so this does not happen again.

*edit* he had no proper form whatsoever

[Rambler124]

haha man I know the feeling so well

We had this kid in college who had horrilbe form but beat guys by pushing it deep and just out moving his opponents. I saw the guy climb the fence to hit shots sometimes (He was crazy).

When I played him I simply changed up my shots a lot. Throw in slice, topspin lobs (Even though he was at the baseline). I found out he had no ability to take the ball on the rise effectively. The change in pace helped and then throwing in heavy deep lobs or groundies pushed him back and eventually gave me a short ball to rip through and take the net. Pushers have weaknesses. Be patient and find them but don't try to outhit your fellow tennis pushers.

[Serve_Ace]

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=126199

[Leelord337]

serve and volley

[tennisfreak15347]

okay great. I'm going to try this out 2moro against my match with a pusher. Ill post the results tomorrow.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by tennisfreak15347

A dinker or pusher cannot hit a passing shot, and hits slow groundstrokes that almost resemble a lob. They focus on slow, consistent shots and never go for winners. I recently faced one of these, and I was extremely frustrated with the match. We only played one set, and it ended at 2-6 with me losing. I knew for a fact that I was an all around better player, yet I lost?!? Can anyone help me, so this does not happen again.

*edit* he had no proper form whatsoever

if he beat you 7-5 or 6-4, you could be an all around better player than him on another day, but he beat you 6-2 (meaning he broke your serve more than once) so I don't know about that assessment.

[dr325i]

Originally Posted by Leelord337

serve and volley

EXACTLY!
Helps a lot!
I have been in a similar situation playing a pusher last three weeks -- lost twice, then tonight played S&V and beat him

[Solat]

see the STICKY at the top of the page for 600000 replies on this

[Mr. Anderson]

players who still lose against pushers mainly suck or think they are better than them when in fact they're worse. Only someone who is learning to play the game has an excuse losing against these, otherwise they just suck

[Mr. Anderson]

This is how I was, 2 years ago when I was 16 I said the same things "I'm better than pushers!" "I have better form and know more than they do about tennis!" "Why do they beat me If I'm better than them!?" But in the end the truth was that in fact I was worse than them because I would start to push too and hit with fear, and no pace, and since I missed everything I couldn't claim I was better. Some players are just ashamed that they think they're good and lose to pushers

[2nd_Serve]

You aren't the better player. Tennis is a game that bases it's winner who can place his/her shots better. With that said, the winner is decided by who hits the most winners, but most errors. So, since you made more errors, you lost 6-2. Which doesn't make you hte better player.

You only think so because you hit hard, and it looks better.

Just volley, and make them volley. You'll win easily. Then, you could say your the better player.

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally Posted by 2nd_Serve

You aren't the better player. Tennis is a game that bases it's winner who can place his/her shots better. With that said, the winner is decided by who hits the most winners, but most errors. So, since you made more errors, you lost 6-2. Which doesn't make you hte better player.

You only think so because you hit hard, and it looks better.

Just volley, and make them volley. You'll win easily. Then, you could say your the better player.

Hehe exactly.

[harr]

Originally Posted by tennisfreak15347

A dinker or pusher cannot hit a passing shot

Isn't that your answer? A good pusher would probably have very good lobs and quite good passing shots, but since you played one without these shots, it should've been easy to win by coming to the net.

[tennisfreak15347]

okay everyone. I won against the pusher 5-3. (It was a challenge match with 1 set, first to four, win by two) Volleys worked very well in the first game, but the pusher got smart and lobbed it over, so i stayed at baseline. I found out that high topspin lobs worked very well even though they were at baseline. Also, I started pushing a bit myself, but worked them across the court. When I had an opening, I went for the forehand winner. :] wohoo.

[dr325i]

Originally Posted by tennisfreak15347

okay everyone. I won against the pusher 5-3. (It was a challenge match with 1 set, first to four, win by two) Volleys worked very well in the first game, but the pusher got smart and lobbed it over, so i stayed at baseline. I found out that high topspin lobs worked very well even though they were at baseline. Also, I started pushing a bit myself, but worked them across the court. When I had an opening, I went for the forehand winner. :] wohoo.

He should not be able to control the service return that well if he's just the pusher at that level...
THe guy I am playing with is nothing more than 4.0, so S&V works well for me as he can rarely return a lob on my 1st or 2nd serve. Sometimes he does it, sometimes he (not purposly) puts a nice passing shot by me, but I won most of my service games at 40:15 or love.
However, he can return any (most) base line shot with no pace and very close to base line and in the corners -- drives me nuts!

[harr]

Originally Posted by tennisfreak15347

Volleys worked very well in the first game, but the pusher got smart and lobbed it over, so i stayed at baseline.

If he was repeatedly lobbing, I would have tried to keep volleying, but from a slightly deeper position. Anticipating the lob combined with a good position to reach them from would hopefully result in a few easy overhead winners, especially on lobs that lack depth.

If he was lobbing off your volleys, you might want to try a few drop volleys, which if they aren't winners, should at least test his ability at net. A pusher of the type you've described probably won't hit a non-lob winner off a short ball, so it shouldn't be as risky a strategy as it would be against a more attacking opponent.

I found out that high topspin lobs worked very well even though they were at baseline.

Good idea. A pusher would have difficulty attacking the weaker ones and the stronger ones should force some attackable balls. Well done on getting from 2-6 to 5-3 so quickly.

[split-step]

Originally Posted by tennisfreak15347

A dinker or pusher cannot hit a passing shot, and hits slow groundstrokes that almost resemble a lob. They focus on slow, consistent shots and never go for winners. I recently faced one of these, and I was extremely frustrated with the match. We only played one set, and it ended at 2-6 with me losing. I knew for a fact that I was an all around better player, yet I lost?!? Can anyone help me, so this does not happen again.

*edit* he had no proper form whatsoever

You basically answered your own question.
"Slow groundstrokes and no passing shots. "

What this reads to me is I will have sitters that I can hit hard and deep to corners, approach off those shots and expect the lob.

More important question is how is your game? Are you comfortable generating pace of no pace balls?

[tennisfreak15347]

thanks harr. I forgot about short drop shot volleys. I might try that on monday when i face yet another pusher. I was stuck in no man's land for a long time during the set since the pusher's shots never reached too deep.

[tennisfreak15347]

Originally Posted by split-step

You basically answered your own question.
"Slow groundstrokes and no passing shots. "

What this reads to me is I will have sitters that I can hit hard and deep to corners, approach off those shots and expect the lob.

More important question is how is your game? Are you comfortable generating pace of no pace balls?

I am quite comfortable with the failed-attempt lobs that just sit up on the service line, which is a high percentage winner for me. As for ones that force me into no man's land, I'm not to well at. On these kinds of shots I hit the ball back at 3/4 speed so I know that it will stay in. After that, you can expect another lob to the baseline to push me back, so volleying isnt too much of an option.

[(Blank)]

The great thing about playing a pusher is that as long as your shot stays in, you're still in the point. Just be patient and don't force anything. Sooner or later, you should get a sitter that you can take advantage of.