socallefty
G.O.A.T.
I know that there are mostly technique improvement related threads in this section. I would agree that the biggest catalyst to progress from 3.0 to a 4.0 computer rating is technique related. <3.5s make too many errors, have low shot tolerance and weak serves due to bad technique and they need coaching lessons. 4.0s cannot sustain rallies against the pace/spin of players who were formerly top juniors/college players, cannot locate their serves and have poor net games and overheads - they need coaching or drills to improve these weaknesses. Also, footwork and fitness can be a weakness that needs to be worked on if you want to progress on the NTRP rating scale. But, enough adult rec players make technique improvements to progress to 4.0 and then hit a ceiling there.
I think that some of the 4.0 adult players with better fitness and technique can progress to 4.5 if they worked on strategy improvements in addition as it would help them to win more matches against good players who were formerly top juniors or college players when they were younger. Some issues to think about and improve are:
- Can you locate both 1st and 2nd serves accurately hopefully with at least a couple of spins (flat and slice for 1st, kick and top-slice for 2nd)? If so, do you change your serve locations and patterns to either setup favorable serve+1 shots or serve more to your opponent’s weaknesses? Do you serve to different locations and spins with new balls vs old balls or on hot days vs cold days? Do you think about these things?
- Do you return from different spots (close, further away, to the middle, wide) depending in your opponent‘s serve strengths and your favorite return+1 patterns? Do you change them as the match progresses and then balls get old? Do you spend much time thinking about adjustments to make on Return stance and patterns to disrupt the server‘s rhythm especially late in a set.
- Do you play with different tactics when you face counterpunchers, junkers/pushers, aggressive baseliners and serve-volleyers? Do you test if the opponent does well against slice, has good vertical up/down movement, can hit well on the run, can hit passes or lobs under pressure etc.
- Do you have good recovery footwork after wide shots, short-ball shots etc and have your ever done a lot of drills to improve this?
- If you play mostly doubles, do you play with the net guy signaling serve location and intentional poaches when your team serves? If the doubles opponents are returning well, are you comfortable playing Australian formation and I-formation using poach/stay signals? Do you serve-and-volley and chip/charge or at least come to the net as soon as you can?
Ex-college players with a lot of match experience as juniors think about all these things and then set up point patterns in their favor that leverage their strengths and maximize their opponent‘s weaknesses. They make the opponent run and play defense and look like they are having an easy time anticipating correctly every ball. They also have better footwork developed at a young age. When they play doubles, they can use signals and locate serves accurately and depend on their net partners a lot to help them hold serve with pre-planned intentional poaches. To beat these guys, an adult rec player has to work actively on improving their strategy and tactics during match play as they will never catch up on the 1000s of matches an advanced player might have played as a junior to develop situational awareness.
Something to think about if you’ve been stuck at 4.0 for a few years.
I think that some of the 4.0 adult players with better fitness and technique can progress to 4.5 if they worked on strategy improvements in addition as it would help them to win more matches against good players who were formerly top juniors or college players when they were younger. Some issues to think about and improve are:
- Can you locate both 1st and 2nd serves accurately hopefully with at least a couple of spins (flat and slice for 1st, kick and top-slice for 2nd)? If so, do you change your serve locations and patterns to either setup favorable serve+1 shots or serve more to your opponent’s weaknesses? Do you serve to different locations and spins with new balls vs old balls or on hot days vs cold days? Do you think about these things?
- Do you return from different spots (close, further away, to the middle, wide) depending in your opponent‘s serve strengths and your favorite return+1 patterns? Do you change them as the match progresses and then balls get old? Do you spend much time thinking about adjustments to make on Return stance and patterns to disrupt the server‘s rhythm especially late in a set.
- Do you play with different tactics when you face counterpunchers, junkers/pushers, aggressive baseliners and serve-volleyers? Do you test if the opponent does well against slice, has good vertical up/down movement, can hit well on the run, can hit passes or lobs under pressure etc.
- Do you have good recovery footwork after wide shots, short-ball shots etc and have your ever done a lot of drills to improve this?
- If you play mostly doubles, do you play with the net guy signaling serve location and intentional poaches when your team serves? If the doubles opponents are returning well, are you comfortable playing Australian formation and I-formation using poach/stay signals? Do you serve-and-volley and chip/charge or at least come to the net as soon as you can?
Ex-college players with a lot of match experience as juniors think about all these things and then set up point patterns in their favor that leverage their strengths and maximize their opponent‘s weaknesses. They make the opponent run and play defense and look like they are having an easy time anticipating correctly every ball. They also have better footwork developed at a young age. When they play doubles, they can use signals and locate serves accurately and depend on their net partners a lot to help them hold serve with pre-planned intentional poaches. To beat these guys, an adult rec player has to work actively on improving their strategy and tactics during match play as they will never catch up on the 1000s of matches an advanced player might have played as a junior to develop situational awareness.
Something to think about if you’ve been stuck at 4.0 for a few years.