3.0 player vs. Open player (actual pro)

CAM178

Hall of Fame
Tell him to keep entering Men's Open. We like getting guys like this. Let's us get some practice. Double bagels the 1st time should have taught him, but your friend seems to have a pretty flat learning curve.
 

jmverdugo

Hall of Fame
In the litle city i live the tournaments are divided by age rather than level, this is this way because not many people plays on a competitive level. There are three categories: Open (less than 35 years), Master A (over 35) and Master B (over 45). Since im 30 i have to play Open, the problem is that in this categorie compete the pros (as tennis teacher), the future/ satelittle players, the high ranked juniors, and the people like me. I think i may be between 3.5 and 4.0 and beleive me have been double baggeled more than couple of times, however this is the only way i can play competitive tennis. What i can tell you is that you definitely get better faster, well im no longer getting double bagelled, at least that is an improvement. For instance tomorrow i play the first round of a local tourny and have to play against a 18 years old junior/tennis instructor. Probably i wont win, who knows, but i intend to fight every point and moonball his a** out of the court :) and im sure every point will be a earned one, very gratifying (sp?).

My point is that eventhough i would prefer to play with people of my level, loosing to this people isnt that bad.
 

Pusher

Professional
My momma says that playing in the open division is like a box of chocolates..you never know what you're gonna get.
 

RoddickAce

Hall of Fame
As a friend, maybe you can give him some tips in improving that second serve of his.

by the way, when i first watched the video, i thought guy in the grey shirt, with the huge serve(when he was trying..lol), was ur friend, and i was like, maybe this guy isnt a 3.0 after all...then after i saw the guy completely killing the other guy's serve, i kinda caught on to who was the 3.0 player.
 
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Cruzer

Professional
The match is at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday. I'm really thinking about getting out of bed, driving 1 hour to get there, and bring my digital camera to capture the ludacracy. Anyway, if I do, it will definitely be posted.

The match will probably be over by 8:20 including the 5 minute warmup. He should think of it as the same as having a hitting session with a pro except in this case the guy across the net won't be looking to hit the ball back to him to keep the rally going but as far away from him as possible.
 

doggieboy

New User
I have to say that I kinda admire the guy.

The first time he did this I thought he was just stupid and didn't have a clue. After having his ass handed to him, he signs up for another ass whipping! Oh and somewhere along the line, you manage to get through to him and he signs up for the 3.0 tourny.

He is a friend of yours because you like him and his spirit. He doesn't care about looking bad or what others thing of him. I wouldn't have the stones to do what he did.

...and don't worry about his first round opponent, he had a good laugh and was probably trying to see if he could get 48 straight points.
 

chess9

Hall of Fame
Before the rating system was implemented, most amateur tournaments were open tournaments. So, invariably, a seeded player would play some beginner and give him a lesson. All beginners understood the process and most advanced players did as well and treated their opponents like gentlemen/gentlewomen.

The new system MIGHT be better, but for all the ugly appendages hanging onto the new system.

My biggest concern is that people don't understand the preparation that must be done before entering a tournament. A 4 year old Suziki violin student doesn't start with a Paganinni violin piece.

When I was 14 I was looking for a sport to replace baseball, as I was bored being on rotation as a pitcher. So, I bought a cheap tennis racquet and hit some for about two weeks with a friend. He wasn't much better than me, but bragged that his brother was a great athlete who was going to the Naval Academy. Well, I really had no respect for tennis players at that point as it wasn't a traditional sport, so I told my friend to bring him on, in my best impression of G.W. Bush. :) Needless to say, his brother thoroughly cleaned my clock as he was about 4 levels above me. BUT, he inspired me to play better.

So, when a 3.0 player plays in a 3.0 tournament, is he modeling 3.0 players, is he learning 3.0 faults, is he listening to 3.0 advice from other 3.0s, etc.?

If you want to get better, and are a low rated player, then get lessons, model the BEST players, train hard, and TEST your training occasionally with a tournament. Fortunately the beginner doesn't have to be cannon fodder for an open level player, so playing an open tournament is a bit silly when you are a 3.0. Play a 3.5 tournament instead. :) j/k

-Robert
 
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