Thanks guys! I have a question about general tennis strategy. As a 3.0 and 3.5, I relied on my my opponents making errors in order to get enough points to win a match. However, at the 4.0/4.5 level, I don't think that works. In my observations playing at this level, the thing that separates a winning 4.0 player from a losing one, is that a winning one usually doesn't fail to capitalize on an opportunity to turn up the level of aggression to push the point in their favor.
Example 1 (singles): You hit a good serve and you're rewarded with a short ball in mid court. A weak 4.0 would not seize that opportunity, and might hit a relatively soft shot either to the right or left, but not hard enough or at an extreme angle enough to give them any amount of advantage in that point. Therefore, that weak 4.0 would usually retreat back to the baseline and continue on with a relatively neutral point, completely missing an opportunity.
However, a stronger player would capitalize on that and hit a much more aggressive approach shot and follow it up with holding down the net.
Example 2 (singles): When you're on the baseline, that is considered "neutral", meaning it's a neutral rally, you're neither being pushed around nor have an advantage. If you're pushed behind the baseline, now you're on the defensive. AS soon as you can take a step or two into the court north of the baseline, now you've got a chance to be aggressive.
Weak 4.0 players will treat being +/-3 feet north or south of the baseline as being defensive. They won't consider themselves as having an opportunity to be aggressive until they are on the service line.
Strong 4.0 players, when given the opportunity to step into the court, they will increase the pace, hit a little harder and try to capitalize on that moment.
So, I guess my question is: are my observations correct? Is the difference between strong and weak 4.0s is their ability/confidence/willingness to turn up the aggression, try to hit harder, try to go for more sharper angles in order to create opportunities to end points on their terms?
If so, I definitely do not have that confidence. In certain situations, I can, but most of the time in matches, I don't have any confidence to hit harder, increase pace, go for better angles and try to force the issue to my favor.
Thoughts?
Thanks!