Usually in tournaments, I either win the whole thing, or lose to a pusher. The reason that I lose to them is because I have absolutely no shot tolerance. Do you guys have any tips on not always going for big angles, or beating pushers?
First off, your analysis may be slightly flawed: if you had zero shot tolerance, how are you winning tournaments? The only possible way is to have a huge serve that can't be returned and Agassi-like returns. Assuming this is not the case, you're winning because your opponents all tend to play the same style as you but you are better at it. You don't have zero shot tolerance but a high enough shot tolerance that it suffices to beat the competition.
The pusher is a completely different animal: his main game plan is to hit high % shots [which often means little spin or pace] in the fat part of the court and to allow you the opportunity to make the first mistake. Since most points end in an error anyway, the odds are on his side against those with low shot tolerance. Trying to beat this type of player solely by trying to achieve a higher shot tolerance is probably a losing battle [although a higher shot tolerance will serve you well in general].
For example, I wouldn't bother trying to run faster than Usain Bolt: no matter what I do to my technique, I'm not going to beat him at his own game. To win, I have to change the terms of engagement: turn it into something other than a mere foot race. Let's say he's a terrible juggler and I change the race rules to state that one must continually juggle as one is moving. I'd win the race.
Back to the pusher, the way to improve is to stop playing his game: don't go for winners just because the ball is slow and sitting up for you. Continue to hit intelligently aggressively but to large targets: don't aim for lines. Aim 5' inside the line to give yourself plenty of margin. As you improve, your targets can shrink. But against the pusher, keep your targets large. Eventually, he'll cough up a short ball that you can put away. This is where your shot tolerance will pay off.
For me, a better strategy against the pusher is to go back to the Usain Bolt analogy: how do I change the rules of engagement? By either coming to the net or getting him to come to the net. Both are yanking him out of his CZ [comfort zone] and making him hit shots he doesn't like hitting. As long as his discomfort goes up more than yours, it's a potentially winning strategy.
If you come to the net, he will have to attempt a passing shot: if he hits the same high % shot as if you were on the baseline, you can attack that with a volley: hitting a winner with a volley when you're mere feet from the net is much easier than with a ground stroke from 39' away from the net. So he instead has to be more aggressive with his shot, something he hates to do. The result is that his error rate will go up big time.
One caveat: beware the lob because it's coming.
If you force him to the net [for example, by hitting shots so short that it's not wise to retreat because he'd be out of balance], now you can make him volley or hit OHs; again, he likely isn't comfortable doing this.
In either case, you've shifted the advantage to you. Yes, neither style may be to your liking. But it's better than trying to beat Usain Bolt in a footrace.
