How do I know if I am a pusher?

[shindemac]

You're a pusher if you love pace hit at you. You're a pusher if you have no winners and no unforced errors. You're a pusher if you always aim for the middle of the court.

Pushers may advance fast initially, but then they hit a plateau.

[erik-the-red]

"Your shots have no pace" is a common complaint against pushers. Once a player learns how to hit on the rise, unless he is returning shots struck at Gonzalez or Safin calibre, it is pretty easy for him to return 'paced' shots. Shots where you have to supply all the power are much more difficult.

Also, what MasterTS said is very true. I once hit with a DIII college player. He beat me very easily in the first set, like 6-2 or 6-1. But, in the second set, I broke him twice. I was serving to even it up 5-5 when he retired citing "poor play". Most likely if we had continued he would have broke me and won 6-4. After that, he has basically refused to even practice with me.

Pushing can be fairly effective up until the true 4.0 level. After that the guys will start to hit nasty approach shots off of dinks.

[Squall Leonheart]

Originally Posted by andfor

If you never break your strings in a year or less or have to cut your strings out because they are dead, you might be a pusher.

I started playing tennis last year, but my strings still haven't broken. I only played from about march to June. Does this mean I'm a pusher? I really hope not...

[Tennis_Monk]

Originally Posted by Squall Leonheart

I started playing tennis last year, but my strings still haven't broken. I only played from about march to June. Does this mean I'm a pusher? I really hope not...

To me, breaking of strings is not a barometer. It is certainly true that more power game you play, the more wear and tear string will undergo.

But it all depends on style of play and guage of string used and etc etc.

And being a Pusher doesnt mean anything other than "guy plays pusher game". To me that is an acceptable style of play and one has to contend with it. They are no diff to me than "S&V players" and "aggressive baseliners".
I love to play all players with all those styles.

[35ft6]

Originally Posted by Tennis_Monk

And being a Pusher doesnt mean anything other than "guy plays pusher game". To me that is an acceptable style of play and one has to contend with it. They are no diff to me than "S&V players" and "aggressive baseliners".

I agree.

[PBODY99]

Originally Posted by Tennis_Monk

To me, breaking of strings is not a barometer. It is certainly true that more power game you play, the more wear and tear string will undergo.

But it all depends on style of play and guage of string used and etc etc.

And being a Pusher doesnt mean anything other than "guy plays pusher game". To me that is an acceptable style of play and one has to contend with it. They are no diff to me than "S&V players" and "aggressive baseliners".
I love to play all players with all those styles.

When I can beat Brad Gilbert, and when did you see him break a string, then I will be a pusher.

[Tennis_Monk]

Originally Posted by sureshs

You have a lot of small trophies after winning against 3.5 and 4.0 players.

These people make snide remarks about you and avoid inviting you to play with them.

You have improved a lot in physical fitness and running.

You can predict with great accuracy what weak shot/error your opponent is going to make.

You play with a light, head heavy and big-headed racquet.

You slice on the forehand.

Your shots usually clear the net by at least 6 feet.

You hit all backhands with the continental grip.

You have been at the same level for 15 years.

You are spot on with some . However i am not sure (in my opinion) about the following.

>>You have improved a lot in physical fitness and running.>>
>>You can predict with great accuracy what weak shot/error your opponent is going to make.>>

The above, I believe are a must for any GOOD tennis player.They are not qualities of Pusher. They are qualities of Pros.

<<You hit all backhands with the continental grip.>>

Hitting backhands with continental grip is not bad.Just that it seems a lil bit outdated.

[equinox]

You know you're a pusher. When you thrash your opponent and start bagging the clay court and your opponent walks side on shouting abuse about how much your game sucks and isn't proper tennis.

Happened to my partner.

[jonolau]

Originally Posted by equinox

You know you're a pusher. When you thrash your opponent and start bagging the clay court and your opponent walks side on shouting abuse about how much your game sucks and isn't proper tennis.

Happened to my partner.

Sounds like this guy is a bit of a sore loser. The whole point of playing a game is to win it. All styles are legal as long as it doesn't personal such as purposely aiming volleys at your opponent's body when they are also at the net.

I play with some much older experienced guys (in their mid to late 50s) who are true control masters, and they don't pull out their stops. Tons of lobs, drop shots, short returns, angled shots, underhand serves. I'm a hard hitter and they know better than to give me deeper returns to the forehand which I can power back and wear them out. So, what they do is control the pace, and eventually try and control (and restrict) my style. Initially I got frustrated, but I learnt to adjust my style and pace to suit theirs when I play with them. So now the games are not so lopsided.

I would call this intelligent play, rather than a game that sucks.

[andfor]

Sounds to me like there's a few pushers in denial here who can't break their strings.

[Sweden]

You are definitely a pusher if you are a camper while playing Counter-Strike! Anyone agree on that?

[goober]

Originally Posted by Sweden

You are definitely a pusher if you are a camper while playing Counter-Strike! Anyone agree on that?

Well camping in CS and pushing in tennis both are two very defensive styles. You wait for the opponent to make a mistake. But I am not sure how you play video games translates into playing tennis. I play FPS games very aggressive but my tennis game is counterpunching.

[golden chicken]

Originally Posted by goober

Well camping in CS and pushing in tennis both are two very defensive styles. You wait for the opponent to make a mistake. But I am not sure how you play video games translates into playing tennis. I play FPS games very aggressive but my tennis game is counterpunching.

haha isn't that odd? i'd rather camp with an assault rifle, yet i serve and volley and look to come in as much as possible! and i hardly ever break strings because i'm volleying all the time.

[BreakPoint]

Originally Posted by golden chicken

....and i hardly ever break strings because i'm volleying all the time.

Huh? Aren't the balls hitting your strings with more pace and impact then, and thus, more likely to break from the constant greater force?

[andfor]

Originally Posted by golden chicken

...........and i hardly ever break strings because i'm volleying all the time.

That's funny I play the same. But while at net I get my fare share of overheads and that's when my strings go. Serve, volley, volley, here comes the lob, BANG! It's gone and so is another sting job.

[golden chicken]

Originally Posted by BreakPoint

Huh? Aren't the balls hitting your strings with more pace and impact then, and thus, more likely to break from the constant greater force?

yeah, but i'm not changing the direction of the spin, and therefore there is less string movement. most of the people i play don't lob too well so i see few overheads. plus i don't string super-tight.

[Sweden]

Originally Posted by golden chicken

haha isn't that odd? i'd rather camp with an assault rifle, yet i serve and volley and look to come in as much as possible! and i hardly ever break strings because i'm volleying all the time.

Maybe it is not odd! If you lose the point you can still imidiately play another point, at counter-strike you must wait for a long time until next round! And if you are like me you don't want to do that

[BillyBee]

You know you're a pusher when you hear "Great get" a lot from your opponent but you're still losing most of the points.

By the way, is there any difference between a "pusher" and a "retriever," or are those terms synonymous? Ditto question with "counter-puncher."

[goober]

Originally Posted by BillyBee

By the way, is there any difference between a "pusher" and a "retriever," or are those terms synonymous? Ditto question with "counter-puncher."

It has been debated a bazillion times but in my view

pusher: never goes for winners, simply gets the ball back in play with a block shot or something similar. Generally not seen above 4.0

Counterpuncher- will go for winners but waits until his opportunity arises. Definitely not a pusher IMO. Seen at all levels of play.

retriever: close to a pusher but actually hits the ball with a full stroke. basically plays defensive.

[Ripper]

Originally Posted by MasterTS

You know you're a pusher when everyone you play says you suck and they won't play with you again, even though you beat them.

Hummm. Not always true. This is a VERY common excuse to save face...

Plus, I'd like to add two things:

1. If you can't beat a "pusher", you're NOT a better player than him/her [this could be a signature, lol ]

2. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US started out as a "pusher" and its just that some people elect to keep playing that way (and perfect the "style") for the rest of their life; where in the rule books does it say that they can't? Again, don't feel like you're better than them, if you can't beat them; YOU'RE NOT!

Edit: Back to what MasterTS said, I guess if EVERYONE YOU PLAY says it, then I suppose it's true.